Congratulations, modro. I’m pleased to read you’ve saved a dog’s life. I did it recently too and it’s very rewarding. You’ve gotten some very good advice from the other Dopers here so I have nothing to add except I hope you and Tasha have many happy years together. Post a pic of her if you get a chance…I’d love to see what a lucky dog she is.
Since it’s been mentioned, I’ll strongly urge you to never feed your pup human food at the dinner table. This is the finest and fastest way to create an incorrigible beggar.
Zen does get human food, and 99.9% of the time it is given to him outside. I believe in giving my animal an extremely varied diet. I like for him to be omnivorous as I believe it enhances his survival abilities. A short list of the amazing things he’s eaten:
Corn cobs (most likely for the residual butter)
Canteloupe rinds
Broccoli stems
Orange segments
Banana pieces (only because I was eating some)
Apples
Peaches
Strawberries
Like any healthy mutt Zen thinks cat turds are breath mints. I would discourage you from allowing your dog to forage for them solely because of issues with worms and other parasites.
Speaking of worms, it is always a good policy to periodically inspect your dog’s bowel movements. Cursory examination will reveal minor issues like worms and major issues like internal bleeding (i.e., tarry stool).
Here’s a simple trick my vet taught me. If you are concerned about your pet having an ear infection, simply sniff inside the animal’s ear. Any sort of acrid or off odor indicates a problem. A healthy animal’s ear should smell like a clean puppy dog.
I also recommend getting a decent book on animal medicine. It can save you a lot of money on vet visits related to small problems and make you a better owner besides. Here’s the one I found for a dollar at a local thrift shop:
Title: Dog Owner’s Home Veterinary Handbook
Authors: Carlson and Griffin
Published by: Howell Book House
I’ll second on the pic request too.
Best Wishes,
Chris