We don't feed RAW but....

Remus has raided the fridge twice this week, it's the first time he's done it and fridge locks are not he way.

In total he's eaten 1600g raw chicken thighs and wings, two pack of ham, 600g of cheese, half a casserole full of left over macceroni cheese, a dozen eggs, a ack of butter....and goodness knows what else.

The first time he did it was in Monday and he seemed ok afterwards, apart from explosive diarrhoea...but then he did it again on Thursday. He seemed ok again but this morning he has refused his breakfast, for the first time EVER. He never ever refuses food. So now he's got me worried he has a bone lodged somewhere. What are the chances of that happening and what are the symptoms I should look for if it is that?

First of all do not panic. Remus has just, so far, refused only one meal, right? IF he shows any discomfort, swollen belly, straining to poo, pale gums, general not himself, then I would suggest you phone your vet and explain your concern.

If, however, after a few hours and Remus will accept a treat and/or poos without straining, I would not worry too much about a bone blockage. Easy to say I know, but when exactly did he eat the chicken thighs? I would not worry about chicken wings as they are not big and Remus is not small, but if you did not see him crunch them then it is natural to worry.

If you are ultra worried now, can you phone your vet and ask him what to do? But if Remus is just full up and quite possibly have indigestion from eating all that, hopefully it will pass.

BUT BUT BUT - the slightest sign of problems then Vet pronto.

Is there no way you can close/lock your fridge that Remus cannot open it?

I do hope he is OK.xxx

Thanks Malka, he ate 800g on Monday and then another pack on thrusday, but I'm pretty certain Tonks also ate quite a bit on Thursday as she was in the kitchen with him and is allergic to chicken and is scratching like mad now. Yesterday he was pooing ok and I did see him look like he was about to have a poo, pre refusing breakfast, but didn't see the out come as one of the girls distracted me.

I'm hoping the fridge locks will arrive today, I looked all through our small time after Monday, but nowhere sold them. I was hoping it was a one off, but no such luck, he now knows how to do it and he's going to keep doing it I think. They look like complicated ones and I'm also going to spray them bitter apple spray each time we go out...and hope for the grapes. It's just good that the chicken distracted him from the two packs of grapes on the top shelf!

His tummy isn't swollen and he's just tried to eat the girls left over porridge so that's a good sign. I'll keep a close eye on him. Xxx

I might get shot down for saying this, and I know it's not really true, but he's such a *******!! I've just nipped up to the toilet and shut the kitchen door so he couldn't get in and have come down to find him eating a packet of ready break on the bloody lounge carpet!! It seems one of the girls got it back out of the cupbaord and put it on the side for me to make more when I came down...left the kitchen door open.

He's now in his crate. I don't want to have to crate him ever time I cannot be in the same room as him as he really doesn't particularly like it in there and would rather be cuddle up with Tonks or one of us.

Good Grief Catrin! It's a 24/7 full time job to stay on top of his antics by the sound of it. I didn't understand what you meant about the fridge lock. But you DEFINITELY NEED ONE if you and the family are not to starve by the sound of it.

I know locks can be a nuisance but you get used to them when you have to use them for kids (same as you get used to opening and shutting door and stair gates). And most students have to put up with unlocking a padlock on their fridges if they don't want the other 'inmates' scoffing it all.

You really cannot AFFORD this can you?

You obviously feed him the appropriate amount of food so what is it - just plain greedy? Food obsessed?

Hand on heart I cannot honestly say I could cope with a dog like that! Definitely not when I had kids too. My boys were brought up with GSDs and it was hard work - dog and kids but nothing on the scale of what you are undergoing.

Meantime - if you can't turn your back for even two minutes while you nip to the loo or have to remember to close all doors etc. Wouldn't it just be easier to have him 'attached to you' on a line or summat? So that at least you can see him at all times?

I'm just thinking the more he does this stuff the more it is getting a habit for him. You are not getting very long periods in between 'vandalism sprees' are you? I'm clueless as to what to suggest to try to 'cure him' of it. Because it is happening so often it's like 'normal behaviour' for him.

**edit to say I see what you say about the fridge locks now. You've ordered some. Shame you didn't get some on Amazon with guaranteed next day delivery. I think I'd have had a hasp and padlock on that fridge by now if I couldn't source locks.

Of course all these things might make it impossible for him to do some stuff but they don't actually stop him wanting to or indeed doing it if he can. More of a sticking plaster than a 'cure'. But at least if he can be stopped from this sort of behaviour for longer and longer - it might not become so entrenched.

I can hardly believe what he's been up to lately! I was typing earlier about someone's Beagle I used to mind for them. Didn't eat everything just chewed it and wrecked it anytime it was left alone (like yours - even for 10 minutes) it really did do a lot of damage to their house. And they never found a way to cure it.

