Glen of Imaal Terrier Enthusiasts & Fanciers Club

ANNOUNCEMENT
The EFG Committee would like to thank Jean Rogers for her work and dedication to the club over the last 20 years. Jean was one of the founder members of the club and has been its secretary since inception. She has worked tirelessly for the health and welfare of the breed and has decided it is time to pass the baton. Jean will be sorely missed but remains an integral part of the club having been given a lifetime member by the Committee.
Barbara Baldock and Lin Mullins are also members of the Committee who are stepping down and we thank them for their work over the last 10 years.
NEW COMMITTEE MEMBERS
The Committee would like to welcome:-
Caz Kirkwood - as Secretary
Julia Hannington - as Committee member
Nicki Montford - as Committee Member
Please send all emails to the secretary Caz on her new email address -

HOW SHOULD I FEED MY DOG?
The answer seems simple;– put food where the dog can get it , dog eats food, dog has been fed……or has it?
Forget for a minute all the hype & advertising: Dog food comes in two types – sticky or not sticky!
Food can be presented in a variety of ways;
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loose on the floor
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in a bowl on the floor
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in a raised bowl
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in a hopper –self serve
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in a treat ball
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as a reward/bribe
Loose on the floor/ground
Pros;- No washing up!
Cons;- surface could be difficult to clean ; bacterial growth, slipping,
Bowl on floor
Pros;- easy to regulate amount, clean
Cons;- might be a bit too easy for the dog –solved by using a large bowl with a brick sized boulder to slow down eating.
Raised bowl,
Pros;- as B
Cons;-This started out as a training aid for long legged breeds –feed them so they have to stand upright to eat & they are encouraged into good posture.
It has since entered folklore as prevention of gastric torsion with the rider that it is natural for a dog. This is incorrect- the natural feeding position of wild dogs is head down at a carcase. If too much reliance is placed on position rather than foodstuff bloat can become more likely.
If tipped the mess goes further!
In a hopper –self serve
Pros;- always available, only suited to non sticky food
Cons;- impossible to regulate ( more so for multiple dogs), removes a lot of owner/dog interaction, can lead to obesity or, surprisingly, pickyness
In a treat ball
Pro’s;- stimulation, makes the dog work for food
Con’s;-can be messy & requires advance preparation for sticky food
As a reward/bribe
Pro’s;- useful training or bonding aid.
Con’s;- can inadvertantly re-enforce unwanted behaviour, obesity
What to feed is another whole lot of thinking!