My Wee-Nut has a treat inside! Yum!

Maggie Mae has some fun with  her friends talking about what they like to eat and some safety hints too!

Next to my owner, what I love most in this world is food. I could eat all day. The words “treat,” “food,” and “eat” are music to my ear – which go up to acknowledge them.

But eating a lot isn’t so good for me. In fact when I was about a year old, my veterinarian Megan Duffy told my owner I couldn’t be gaining weight every time I came to the office. I weigh 9 1/2 pounds, which is just right for a Toy Poodle like me.

Since then, I’m on portion control, but I eat lots of delicious things. I heard Dr. Duffy say “Weight Watchers,” and I feel like someone is counting my points every day. My morning and evening meals are measured – ¼ cup Wellness Super-mix with a dollop of Wellness Lamb or Chicken Formula and a smidgen of sweet potato. The vet said that roughage is good for my digestive system.

When my owner eats salmon, chicken or eggs I go crazy from the aroma and am lucky if she gives me a few morsels—but never from the table itself. I find them in my bowl. She keeps me on a short leash both literally and figuratively. For a treat, I get one mini Mother Hubbard Just Veggin’ or P-Nutter dog biscuit during the middle of the day. It’s broken up in small pieces inside a Kong toy, so it’s a challenge to get the reward.

While I eat prepared dog foods, my friends Fiona, a Chihuahua/Poodle mix, and Bailey, a Pomeranian, have someone who cooks delicious people food for them. The recipe includes yummy things like ground turkey, brown rice, cooked frozen broccoli or spinach, canned pumpkin and nutrients recommended by a veterinarian.

My friend Penny, a Portuguese Waterdog like President Obama’s dogs, eats a special diet of Bil-Jac that was suggested by her breeder. She does sneak in some people food, too, like the bottom half of sub rolls. For a treat she likes bullies, which are dried beef muscle from the penis of a real bull. I had one of those once, but I was way too possessive of it. When my owner said, “Drop it,” I showed her my teeth, which is not a nice thing to do. When I did drop it on my own, I never saw it again. Hmmm.

My friend Coco has a very healthy diet. Like me, she eats twice a day and gets a little bit of freeze-dried raw dog food, grated fresh carrots, a few small pieces of boiled chicken and a splash of salmon oil. “I love the dental chew I get once a day,” says Coco, who is a mixed-breed rescue dog. I think I would like that better than having my owner brush my teeth with chicken flavored canine toothpaste.

Some dogs have all the luck. My neighbor Riley, a Staffordshire Terrier, has a toddler in his home so he is always picking up of bits and pieces of food that his 2-year old “brother” Mason accidentally drops on the floor. Of course he is a good dog and waits until Mason is out of his high chair to inspect the territory. And Rocky, a Black Lab, will run to the kitchen to lick up spills and crumbs when his owner calls, “Clean Up!” That doesn’t happen in my house.

“If I smell bacon, I wait to get some mixed in with my food,” says Finn, a Wheaten Terrier who isn’t big on dog biscuit treats but he is right there for table scraps. He told me he’s an ace at ferreting out iceberg lettuce to get to the hamburger or bacon left over from BLTs or burgers. “When I get an upset tummy, though, I forage for grass and leaves outside. My owner will stop me and instead gives me store-bought mixed spring greens. That makes me feel better.”

Speaking of upset tummies, I wanted to give you a list of some foods that are off-limits to me and my canine friends:

*Grapes, raisins and currants damage the kidneys.

*Avocados damage the heart muscle.

*Garlic and onions can cause vomiting.

*Macadamia nuts cause muscle and nervous system problems.

*Chocolate stimulates the heart and nervous system.

*Xylitol (found in sugarless gum) lowers blood sugar levels.

Please beware of pet foods and treats that come from China, which has been cited for contaminated products. Read labels carefully, because some treats made in the USA come from animal products from China.

All this talk of food is making me hungry. I think I’ll wander into the kitchen to see if anything is going on there. If you know any pooches who are connoisseurs of canine cuisine, please share your favorite recipes with me. I can live vicariously, can’t I?