As per the crates - yours has chewed his way out of those too hasn't he?

As for you putting him in the crate AFTER the event ... I can't really see the point of that (because that does sound like using it for punishment). Would be better if you'd put him in there while you went to the loo!

I wouldn't have thought the bone would give him as much grief as the amount of fat he's scoffed. With that lot it's probably just a bit of over indulgence making him feel a bit iffy. As for dry readybrek well he's clearly not fussed what disappears down his throat is he? I'd resort to crating him with a bone, so it feels like less of a punishment each time you have to leave him alone. Luckily for me my two feeding frenzy machines Milan and Diesel have never attempted raiding the fridge. Milan can't leave the sink alone, even when empty, she lives in hope, and Diesel is obsessed with the parrots, nuts, seed and veggies.

Thankfully he has only once chewed a door frame and that was on Monday when he and Tonks were separated and left for two hours. In general now he just sleeps when left. He has now learnt to be left for an hour pre walk for the school drop off and pick up and can be left for a couple of hours post walk. He once managed three and a half hours after a really good run with loads of dogs...but he does often wee when we're gone.

I've spoke to my friend who is a qualified behaviourist and he says that there is very little chance of him changing his views on food due to him being starved before he was even 12 weeks old. The need to steal and consume anything he can get his paws on, incase he doesn't get any food anytime soon, is now too strong. He is disk trained and I'm going to do some more disk training for him stealing food when I am present but nothing is going to cure the urge to steal it when he's alone....that just down to management. Thankfully the fridge locks have arrived today so I'll be attaching them this afternoon hopefully.

Sometimes he goes on a lead attached to me if there's a lot of food around but usually he goes in his crate with a kong or a chew. .....or like yesterday....a flea in his ear.....useless and wrong I know but you'd can't keep your patients all the time! He goes in after the event because I can't watch him while I tidy up and goodness knows what else he'd be doing, probably weeing, pooing or being sick, while I'm distracted.

Despite the food stealing and crate trashing he really is an easy dog believe it or not. If there's any chance of a cuddle in the sofa, doesn't matter if it's me or the girls, he's very happy doing that...as long as he's had an hours walk which includes a really good sprint.

Oh he's not fussy at all! Unfortunately he can't be crated when we're not here. He will tolerated it for an hour, post walk, then start to get very distressed and bust himself out. He he's cable tied in he will rip everything up and wee loads in there. Interestingly the only other litter mate that was abandoned with him cannot be left at all and they have to use baby sitters when they go out....he's also a terrible thief. Remus is also sink obsessed and will empty the sink and smash all the contents if he think there's any chance of their being some food left on them.

I naively thought that, as he was rescued at 12 weeks that he would be fine...stupid really as I know the crucial socialization period begins to end at 16 weeks. Thankfully he is child, dog, and adult friendly and has minimal prey drive.....probably why he was abandoned.

Oh, Catrin. I'm so sorry Remus is being annoying and naughty. I'm sure he's fine, but simply has an upset tummy. Eating all that raw stuff isn't normal for him and probably is going to take a bit to get through him.

I gave Nigredo a can of suspect dog food, a lot was given to me by my neighbor when her son moved out with his dog and didn't take the food.

Jade ate it, too and was fine... but Nigredo had gas and explosive diarrhea. He also had a severe tummy ache and laid in the corner all day shivering and panting. ONE can did this. Three days of gas and an entire day of a severe tummy ache and explosive diarrhea.

Remus is merely a pup, and his system is just revolting most likely. All that stuff hasn't left his system yet and all the extra fat and protein has probably shocked his system.

I feed Nigredo a raw meal one or twice per week, and he does fine. Nigredo is a greedy Lab mix and often doesn't chew well... and he's never got a bone lodged. I wonder why Remus is so greedy, it's insane.

Like Trouble said, I'd be more concerned with what he ate, instead of having a bone lodged. A dozen eggs? In one week? That can do more harm to a puppy his age than possibly getting a bone stuck.

A dozen eggs in an hour! He carried the box to the carpet in the playroom/conservatory that leads off the kitchen and cracked them one by one and ate the contents. Tonks would have eaten the shells too.

Would you believe that he's a year old now! I've no idea where the time goes! I suppose he won't be mature until at least 18 months to 2 years...if ever.

Ha, I know he's about a year old. Slightly older than Nigredo, who is also going to be a year old very soon. Still a pup though. In mind, in body... and everything else.

I am thankful Nigredo has turned into a beautiful and gentle soul, with VERY few issues to speak of. But then... Nigredo isn't a bull lurcher. He's a lowly black Lab mix.