Thursday, January 12, 2012

If it's food, eat it.

I adopted three fish yesterday. Harry. Sally and Sue.

When they arrived they didn't have names. "I've never named my fish," said Dave the friend who gave me the fish. He is moving away and cannot take them with him.

I'm happy they're here sitting atop a low bookcase in my office, right beside my desk.

Ellie, the wonder pooch, is happier.

I went off to meditation last night and Ellie decided to help herself to fish food. She tried to eat the entire container but managed only to consume its contents.

Who knew a container of fish food flakes could be so enticing to a hound. Oh right, she's a scavenger, a glutton, a pig.

Not really. But she sure does like her food and she sure can't resist temptation.

When I arrived home after my meditation group and went to feed the fish as Dave had instructed me to do, I couldn't find the container of fish food where I knew I had put it in the corner, on the floor beside the tank. The cleaning agent was there. The extra dish and paraphernalia were there. But no fish food.

I wondered if I was mistaken. Had I put it in the cupboard? Had I put it somewhere else.

It was Ellie's behaviour that tipped me off. She wouldn't come into the office with me. She hung about the door, poking just her nose into the room.

"What did you do?" I asked her. "What did you do?"

She hung her head, slunk into the room and headed straight to her bed in the far corner of my office, the furthest point away from where I stood watching her accusingly.

"You didn't..." And I headed into our bedroom to check her bed which lies at the foot of ours. It's where she tends to take all the food treasures she manages to steal.

Sure enough. There it was. One empty plastic fish food container with puncture marks across its skin. One torn up label from the container. Was she trying to hide the evidence?

Ellie doesn't seem to be the worse for wear. Fish food agrees with her. Though her breath is kind of stinky.

Harry, Sally and Sue however will be scavenging along the bottom of the tank until I get to the pet store this morning to replace their food. There were enough dregs in the bottom of the tub to sprinkle them onto the water last night. And maybe, just enough to appease them until the store opens.

And I am the wiser for the adventure. When bringing new friends into the house, ensure special diets are kept safe from those who believe if it's food, eat it. (and pretend you didn't do it!)

17 comments:

sharmishtha said...

well i think ellie did quite a normal thing. :)

misha (my spitz) used to munch fish food cubes like human kids munch chocolate.

love and hugs.

Anonymous said...

LG,

I don't want to carp too much on why fish need names.

But your choices are questionable. Have you considered Salmon, Halibut or Tuna?

lovely names, and all good eating

invite me over when you've fattened those babies up

Cheers,

Mark

Valerie Kamikubo said...

Well, this story brightened my day! I hope that all of you have a wonderful day. Great names for the fish, BTW.

Louise Gallagher said...

I agree Trisha -- she did :) and she sure is funny when she does though.

fish food cubes - who knew they could also be dog treats!

Louise Gallagher said...

Haha -- very funny Mark. :)

Louise Gallagher said...

I'm glad it brightened your day Valerie -- Harry, Sally and Sue are definitely brightening up my office, though I think they may be a tad intimidated by Marley, the Great Cat who keeps pressing his nose against the glass... :)

Unknown said...

Funny - my dog once ate an enclosed, brand new packet of fish hooks. It was an expensive and painful lesson which required a trip to the vet.

Ellie obviously has a seafood diet i.e see food and eat it, including the container if possible as well.

LOL

Louise Gallagher said...

Fi, that is Ellie to a 't'! See food. eat it.

And ouch! re fish hook eating. Ouch!

S. Etole said...

Between new plants and new fish, Ellie should have quite a few choices for her diet.

Louise Gallagher said...

Tee hee Susan. You made me smile! :)

Anonymous said...

cute story...

Claudia said...

good she ate the fish food and not the fish...ugh... smiles

Alyssa Wright said...

Dogs are awesome...

My (late) black Lab was Gypsy, and he had eyes that said "will work for food." As long as I had something that smelled food-like in my pocket, he would do whatever I asked. And if he didn't get what was in my pocket, he would do it five more times, upping the ante with each attempt!

He and my (late) eldest cat, Evinrude, were co-conspirators. I kept all the pet food in a broom closet in the kitchen. Evinrude learned to stick his paw under the door and open it, so he and Gypsy could feast. I invested in those child-proof door stoppers.

However... One day, after a long day out, and after having gone pet-food shopping the day before, I came home to an open cupboard, and completely empty bags of both cat and dog foods, and a rather green-looking black Lab (Evinrude could survive anything that involved food). He actually moaned all through the night... and I laughed at him, mean dog-mum that I was.

He never did it again, though!

Louise Gallagher said...

Thanks Nance.

Louise Gallagher said...

Good point Claudia!

Louise Gallagher said...

Now that you mention it Alyssa -- they do learn by their mistakes don't they!

ellie once ate the entire tin of cat food -- which includes the actual tin. ended up at the vet with some very distressing hands going in places she did not like!

never ate the tin again.

Good thing the fish food was in a plastic tub though... she might have tried it all over agian.

and btw -- what on earth are you doing up at this unholy hour...? oh right... you're a musician! :)

Hugs, thinking of you.

Hope said...

there is always some adjustment when introducing new family members. glad your pup is alright.

happy weekend, Louise!