The Chi's were great for that time in my life; company for each other as I worked long hours.  Plenty of exercise running up and down the stairs and around the house.  (they'd bring a ball to the top of the stairs, drop it and chase it down, over and over!)  Wonderful companion/lap dogs.  Paper trained to the garage, with their own entrance, they were as easy to live with as any pet could be.  There was 9 months difference in their ages and the youngest passed 9 months after the oldest.  Blessed my life for 15 years. 

In retirement, I wanted a "go with" buddy; someone I could walk and hike with that wouldn't tire and want to be carried!  Sugar is all of that!  Life is good.  Joy

that image of the chis is hilarious.....when we had the five dogs, four shih tzus and one ditch dog, malia....the same frenzy was true....which is why we went to one food bowl....

now, with bubba the piglet....oh, sorry, puglet....we can't do that anymore..

what i didn't want was them drooling and dancing and crying at me anymore....

i had read on another forum about nothing in life is free and the philosophy is so true for humans, why not dogs....

so, when they got this way, i left the bowls on the counter and walked out....

i was so shocked that they followed and were calm....but, since then, they have not cried nor danced in that frenzied...anxiety producing way....by the way, the anxiety is mine....i don't want to have to rush or go faster because they are demanding.....so, i turned the tables on them on the advice from others...and by golly, there is peace restored.

i think that sugar has a great lady in you....you seemed to study her needs and you met them....i would probably keep that small bowl of kibble down too....unless you get a puglet like bubba...:)

I think softening the food slowed her and gave her the feeling of fullness she seemed to need.  No, she doesn't drink as much water now.  She's 15 months old now and no problems.  Just a delight.  I feed her morning and evening but leave a small amount of kibble, dry, in her dish throughout the day.  I could probably stop that now as she leaves it most days.  I think she's still making up for early deprivation and that food in her dish makes one of us feel better; probably me.  Before Sugar, I had 2 chihuahuas.  Their morning feeding was a frenzy, race to the finish!  When I started preparing their food they would start running in circles--one clockwise, the other counter clockwise (always, made me wonder if dogs are right/left brained like us).  I'd put their dishes in separate parts of the kitchen and they were off!  Then, one or the other would make a small bark and they'd switch dishes!  This would happen 2-3 times until all was gone.  I've regreted that I didn't video this routine, never seen anything like it!  In their case it was "Who eats the fastest, gets the most!"

there is smart and then there is smart training.

i have no illusions about my dogs....they lick their butts and each others' butts..how smart is that? LOL

i'm just teasing...personally, i think my boy and girl are harvard, MIT material....

i think my post was geared more to the fact that 'I' could be taught something.....and now food time is not a frenzy.....it's much calmer..and i am very geared to the calm...

next comes door and the barrier between them and it...so the poor ups guy doesn't think he's being charged.

gobbling is an issue for bubba, although he doesn't get fed very much at one feeding....it's 1/3 cup at breakfast plus whatever i have on hand, be it yoghurt, salmon, chicken or whatever.

last night they had homemade chicken soup with veggies and barley....LOL...

i am thinking it wouldn't be a bad idea to go look at the bowls with the little volcanoes in them....it may just slow the pugger down..

wow...the difference between then and now for your baby.....

did softening the food slow her down? or just make it go through her system easier? does she drink as much water after a meal now?

 you see dogs are smart,and learn,when they are thought in the right way,but i also can see that your dogs love you very much,and that is very speical.

I once had a German Shepard and he would not touch his food until I said "Take It"  I'ts amazing what  can be taught to these wonderful pets. 

Gobbling was an issue for Sugar; possibly because she was malnourished when I got her from the rescue last January.  She'd bolt her kibble then drink a lot of water; it would swell in her stomach and in a few minutes came right back up.  Since, I have been softening her kibble before I give it to her and that's solved the upchucking. Now and then.  .  . feel free to browse more pictures on my profile of my Sugar, my Joy!  Joy