I'm a 'furry pig' when it comes to food

Chocolate Labradors have a bit of a reputation where food is concerned and I can't deny it, I take my duty to uphold the reputation of my breed very seriously. I will eat anything in my path, except that is, for raw potatoes, raw parsnips and raw mushrooms. However, once the food fairy has done her magic with them, I will quite happily chobble my way through a bowl full. It's a well known fact that Labradors will eat and eat and eat and won't stop until the food supply has run out. I've even heard of Labradors eating so much that they have burst their stomach - not nice. But that's an extreme example, but like people, we can put on weight which can lead to us being really unhealthy and unfit. That's why the humans that look after us have to be responsible.
When I first came to my new home, my food fairy gave me 'dry food', which was recommended by the breeder. It was ok, it filled me up, but it was a bit boring. It also had rather a bizarre side effect. It was so full of protein it was like giving blue Smarties and cola to a child. To say I went hyper is an understatement. Within half an hour of every meal I was so full of energy I just had to run it off. That wasn't so bad when I was little or outside, but as I got bigger, it soon became clear inside the house was not the place to do it. If the food fairy hadn't changed my diet, the dining table and chairs would have been reduced to kindling in no time.
Following discussions with the vet and my mate the butcher, we seemed to hit on a reasonable diet of eggs, pasta, rice and the meat and bone mince. I enjoyed the hearts and the offal, but the food fairy wasn't too impressed with the way the smell lingered for hours. I rather liked it myself, but it is an acquired taste. Whenever the humans have a chicken, the food fairy always boils the bones so that I can have the last bits of meat and the stock. You see I'm not too keen on water, but I will drink gallons of chicken stock, so it's a way that my owners can ensure I don't get dehydrated. Clever eh!

If the food fairy is in the kitchen you can guarantee I'm not too far away. There's always a chance I might get a tasty treat and you never know when something will accidentally drop to the floor and then it's mine. Like the day she dropped a tray of mini scotch eggs - I skidded around the kitchen floor like Bambi on ice, scooping them up before the food fairy could retrieve them. I think the final score was 4-2 to me.

We had some visitors round at the weekend and all the kids had their meals on the patio. I didn't have to wait long before a juicy chicken burger came my way. If things don't get dropped, I can always go scrumping for apples or berries in the garden, or if there's really slim pickings, I can always rely on my puppy dog eyes to get me a tasty treat.

But gluttony is not without its downside and I do have to watch my weight. I've already been given the nickname the 'furry pig' after rescuing the remains of a cucumber from the compost heap when we went visiting (that was after I'd eaten the food that had been put out for the hedgehog). It doesn't help when food treats are so useful as a training aid, however my food fairy got round that one. She will give me bits of carrot or cabbage stalks as a treat - low in calories and they taste great. You know I'm sure she must think I'm a vegetarian!


Anyway time for tea, Button x.