Begging

[JessBun]

I am usually very strict with my animals diet - and very good at sticking to it, for their own sakes! However, having a housebun constantly around us, I'm finding it much more difficult at the moment. Outside, it's easier as Micky has constant access to grass in his run, unlimited hay - and once I've given him his forage/veg/pellets it's easy to keep strong as I'm not being begged all day, if that makes sense?

Autumn begs me all day long *groan* - and succeeds at making me feel just awful. She has constant supply to hay, different types too. She has her natures touch first thing in the morning and last thing at night. She has fresh grass, forage, and vegetables every day. She has a wee bit of a fruit a couple of times a week, and I also give her the odd alfafa cube to keep her busy. She does eat her hay, but I'd like her to eat more of it and fully realise I'm the problem for giving in to her here. It's her wee floppy ears and sad eyes. If I'm having something to eat, she'll creep her little face up the couch and peer at me - but she just doesn't give in, then I do and will go and get her another piece of veg, or forage. Or, she'll be under my feet constantly whilst I'm back and forth getting things done, and I do give in at times just for the sake of 10 minutes peace. She also mooches around our feet when we're eating dinner (we must have dropped the odd bit at some point) desperately, which again, makes me feel terrible.

How do you all stay strong? What is the most veg you would give her daily (perhaps in relation to body size)? She is a mini lop, just over 17 weeks old. She has us wrapped round her little paw! Thank you x

 

[JessBun]

Also thought best to mention she doesn't have worms or anything of the sort, and she is gaining weight at a good level. I fully believe this is a behavioural issue, one I've played a big part in!

 

[Christine662]

Hi JessBun:wave:

I know exactly how you feel, one of mine, Lilah, is constantly on the mooch for food/treats. Yet the other one, Frankie isn't that interested in begging. Lilah stands on her hind legs, ears back, giving me the eye. Its really hard to not give in to her. I just allow her...and Frankie one little 'treat' in the mornings. Like yours she hasn't got worms, weight is coming on etc.

Then when I come indoors, the dog does the same

I just try & remember its for her own good. Difficult I know.

Christine x

 

[daphnephoebe]

You could make feeding times harder for her to make her work more for her food, especially feeding her at your main meal times.

You could do a feeding line :

Just peg the food to the line and watch her stretch and reach to get it off.

You could make a forage box,
Just an under bed storage box with straw in it and some forage mix or pellets mixed in.

You could stuff toilet tubes with hay and veg that she has to chew/rip etc to get the food out.

If you feed her at meal times that should help as she'll be distracted by her dinner.

Ours get a few big leaves of fresh greens, small handfull of broccoli and black kale in the morning. They don't often ponce but around lunch time I'll sometimes give them a branch of hawthorn to keep them busy.

Sent from my SM-G903F using Tapatalk

 

[Beau Belle]

Mine all beg for a treat early hours of the morning (before breakfast) as OH has gotten into habit of giving a crunchie or similar when he gets up at 5am

To avoid begging when we eat, I usually give them their greens at that time. Family dinner

 

[BerryJane]

Blossom is a ******! He only has to hear us in the kitchen and he comes flying in stood on his back legs blocking the way out!! It is so hard to ignore it and my husband finds it equally hard. Today the same thing happened, I heard my husband say ' What are you after?' and the next thing Bloss comes racing back into the living room with a piece of apple in his mouth! Hubby then got a telling off!!

 

[BerryJane]

Blossom is a ******! He only has to hear us in the kitchen and he comes flying in stood on his back legs blocking the way out!! It is so hard to ignore it and my husband finds it equally hard. Today the same thing happened, I heard my husband say ' What are you after?' and the next thing Bloss comes racing back into the living room with a piece of apple in his mouth! Hubby then got a telling off!!

It wasn't that bad a word!! :lol:

 

[Zoobec]

How about giving pellets in a treat ball, they take longer to eat then :thumb:

 

[Bramranzel]

How can you resist "bunny begs" ? :lol: My bridge boy was greedy he wanted anything we were eating and the dog biscuits. Alice is far more fussy not so keen on fruit and veg but a good hay eater and she would like more nuggets than I give her. Some buns are more greedy than others I like to put a box of hay down with nuggets hidden inside just to make them go further. Sounds like you have a little madam there she has you wrapped around her paw :lol: