Always Hungry!

[Guest addison522]

My greyhound, who we've had for almost a year, is always hungry!

 

She's 58 lbs. and is at a healthy weight. She gets fed about 1 1/4 cups of food twice a day.

 

Is it possible she's still hungry? What should I do? I don't want her to become overweight!

[Guest mcsheltie]

Some dogs don't self regulate and will eat until they puke. Then gobble that up and keep going. They will always tell you they are hungry.

 

Since her weight is good I would try adding something like green beans to her food. They don't provide many calories, but will help her feel full. Start out slowly, so her stool doesn't get loose.

 

You could also look for a food with less k/cals per cup than you are currently feeding. Then you could increase the amount. Weight management food doesn't necessarily do what you want tho. They are lower in animal fat and protein so they digest faster, leaving the dog hungry sooner. So look for a regular formula kibble with less calories. Taste of the Wild only has 360 per cup.

Edited January 28, 2011 by mcsheltie

[Guest ShanYu]

Nike is always hungry too. We have to be careful to check with each other at dinner time that he has not already been fed, or he will try the `I`m so starving, look how thin I am, no one ever feeds me around here` routine and get a second dinner. He is a 75lb boy and the vet says he is at the perfect weight for his size.

[Batmom]

I've never had a greyhound (and seldom another breed either) who wasn't always eager to eat and looking for opportunities . Wouldn't worry about it.

[TheFullHouse]

My 54lb. girl gets 3 cups of food a day. You can always give her a little more and if she starts gaining too much weight, cut back again.

[Guest Ola]

I would not change how much you're feeding her, it sounds like she is in good shape and healthy. Most dogs out there would eat as much as we let them, certainly both of mine would (though one is more insistent about it). You know what's best, don't let her convince you otherwise.

[cleptogrey]

some dogs, like people LOVE to eat! my scottie and first grey used to drag the kibble out of the closet and binge! beware...keep that kibble locked up! also, ice cubes are a no-calorie munching delight, try them in a bowl on the floor. yours might lie down and have a party, my hungry pups loved them!

Edited January 28, 2011 by cleptogrey

[Guest giantsfan]

Ours would eat all day long if they could. I'm thankful I was warned by my group beforehand that this was normal because otherwise we would have 2 fat hounds!

[Hawthorn]

If she's only getting two small meals a day she likely is feeling hungry most of the time. I agree that it would be a good idea to try to find a lower calorie food so that you can increase the volume of food that you feed, and you could split it into three meals a day instead of two. You could also try feeding small snacks in between meals too. If you think she is starting to put on too much weight, then you can slightly reduce the amount of food you are feeding (but not the frequency) until you find the right balance. Mine are on this type of schedule (three meals and three snacks including one at bedtime) and are definitely not always hungry. Always up for a tasty treat, yes, but always hungry/looking for food, no.

[Guest Barbara]

What is the rule of thumb for feeding kibble?

 

Allstun weighs about 75 pounds. Of course he's always hungry! I feed Purina Once SmartBlend Chicken and Rice, because that's what the lady who was fostering him fed. She suggested feeding him 3 cups, twice a day. I mix it with warm water to slow down his eating. I've had him with me since mid-November, and he's fairly sedentary, except for going on walks and zooming around the back yard. He also gets a couple of big Milk Bones daily. He looks a good weight to me, I can see and feel his lower ribs, and he's not got any big pads of fat anywhere.

 

Any thoughts?

[JJNg]

I think there's a difference between a dog who is always hungry vs one who is very food motivated and always up for a snack. All of my dogs are chow hounds and would eat anything and everything put in front of them. Whenever I am eating, or there is any hint that food might be available (either theirs or mine), they are ready and watching.

 

However, I don't believe they are always hungry. Once they realize they are not going to get any handouts, they settle back down and are not overly demanding or always looking for food. Of course, keep in mind that if a dog has been rewarded for demanding behavior, they will continue to beg for food, even if they aren't really hungry. Animals that are truly "always hungry" often have a medical problem such as cats with hyperthyroidism, or some dogs with Cushing's disease. The frantic way these individuals act toward food is different from the average food-motivated dog.

 

For Barbara...there really isn't a rule of thumb for feeding kibble. It depends on the caloric content of the food you're using, as well as the individual dog's metabolism. I adjust the amount I feed depending on how my dogs look, and I find that their needs change depending on season and activity level.

 

I feed Kirkland's Chicken formula from Costco. My 57 lb girl typically eats anywhere from 1 and 1/2 to 1 and 3/4 cups twice a day. My 68 lb boy is less active and actually eats less than my female, only needing about 1 and 1/8 to 1 and 1/2 cups twice daily to maintain his ideal weight.

[Greytlady94]

Check the nutritional label on the kibble bag. If it is a lower protein food you could try a food with higher protein and it may satisfy her longer.

[GeorgeofNE]

What do you mean? That she always ACTS hungry? And always begs for food? I've never had a dog that didn't!

 

If she's at a healthy weight, then she's just being a dog. Don't give in, or you'll end up with a porker on your hands!

[Mystella]

Had a fecal done? Jeffy used to be a bit of a recalcitrant eater, then lately he was begging for food, standing by his bowl all the time etc. We did a checkup and nothing turned up but vet noticed he had lost weight so we did a 3 day fecal and turned out he had giardia.

 

I take him back next week for a recheck and to see if weight is coming back.

[Guest Wasserbuffel]

My girl is a complete chow hound. She would learn calculus if she thought it would earn her a single bite of kibble. She's always trying the "but you can see my ribs" line on me and others. Heck, my cat tries that line too, but you can most definitely not see his ribs.

 

Jayne is 60lbs and gets 1 1/2 cups of TOTW kibble and ground roasted venison twice a day. She doesn't much care if dinner is late. I've tested her and she's happily roached out on the couch when dinner has been above an hour later than normal. But the microsecond that I touch the food dish, she's as hungry as if she hasn't eaten in weeks (you can see her ribs ane everything!). The cat, however, materializes in the kitchen an begins pleading for his supper the moment the clock hits 6. Jayne also watches me in the mornings because she knows that when I leave, she gets a cookie for going in her crate. Once I pull my keys and wallet out of the closet, her ears will perk. Then, all I have to do is look at her and walk vaguely in the direction of her crate and she's off the couch in a flash. This is never more than half an hour after she's eaten. She's not at all hungry, but cookies are very important to her.

[Guest kydie]

I too think she may need a little more kibble or snacks through out the day,, dogs are usually oppertune feeders,, and generally will eat more anytime