Dog bites food. Film @ 11.

[Onomatopaeia Zadora]

stargazer wrote:

"If I bought someone expensive food I would have bought it because I assumed they enjoyed it and would want it, not give it (even some of it) to their dog.  But a gift is a gift so she was not rude.  Perhaps a tiny bit thoughtless."

Someone who considered the dog to be an equal part of the family (there are many even on this board who do) would not see sharing with the dog as thoughtless any more than sharing with their children, and I can't imagine that many of us would label that rude.

Carnation, I would only consider you a Special Snowflake if you'd said something in response to the action, so you should be fine there.  But, consider what I said above before you let it bother you any further.

Virg

Yes, this.  I guess I don't understand why giving a dog some good food would be upsetting.  Don't dogs like tasty things too?   It's like saying there is something wrong with dogs and I just don't understand that.  Dogs are not lesser beings than any of us.  They are just as worthy of love, affection and good eats as any of us are.  If the OP's friend had given the food away to anyone, or tossed it in the trash, I could imagine being pretty ticked off.  But, she shared a gift with someone she loves, who just so happens to be of a different species. 

[Audrey Quest]

Yeah, you can do what you want with your gift, but not in front of the recipient unless it is to place the gift in a special place.
 
Feeding it to the dog in front of you was insensitive.
 
I have to assume that since it wasn't cooked that your friend did not have a bite of it at the same time--that makes it worse.
 
If she doesn't even taste it first but throws a few uncooked bites to her dog?    That's rude and insensitive.

[DottyG]

OP, was the food not cooked or not heated?  There's a difference between the two.

[Surianne]

Yes, this.  I guess I don't understand why giving a dog some good food would be upsetting.  Don't dogs like tasty things too?   It's like saying there is something wrong with dogs and I just don't understand that.  Dogs are not lesser beings than any of us.  They are just as worthy of love, affection and good eats as any of us are.  If the OP's friend had given the food away to anyone, or tossed it in the trash, I could imagine being pretty ticked off.  But, she shared a gift with someone she loves, who just so happens to be of a different species.  

That's how I see it too.  

[farrah]

Yeah, you can do what you want with your gift, but not in front of the recipient unless it is to place the gift in a special place.
 
Feeding it to the dog in front of you was insensitive.
 
I have to assume that since it wasn't cooked that your friend did not have a bite of it at the same time--that makes it worse.
 
If she doesn't even taste it first but throws a few uncooked bites to her dog?    That's rude and insensitive.

I don't see it as rude or insensitive at all. If this is a person who really loves her dog, treats that dog like a friend or family member, I don't see sharing a bite of the food as any different than sharing a bite with another person.

To me, it's not any different than if it was a cooked food, like fudge or cookies, and she offered a small piece to a human friend who was sitting next to her because she knows her friend will like it, too. I may be biased, though, as I enjoy sharing the occassional taste of exquisite people food with my dogs because it makes them so happy. I can't think of a single food I would eat that I would deem "too good" for my dogs just because they're dogs I know not everyone understands it, but I don't believe that makes it rude.

[NOVA Lady]

Unless she yelled "Gross!!!" and threw it to her dog I don't see the issue.

She wanted to share some of HER gift with the dog...whats the problem?

[rose red]

You feel how you feel.  You are not a special snowflake unless you throw a fit and demand your food back and lecturing her with "how DARE you feed my expensive gift to your dog!!!111!!!"

[farrah]

You feel how you feel.  You are not a special snowflake unless you throw a fit and demand your food back and lecturing her with "how DARE you feed my expensive gift to your dog!!!111!!!"

Good point. You can't help how you feel. I'm sure your friend didn't mean to make you feel bad by sharing with her dog.

[Scout Finch]

I could understand being upset if she gave the entire thing to her dog in front of you (clearly showing that she didn't value it), but I don't see anything wrong with giving him a small taste.

I agree.  Would you have been upset if she gave a taste to a human family member?  (note: I'm not equating dogs wit humans.  I'm just wondering if the OP would have a problem with sharing at all.)

[Audrey Quest]

The dog doesn't know the difference between a milk bone and this item to the point that he is given the item uncooked.

