I feared that feeding a "bite" to the dog would encourage him to stay, and I hoped he would go home! Even if I fed the dog half my food, all that would do is starve me and not give the dog enough food either. Obviously had I not found others to take him, I would have had to feed him somehow - fish for him and share a little of my food. But my first goal was to get him to go back where he came from. It would have made ME feel a little better if I gave him a tiny treat, but it certainly would not have done him any good. Yes, sad story. He obviously was a hard working dog and how a sheepherder could not feed him is beyond me too. But the, I really do not know what the circumstances were.