I made an interesting discovery while looking through Small Animal Clinical Nutrition (a must have for serious students of the dog).  Found this explanation of why clients may choose to cook for their pet.  Made me laugh --

"Other people choose to cook simply because they feel guilty, as if they don't care enough.  This is a minor concern in the United States but is more important in countries such as France." 

(Reference:  Pibot P. Aliment Industriel: Aliment menager Vers un compromis?  Recueil de Medecine Veterinarire 1989; 165: 525-526)

Ah, those French!  I suppose given the French culture, a French pet owner would not only fret about the right ingredients, but what wine would go well with, say, raw lamb shanks, braised turnips in a light cream sauce and pureed carrots?  And goodness, what to serve for the cheese & fruit course! 

I'll stop now before I get into my mental images of a snotty French waiter who has retired from the Michelin 5 star restaurant where he worked for 20 years and is now the snotty owner of a pet food store...

Puts the news item re: Jacque Chirac's dog biting him in a new light.  The news piece I saw reported that the dog, a Maltese named Sumo, "has been agitated for some time despite receiving treatment with anti-depressants." I wonder if any reporters are investigating whether or not Sumo's agitation is related to an unsatisfactory menu?