My dog loves Milk
By carpenter5
@carpenter5 (6782)
United States
June 10, 2011 11:17am CST
Every night, on advice from his doctor, my father in law eats a bowl of Raisin Bran cereal before going to bed. While we were staying with my inlaws when we first moved here to Arizona, he and my dog got into their little ritual.
Dad would get his bowl of cereal and Baby Girl would follow him to the kitchen and watch while he fixed it. Then she would follow him back to the living room and sit at this feet by the recliner while he ate all of the cereal and most of the milk. He would leave just enough milk to cover the bottom of the bowl.
Then he would lean down and put the bowl on the floor by the recliner, remove the spoon and go back to his ball game. Baby would finish the milk and then Dad would pick up the bowl, and take it to the dishwasher.
Here's the problem. Now that we've moved into our own house, every time any of us get a bowl of cereal...she thinks we're supposed to leave her the milk! I hate to disappoint her, but the remaining milk, sweetened slightly by my Kashi Honey Sunshine Cereal (I don't add any additional sugar) is my favorite part of the meal/snack.
The vet has told us that the milk won't hurt her and really as old as she is (6 years) that it is actually good for her bones.
What do you think...should I pour a little extra milk and continue to give her the treat? Does your pet have something that you eat that he/she likes to share?
3 people like this
5 responses
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
10 Jun 11
are you kidding me? yes, my coco watches son every time he gets cookies and milk. but i tell him just a tiny bit of milk cause id heard not to much should be given little dogs. she loves milk and will whine if he dont give her some when she realizes hes done eating. so he always gives her a little. 
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
12 Jun 11
We don't give ours much either. She gets very little table food and knows better than to beg, though that doesn't always stop her. Especially with my husband and son who call her "Poor pitiful thing" and give in to her. I just tell her to go get on her pillow and stop begging and she usually will, then I give her a dog cookie.
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
10 Jun 11
Once animals are in the habit of "begging" they'll never stop. We got a puppy when I was little, and Mom made us promise not to feed her from the table. If we sometimes had a little scrap that we wanted to give her, we'd set it aside, and put it in her food dish at the end of the meal. Now Mom has a big dog on the farm, and she treats him the same way. The dogs don't expect something every time, but are happy when they get it. Since your dog has obviously been trained to beg. she'll likely keep the habit for the rest of her life, and bug the crap out of you when you try to un-train her.
2 people like this
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
12 Jun 11
Baby has never, nor will ever be, fed from the table. She is really very good about not begging. If we tell her to go lay on her pillow she will do it. She isn't allowed in the dining room while we are eating. Now, that's not to say that she won't lay across the door looking pretty lonely, but she won't come in unless we are through, and then occasionally, I will call her to come clean up the mess the grandbaby has made on the floor. Everyone is gone and the food has been cleared from the table by then.
I have a friend whose cat gets on the table even when we are still there eating and it drives me insane. I think it's awful and very unsanitary.
Baby does know when she has done something to warrant two dog cookies though, such as not messing on the carpet if something happens and we are gone longer than expected. And if you only give her one, she will very politely sit under the cabinet that her cookies are in until you give her the second one.
@srganesh (6340)
• India
11 Jun 11
That is a good idea to follow. Training the dog to eat only at its plate and not from your dining table. By this habit, the dogs too would learn some table manners and will not embarrass infront of guests too. I appreciate your mom's intelligent decision here!
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (92474)
• United States
11 Jun 11
My dogs have done that. I don't really drink the extra milk in cereal. So I have no problem giving the bowl to my little furry friend. When Sherlock was alive he'd go to my dad's house and sit by his chair and watch my dad eat his Wheaties until my dad gave in and let him lick out the bit of milk left in the bowl. Sometimes he'd put extra in his bowl just so Sherlock could have some. It's cute.
1 person likes this
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
12 Jun 11
The vet told us as long as it was just milk and cereal it was fine, but not to give her raisins or nuts because they were hard on her digestion. She loves dry Honeycomb and cheerios that the grandbabies sometimes drop on the floor under the table.
I don't have a problem with giving her the milk, as long as it's in the livingroom like you said. It's feeding them at the table that I would never do.
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
12 Jun 11
Baby's favorite dog food has cheese flavored bits in it, as well as several types of meat and veggies. She's really funny when she eats, as she gets one or two pieces at a time and drags them into the living room to eat. And she eats around the ones shaped like green beans and saves then for last. I'm not sure why whether they are her favorites, or the ones she doesn't like and she's hoping I'll give her more of the rest instead of making her eat the green ones!
@srganesh (6340)
• India
11 Jun 11
As your dog has developed this habit of looking for the remaining milk from whomever bowl, now it will be very hard to change it. If you really want to stop that, you will have to be rude against your dog for a particular time and even punish him for acting like that. But drinking milk is not at all bad for dogs. So, if your budget gives room, feed him with extra milk!
1 person likes this
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
12 Jun 11
She is a small dog and doesn't drink much. So I think since the vet said it was ok and the general concensus here is that it's not going to hurt her, I will probably continue to give it to her...even if it's just occasionally. She is a very good pet and normally very well mannered. If I tell her to stop begging and go lay down, she will do it, even though you can tell she is not happy with the idea!
As you can see from the picture, she is very sweet and extremely spoiled!!!!
