Eating Disorders Are Not a Laughing Matter
But me anthropomorphizing and over-analyzing my two dogs’ eating behaviors IS.
I just read an article, which talked about how the next version of the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the “psychiatry bible,” which is currently being revised for it’s next publication in 2012) will likely include a new diagnosis of “being eating.”
You see, I have two very different dogs, with two very different eating behaviors.
My first dog, Molly, is what I would call “normal” with regards to her eating behaviors. She eats all the time, without prompting, and with no restraint. In fact, her behavior reminds me of a Far Side cartoon (which I’ve been unable to locate online). It goes something like this…there are a bunch of dogs on a life raft after having their ship sink in the water. One of the dogs says, “who votes we eat all of the food now?” And all of the dogs have their paws in the air. 
However, according to the DSM’s new diagnostic definition, and comparing her ravenous eating strategy to humans, she would be considered a “binge eater.” This is why I actually have to restrict her diet and can’t just leave a never-ending bowl of dog food on the kitchen floor. Molly is “pleasantly plump,” and I don’t have to worry about her starving to death anytime soon.
In stark contrast, my other dog Scope pretty much hates to eat. He refuses to eat for days at a time, and I have to bend over backwards (literally), cook him bacon, pretend to eat his dog food, and employ a whole host of other strategies to get the little sucker to eat. He is technically underweight, and all of my attempts to get him to gain a few pounds have failed miserably.
I jokingly say that my doggy Scope has “Body Dysmorphic Disorder,” a diagnosis in the current DSM, where someone has an unrealistic image of their own body. Yes, it’s actually a very serious disorder. But yes, it’s also very funny to imagine my dog Scope having it! The photo at the top of this post is what I believe Scope sees when he looks in the mirror!