I’ve tried everything. I’ve served him every kind of dog food imaginable; sprinkled his dinner with cheddar cheese and added dollops of cottage cheese or bits of egg to his ignored kibble. I’ve bought every kind of canned food known to canines, added slices of chicken and turkey to his plate, and used College Inn broth to rekindle his appetite. I’ve bought him Wendy’s cheeseburgers and even purchased one of those long, deli-like rolls of fresh dog food that remind me of my mom’s love for goose liver. After a few days, he refuses to eat almost everything, except plain chicken or beef, which he snarfs up voraciously. Then he gets sick in the yard.

I know what you’re thinking: this woman needs a hobby. But the truth is, Finnigan is my life. When I walk Finnigan, who is quite the canine specimen, I get constant comments about his beauty and sweetness. Heck, he even co-teaches with me at ATI. The most common remark I hear is, "He is so regal." I couldn’t agree more. My guy is tall, dark and yes, extremely handsome. And then there is his heart, which is the truest ever.

OK, so I go overboard when it comes to his diet, but there was that episode with bloat and the horrid stomach surgery 14 months ago. He hasn’t’ eaten normally since. So I cater to him. At first, I applied peanut butter to the roof of his mouth to give him calories. I used a dropper to put small amounts of water in his mouth when he was terribly weak. I couldn’t bear the sight of his shrinking form, which was reminiscent of the 42-pound skeleton I rescued over 3 years ago. And then there was his follicular cancer surgery just 6-months after his adoption. That was no picnic either.

I knew I wasn’t alone in my obsession for Finn after I read Eric O’Grey’s work, Walking with Peety: The Dog Who Saved my Life. What a story. O’Grey was 150 pounds overweight when his intuitive doctor instructed him to adopt a shelter dog and walk it twice a day for 30 minutes, besides going on a new diet regiment. That’s when Eric met Peety, an overweight, middle-aged, forgotten shelter dog. The two fell head over heels in love with each other. Together, they not only forged a precious friendship, but also healed one another’s hearts and bodies. If you think I’m crazy about Finn, O’Grey called his pup "son" and nearly died of heartbreak when his companion died.

SO here I am, trying to figure out what to entice Finn with so he’ll eat his dinner tonight. I’ve never tried caviar. Hmmmm. At least I know one guy who’d understand my love for Finnigan.

Thanks, Eric. At least I’m not alone.