Dogs don't exactly have discerning palates.

The only reason the dog could reasonably have a piece was because he was a dog!

And usually when you share a treat someone has just given you, you also share a bit with the person who gave it to you.  But, of course if they items needed to be cooked and were frozen, it wasn't really possible for the recipient or the OP to have a bit.

So, the OP brings her friend this gift and the friend gives some to her dog and puts the rest away.
 
I just think its rude and insensitive.  If she wants to give her dog something that was given to her, she should wait until they are not around.

[re-moe]

Yes, this.  I guess I don't understand why giving a dog some good food would be upsetting.  Don't dogs like tasty things too?   It's like saying there is something wrong with dogs and I just don't understand that.  Dogs are not lesser beings than any of us.  They are just as worthy of love, affection and good eats as any of us are.  If the OP's friend had given the food away to anyone, or tossed it in the trash, I could imagine being pretty ticked off.  But, she shared a gift with someone she loves, who just so happens to be of a different species. 

I think it's quite a stretch from what the OP said to this.

I also think that when you receive a gift, it would be more gracious to not act on any impulses to do anything with the gift that is outside the realm of "normal use" in front of the giver.  I wouldn't re-gift a gift right in front of the giver.  I wouldn't say, "Well, this would be better if I stuck silk flowers all over it." and got out my hot glue gun right in front of the giver.  

I think the recipeint would have been better off and more gracious to share with her pup when the OP was gone, which I don't the OP had any problem with.  It wasn't the sharing, it was the sharing right in front of her that was the issue.  (I'm assuming that the gift was intended as a one serving sort of thing.  A box of candies would be a different story.)

[Miss Bee]

While I also share most of my food with my dog, I think if it were me, I'd at least wait until the gift-giver left before I did it.  I'd still do it, but not in front of you.  So I can see how you're a bit irritated.  
OTOH, like others have already said, it was hers to share at that point, and really, it's a small thing... it's not like she let the dog ruin a nice piece of furniture or clothing by sharing it.  Food is meant to be eaten!  Hopefully, the dog really appreciated it!  

[Amava]

If the food had been ready to eat, and the friend had sat down and started eating it, giving the dog a bit now and then, I wouldn't have batted an eye. Like others said, sharing with a canine friend just like you would with a human friend.

But if the food is still frozen and is meant to be cooked or put away for later, then I think it's weird to give the dog a piece. I blinked at the OP a couple of times because I'm really confused as to why the friend would feed the dog pieces of frozen food. That would just never occur to me to do that. If you gave me some frozen food, and my doggie came begging, I would be like: "Helena, don't be silly, this food is frozen!" and roll my eyes at her.

So I wouldn't be insulted if a friend did that but I would find it kind of weird.

[stargazer]

stargazer wrote:

"If I bought someone expensive food I would have bought it because I assumed they enjoyed it and would want it, not give it (even some of it) to their dog.  But a gift is a gift so she was not rude.  Perhaps a tiny bit thoughtless."

Someone who considered the dog to be an equal part of the family (there are many even on this board who do) would not see sharing with the dog as thoughtless any more than sharing with their children, and I can't imagine that many of us would label that rude.

Carnation, I would only consider you a Special Snowflake if you'd said something in response to the action, so you should be fine there.  But, consider what I said above before you let it bother you any further.

Virg

That's why I said it was not rude.  My cats are absolutely my kids but if someone brought over a super duper expensive vanilla ice cream I wouldn't immediately put some of it in their bowls (they love vanilla ice cream).  My friend was doing me a favor.  I am then free to use it however I wish.  And I may give them some after my friend left.  But I would think it would be thoughtless of me to do it in her presence. 

[Carnation]

Here's what transpired.

I was going to the Polish church festival and my (faraway) mother mentioned how she'd love to go and have pierogis. (How do you pluralize that?)   When I got there, they were selling them frozen, so I got some and put them in my freezer.

When I went to her house, she thawed some out  and was having some(I don't eat them) when she gave her dog a sample.    All she had to do was wait a few minutes for me to exit the room.