Breakfast in the dog pack

After my walk with Qila and Jennie every morning, we wait for at least twenty minutes before breakfast. This wait has several very specific purposes. First, Samoyeds are one of the dog breeds that can succumb to bloat or gastric tortion. I’ll talk more about this in a later post but bloat isn’t pretty, its onset can be sudden, and it’s frequently fatal. Eating too soon after exercise has been given as one of the causes of bloat.

The other purpose the wait gives is that it provides an opportunity for me to make and eat my own breakfast.

The pack must eat together. This is a hard and fast rule. Each dog has his or her own bowl, and is fed a different quantity suitable to his or her needs and stage of life, prefers a slightly different proportion of kibble, water, and cottage cheese, and may have different dietary supplements added, but the pack must eat together.

This is pretty odd since at least one and frequently two of the dogs “opt out” of eating once the bowls have been put down. But if we try to feed them separately they may all refuse to eat. Qila and Mira are our most reliable eaters. They’ll typically eat whatever you put before them and then some. Mira, in particular, attacks her bowl of kibble–we feed Sensible Choice Lamb and Rice Adult–with particular frenzy. She roots in her bowl like a French pig after truffles. Kibbles fly everywhere. She goes after each and every kibble. Mira is inclined to be a mite pudgy and we’re hard put to ensure that she gets no more than her share–she’ll steal from the other dogs if she gets the chance.

Jennie and Tally will put up with this. Qila is another case altogether. If Mira attempts to steal from Qila, he simply won’t stand for it: he’ll discipline her in no uncertain manner with ferocious growling and snapping. He takes his role as alpha male very seriously and insists on his prerogatives. One interesting thing about this disciplining is that it’s very frightening both to Mira and to my wife and me but it’s largely a lot of sound and fury–he’s very careful not to hurt her.

Tally, on the other hand, is our picky eater. She frequently needs some coaxing to eat. I guess that (and the constant activity) is how she maintains her trim figure.

Jennie also needs some coaxing to eat. As alpha female she will frequently guard the others as they eat. Always the mommie, she wants to make sure that everyone gets enough to eat even if it means that she eats nothing herself. “Oh, dear, have you had enough to eat? Please take mine!” We’ll frequently guard her bowl from the other dogs and, after the pack’s breakfast is over, close the kitchen off from the other dogs and let her eat in peace.

After breakfast is a rare time of quiet. All will be peace until the 10:00 Howl.