Mars Bars - feeding for collapse

[Victoria25]

I just think that unless you are prepared to take the moral high ground on all aspects of dog ownership and have done absolutely everything by the book (especially the COL book) then perhaps, as Jane said, trusting that working cocker owners would not endanger their dogs by giving them a minute chocolate bar once in a blue moon, is the best option.

[Neon]

I just think that unless you are prepared to take the moral high ground on all aspects of dog ownership and have done absolutely everything by the book (especially the COL book)

I'd love to believe that anyone is that perfect!  I know I'm not but that wouldn't stop me voicing an opinion.

[Evadee]

Can I just say, I really thought from what I have read that a very small amount of chocolate and we are talking milk chocolate here remember, a fun size Mars bar which I do not think has many cocoa solids, is really not going to hurt a dog for an occasional emergency situation to prevent collapse.

I know nothing about working dogs and being out on a shoot, I might add.  I am just taking a balanced view (in my opinion)  

[bajoleth]

No sorry still not with you?? And while you are all berating me for suggesting that giving dogs a Mars Bar is wrong, if you go back and read through the thread you will find that is all I did ,I expressed my surprise that this occured, what then followed was Helens opinion then mine, I didn't set out to take a moral high ground but I do have the right to reply just as Helen has, this thread got so long as neither of us would back down and for the record I have only ever said that I disagree with it and that there must be a more nutritional alternantive, I have never once suggested that Working Dog owners are the devil incarnate, just that in modern times things change. If anthing I think a lot of the last posts have been quite harsh toward me not sure why such vehemency has been used

[Helen]

it's not a case of backing down - I simply don't understand why this was, and is, such an issue. 

I have tried to explain why we use them as was the original question and no I won't and don't agree that it is a heinous thing to give a working dog IF required.

No-one is being blatantly rude as far as I can see - your responses are as strong as the ones you have received and I'm sure if the answers were agreeing with your POV you wouldn't be offended.

[Poppypuppy09]

When my Springy Tessa was working she thankfully never collapsed on a shoot but my OH would always keep glucose tablets with him and she would generally have one during the shoot. The practice of giving small choc bars during shoots has been going on a long time but I personally prefer the glucose tablet "sweetie"

[bajoleth]

I am not offended just some of the replys have been of a personal nature I have just read back through this thread and all I have said and continue to say is that there must be a suitable alternative in this day and age and from all the articles I have read this afternoon it is something that is given on a regular basis whilst out on a shoot, but hey what do I know  

[siam]

Well I am gobsmacked.  Anyone would think they are being fed strychnine!  It is a bit of chocolate on the odd occasion that it is necessary, not a lifetime diet of Mars products.  I am covering the girls eyes as they have the occasional Malteser

Well done for bringing a bit of humour into this rather heavy discussion. To me it sounds similar to a diabetic having over-low sugar levels - you would give them any form of sugar to raise their sugar levels to an acceptable level and it seems to me that this what is happening with these working cockers if and when the need arises, not as a frequent occurrence.

[Alex77]

  agree with you Sheryl and Siam; an interesting discussion, but gets a bit like watching a long tennis rally  ( no offence intended!) Siam, i think you've made a good comparison!

[Holly2009]

Im completely with Jo on this one. If a member came on here saying they fed there dog mars bars for 'what ever' reason normally they would get slaughtered for it

Seems that in the right circumstances to save a dog from suffering/ collapsing of course it is acceptable but it does 'make you wonder' if it is such a well known used method within working/ shooting dogs!

Chocolate is poisonous to dogs thats one I learnt on COL 

[Nicola]

Im completely with Jo on this one. If a member came on here saying they fed there dog mars bars for 'what ever' reason normally they would get slaughtered for it

'Slaughtered', really? There's a lot of oddly strong words being used on this thread for whatever reason Perhaps if someone said they were feeding their dog large amounts of chocolate regularly and/or advocating that others did likewise, but that's very far from the case here.

I think it's time for this thread to be put to bed, it's got to a point where it's going to go round in circles and is one where people clearly have very different senses of perspective.