Ollie and his Rumbling Tummy

~ beetleypete

As Ollie gets older, he appears to want to eat more. Less satisfied with his usual meal and biscuits, he is constantly on the lookout for extra food, especially in the winter. It is hard not to give in to his plaintive stares, and the high-speed wagging of his stumpy tail. But we resist. He gets plenty to eat, and has maintained the same weight for over five years now. From experience of my Mum overfeeding her many dogs, I know that it just isn’t good for them. But Ollie doesn’t agree of course, and has taken to stalking us whenever we are eating anything.

He knows he is not allowed to come into the dining area when we are sat at the table. But he now gets as close as he feels he can, lying in the small hallway, looking sorry for himself as we eat.

Recently, he has started to get some strange noises in his belly. They sound like anything from a washing machine filling up, to the distant rumbling of an imminent storm. This usually happens first thing in the morning, and it seems to worry him. His tail uncurls, and he seeks attention in the form of strokes and cuddles, trying to look around at his own belly, as it squeaks and groans. We can hear it quite loudly, so with his canine capacity for hearing, it must sound like an express train arriving.

The vet was consulted during a recent annual booster jab, and said it was almost certainly ‘just wind’. As long as he was going to the toilet normally, and eating as well as he is, there should be nothing to get worried about. He asked about his food, and suggested it might be a recent change to organic pellets that was giving him more fibre in his diet. Yet another aspect of our dog getting older, it would seem.

But when Ollie is standing next to me, a sad look on his face, tail down, and those swirling sounds coming from his belly, it makes me feel bad.
I just wish he could understand me when I tell him not to worry.

63 thoughts on “Ollie and his Rumbling Tummy”

  2. Organic dog food has the same affect on one of my dogs-just read an article by “Dr. Marty”-so popular here on dogfood and he suggested probiotics for all dogs? hmmm? need to research further on it, but it was very interesting.

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  4. I didn’t realize he was named after Cromwell. My umpteenth great grandfather fought for him and was awarded land in Ireland that actually remained in the family until the mid 20th century, making us the dreaded Anglo-Irish. As for begging dogs, ours has a new trick of going under the dining table and sticking her nose up in my lap from under there. Too funny. As manipulative as Finn.

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    1. Ollie knows he must never go under the table! 🙂
      I have long been a fan of Cromwell. If only we had more leaders prepared to execute kings, we wouldn’t have to still be be lackeys to our pathetic monarchy. 🙂
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  9. Our 4.5-year-old Newfoundland dog, Nelly, loves vegetable and fruit bits as snacks, without any tummy rumbles. But then she’s eaten stuff like this since she was a puppy. Not sure it would work to introduce new foods to a mature dog.

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    1. We used to give him cooked vegetables as a puppy, Audrey. But the Vet told us dogs didn’t digest them in the same way, and he would be fine with meat and dog food. 🙂
      Best wishes, Pete

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  12. You and Ollie are so cute together, Pete. we don’t have a dog but based on your story, i don’t think i can resist Ollie’s sad look. i have such a soft heart 🙂 🙂

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    1. It’s hard, Robbie, especially as his face is normally ‘sad’, even when he’s happy. So his real ‘sad face’ is heartbreaking. But he will thank us for it, and we will avoid even bigger Vet bills. 🙂
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  14. My mom had the chubbiest dogs ever – that being said they all lived long, healthy lives weirdly enough. I’m trying with my own dog to not repeat the bad habits but its an ongoing battle to resist those big, begging eyes. The grand kids just give me heck when I casually drop a cheezie and pretend it was an accident – darn kids, can’t slip anything past them. lol

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    1. Thanks, Alex. He does know how well-off he is, I suspect. But he would undoubtedly always want more, if it was on offer. 🙂
      I will check out your cartoon.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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        1. I named him after Oliver Cromwell, one of the few men to rid us of a monarch! (I am a member of The Cromwell Association) He should really have had a Chinese name, for his breed, but I was always going to call him Oliver. 🙂
          Best wishes, Pete.

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  19. Sounds like the change to the organic pellets might be the reason. Bear gets the same portion every day and no people food unless he’s found something we weren’t aware of. I do change his bag of food to a different flavor just because I feel bad he should have the same thing every day all the time. I’m bored just giving it to him! So at least, I figure, a new flavor might spice up his life. Bear’s tummy doesn’t grumble, but as he has grown older, his stomach/bowels are super sensitive.

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  22. I know how you feel I’ve got that with my Felix sometimes. He has it, when he eats something he shouldn’t. And he isn’t happy about his upset stomach either. Little poor thing!

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  24. I share Ollie’s rumbling tummy. It shows our digestive systems are working well. Unfortunately, mine rumbles loudest when I’m in meetings or talks – powerpoint presentations are the worst. You are right to resist Ollie’s pleadings for food. Overweight dogs are not as happy as they think they’ll be.

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  27. They do have a knack at the guilt trip….I had to change food for MoMo for the last one gave her weaponized gas…..A vet once told me that in winter they need a bit more to maintain a fat layer to help them keep warm….dogs are amazing beings….chuq

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