I don't want to stir up any more trouble than there already is, but I'd just like to say something.

You can't afford better food for your animals, yet you still "rescue" bettas from pet stores, saying repeatedly that you can't even afford a decent sized tank for THEM. My advice would be to stop buying new animals and take care of the ones you have now.

Recieving a camera for your birthday (whether YOU buy it or not) may be a better gift to you, but think of your animals. If I were in that situation, I'd put the $500 aside to improve my dogs' lives, and I know that would be a present good enough for me.

I agree, large dogs can be fed smaller kibble if taught correctly. You can mix other little treats (such as egg, etc.) to get her started on it, or you can pause her every once in a while to keep her from "inhaling" it, as somone's mentioned already.

You also post this thread asking for help, and then said you wished for us to stay out of it. All I can say is that I hope things improve for you and you're able to spend your money on things more important than cameras, nintendos, and photoshop.

Remember, this post wasn't meant to bash you or anyone else, it was just an attempt to help.

Good Luck.