[Georgiapeach]

I just found this forum and I'm so glad! Two weeks ago, my husband and I took in my MIL's cockapoo, Rosie, after she had to leave her home and go into assisted care. We already have 3 other dogs (2 minipoos and an elderly black lab), so I have a full pack! Rosie has run the roost her whole life, and eaten nothing but custom-cooked chicken (as much as she could eat everyday) and an unlimited supply of Milkbones.

Needless to say, Rosie's morbidly obese! She weighed 28.2 pounds when we got her (and that was after going on a hunger strike for a solid week while living with a neighbor of my MIL's until we could go and get her down in FL), and she should weigh around 14-16. I transitioned her to our dog's food within a week (she doesn't handle starving herself very well ), and she's on a restricted diet. I'm giving her 1/4 c. of Taste of the Wild Sierra (lamb) twice a day, and she gets a healthy dose of no salt green beans for a high fiber, low calorie filler, along with salmon oil in her evening food. At first, she was picking at the food, but now, she frenzies at feeding time, like our other dogs do.

I'm proud to say that Rosie's already lost 2 pounds in the two weeks we've had her! 2 pounds down, 12 more to go... Fortunately, she loves playing fetch with her stuffie in the house, and we'll start going for walks as the weather improves. I have a fenced in yard, and she's had to adjust to going out loose - she wasn't used to that.

Rosie's also learning manners for the first time in her life. Wow, you mean I can't jump up and lay on the end table next to the couch? Uh, no... You mean I can't go dashing out the door when it opens? Uh, double no! She seems VERY smart, so she's learning fast.

I'm looking forward to learning more about this breed on this forum! And yes, I know, you want pictures! Hopefully, I'll get one on here soon. I teach full time, and with four dogs, my life is crazy!

 

[Dylansmum]

Hi Georgia, sounds like she will do really well with you. Look forward to hearing more x

 

[kendal]

hey welcome, sounds like you are the best thing to have happend to her. would love to see photos of you gang, what are your other dogs names.

 

[wilfiboy]

Hi Beth welcome to you and your brood ... she sounds to be doing really well she'll be feeling great like a new dog ... good luck x

 

[lady amanda]

THAT IS SO GREAT!!! best thing to happen to that pup is clearly YOU!!! YAY!
Does she like the beans??? I might give that one a try!
Can't wait to see pics of the whole gang!

 

[Georgiapeach]

Thanks for the replies! To answer some of your questions:

Rosie, age 6 (will be 7 in May), loves the green beans! At first, she turned her nose up at them, because she'd never had them before, but that only lasted a day. Like I said, she's not one to starve - lol! The beans add a lot of fiber with hardly any calories. I get the no salt added, store brand green beans. I give her two heaping tablespoons full in her evening food. Since I'm feeding her so little right now (1/4 c. twice daily), I don't want her to feel like she's starving all the time. Today, I gave her a small piece of apple, and after spitting it out twice, she then ate it, and voila! She realized it was good stuff! Her palate is undergoing a radical education right now, for sure!!

My other dogs are:

Fonzie - a 1.5 year old small cream minipoo (adopted from a local rescue about a year ago). He was rescued from a puppy mill that was busted about a 100 miles from here, and he had parvo that should have killed him, but the rescuer, a vet tech kept him on an IV for a couple of months, and he pulled through. The poor guy has a miniature-sized body on toy- sized legs - quite odd looking (obviously very poorly bred), but we love him anyway! He's the alpha in the bunch, and we have to watch him carefully to keep his bullying tendencies in check!

Potsie - a 2 year old cream minipoo (adopted from the same rescue a few months ago to be a playmate for Fonzie). He was initially found tied to a tree about a year ago, and was finally adoptable a couple of months ago. He's a sweetie, but he is timid around people - no telling what he went through at his original home. He's getting more confident and outgoing everyday. He and Fonzie have become BFFs, and he doesn't put up with Fonzie's bullying, which is great!

Chipper - a 14 year old black lab. We adopted him from the dog pound when he was 5 months old. He's our old man, and he thinks these youngsters are quite a pain! When they're playing bitey-face (the poodles) and running around like crazy, he groans like the character Lurch, on the Addams Family (a popular TV show a LONG time ago)!

Rosie's the odd dog out right now, being the newcomer. She never learned to play, being an only dog at my MIL's house, so she hasn't initiated anything yet. It's only been two weeks, so I'm sure she'll learn eventually!

 

[lady amanda]

Beth, You just seem like such an awsome doggy mommy!
You must have quite the fun household!
So are the beans canned?? or fresh?...I may give lady some this weekend

 

[wilfiboy]

The dog rescue must have a great big smile when they see you coming lol x

 

[parapluie]

So lovely to hear about your pack. Thankfully there are people like you out there to take in these poor pups

 

[Georgiapeach]

Well, we figure that we'll lose Chipper within a year or two (not trying to be morbid - just realistic), and we wanted Fonzie to have a playmate.

At a family meeting of DH's family (and us) to discuss DH's Mom's declining health, I said I'd take Rosie if the dog outlived her (yes, I'm NUTS - thank God DH humors my obsession with dogs!). I figured it would be in several years - wrong!!! DH's mom fell, broke her hip, isn't quite with it mentally, and is now living with the oldest son. Oldest son DETESTS Rosie and refuses to have her in his house - he wanted to euthanize the dog!!!!!! Of course, DH and I wouldn't hear of that! Granted, Rosie is a mess (she came to us thinking it was fine to jump on furniture, tables etc. - NOT ), but I've had dogs forever and knew she could be rehabilitated. I'm kind of a a cross between Cesar and Victoria Stillwell - I definitely believe in the NILF philosophy (Nothing In Life Is Free). If dogs know the boundaries, they're like children - they're much more content. I also teach middle school (grade 6), so not much phases me!

We figure that we'll get Rosie on the straight and narrow, then decide whether or not to keep her. I know a lot of rescue people (can you tell by the dogs I have????), so my go-to rescue will help me out, if necessary. I think we'll end up keeping her, unless I lose my mind first - lol! I've already gotten her out of the diaper we had to keep on her the first two weeks (excited piddling), so life's already better!

You guys are great to read my long-winded posts!

P.S.: Lady Amanda, I get the canned, no salt green beans (salt's bad for dogs, just like it is for us). I don't cut them up or anything - gives her something to chew on. I simply use a tablespoon (from my tableware set) and put about 3 HEAPING spoonfuls in Rosie's food. It gives her something to eat, for very few calories, and lots of great fiber. The first time I gave them to her, I only gave her a few, knowing that she'd pick at them. Hunger got the better of her, and now she's happy eating whatever I give her! Healthy dogs won't starve themselves, that's for sure! You have to wait them out, if they're picky.

 

[Georgiapeach]

The dog rescue must have a great big smile when they see you coming lol x

You know it!

 

[parapluie]

It's great you're making progress with her already. That's very encouraging!

 

[Kel]

Fonzie and Potsie...love those names! Takes me back in time...

 

[Georgiapeach]

Fonzie and Potsie...love those names! Takes me back in time...

Oh yea - Happy Days for sure! When we first got Fonzie, my daughter watched him running around the yard like a crazy man, and my daughter said that he was wild, like Fonzie on the TV show Happy Days. The name stuck. When we got Potsie, we decided to stick with the theme. Chipper was named because we got him the same year that Chipper Jones (a very popular player) joined the Atlanta Braves baseball team. Rosie came with her name, and we've decided not to change it.

 

[Enneirda.]

Hey Georgiapeach! Good to see you!

Rose is pretty, even if a bit fat lol. Sounds like you got her on the right track, keep it up! How do the other like her?