Hungry Boy

[Sambuca]

Hi all. I officially adopted Sailor in July. He has been eating about 4-5 cups of Pro Plan a day. I've switched him over to Nature's Domain slowly (it took 2-3 weeks). He is now eating 2-2 1/2 cups a day and always hungry. (He was always hungry on the Pro Plan too.) I know I can add in green beans and some pumpkin to help fill the belly without adding many calories, but is this a long term thing? Am I always going to have to add stuff to his food or will he adjust to getting less food? He's a good weight, so I don't want to increase his food and make him chunky.

[JJNg]

I assume you're adjusting the feeding amount to maintain him at a good weight? The question is whether he is really 'hungry' or is he just very food-oriented. What's he doing to make you think he's always hungry? Many dogs just love food and will eat as much as you will give them. Doesn't mean they're actually hungry.

 

You might be interested in this previous thread on the same topic too.

[Sambuca]

He has always let me know when it's time to eat. I would ignore him until he was calm and lying down and I was ready to feed him, then I'd feed him. Now he is telling me it's time to eat hours before he used to (and hours before it is time).

 

I already know how to make him feel fuller. I'm really just asking if I would be able to wean off the additions or if that's a lifetime commitment?

[Feisty49]

Hmmm... he may tell you he's hungry, and it may make you uncomfortable thinking he is (have you considered he's playing on your emotions?), but that doesn't mean you have to give him supplements. If his weight is good and can be maintained without supplements, then why give them regularly if you don't want to?

 

My Annie is not food oriented when it comes to training, but about 3 PM every afternoon, she gives me that "look" and follows me around the house until I feed her. I feed her supper about 4:45 every afternoon. It's really really difficult not to feed her earlier than usual, but like with kids, I'm the mommy and what I say goes!

[Guest june]

They are so good at guilt-tripping us! Mine are at a good weight, but would eat twice as much if I gave in to the "I'm starving" ploy!

[Guest Swifthounds]

Dogs are designed to eat as much food as is available, when it's available and to then be able to go fairly long periods with no food. If he is maintaining a good weight, he has merely figured out that home life differs from track life in that food is available on demand.

[GeorgeofNE]

Dogs can only eat when, and what, you feed them.

 

I've never met a dog that was healthy and would not happily eat all day long!

 

He's attempting to manipulate you. Be strong! If you start to give in...it's all over, and you're left with a beggar.

[cleptogrey]

a. it can be what i call track dog syndrome, "man it's chow time" and the inhale food and look like they have never been fed before

or

b. you have a dog with a voracious appetitie. my scottie was like that, never enough food around and he even ate his way thru a good portion of kibble stored in the closet(it was a 20# bag)until i stored it in a plastic bin. some dogs LOVE to eat and just don't have any control. emily too was a chow hound and flipped the cover off the feeder/storage bin that i used for storage and feeding.she also dragged the bag of kibble out of the closet when i was visiting someone and binged.

or

c. a dog that just doesn't have any interest in food

or

d. a self regulating dog- i have had 2 of those, they gain a pound and reduce their eating

 

they are like people, food means different things to indivuals. i wish i was catorgized as a "c" or "d". we need to monotor and control their eating. things might change for your pup after a while.ignor the crying and channel the desire for food into performance and use food as a reward- maybe some basic obedience training.

Edited September 20, 2011 by cleptogrey

[pabozem]

I was wondering why the big difference in the amount of food you're feeding him? Two to two and a half cups a day for an adult male doesn't seem like enough food to my way of thinking. They are good about manipulating us though, aren't they?

[Gryffenne]

He has always let me know when it's time to eat.

You could set your watch to Sammi's stomach. What really messes her up is daylight savings time.

[JJNg]

Two to two and a half cups a day for an adult male doesn't seem like enough food to my way of thinking.

Depends on the individual dog's metabolism and activity level. If the dog is maintaining weight and at ideal body condition, then it's enough food. My smallish male eats 1 and 1/8 to 1 and 1/4 cups twice daily (so 2 1/2 to 2 1/4 cups daily). I have a friend who's average sized male eats 1 to 1 and 1/8 cup twice daily.

[Sambuca]

As I said, he has always let me know when it's time to eat. Since I switched his food he's telling me it's time to eat HOURS earlier than he used to. He is always up for eating, but when it's not meal time he usually just chills out and waits. So him scrounging for food hours before it's time to eat is not normal for him. He's a petite boy at 65#. His weight is good and from what I've seen of greyhounds on the same food 2-3 cups a day is normal. I will of course adjust as needed by keeping a close eye on his weight. I've slowly brought the amount of food down over the 3 weeks of switching food, but that doesn't seem to help at all.

[cleptogrey]

carrots and ice cubes will help keep him happy.kept me saine and my scottie at his proper weight for 12 years. big,old fashioned carrots(soup carrots are the best), don't peel them. they are good roughage and don't damage their teeth.

 

btw, my male #76 eats 4 cups a day and has ribs and hip bones showing(i like them thinner)

female-#61- 3 cups a day, both are 4 years old and both get a couple of biskets a day. they are on nature's domain(from costco)

 

how about breaking his feeding up into 3 meals a day. but then you have to contend w/ a new potty schedule.

Edited September 21, 2011 by cleptogrey

[Sambuca]

carrots and ice cubes will help keep him happy.kept me saine and my scottie at his proper weight for 12 years. big,old fashioned carrots(soup carrots are the best), don't peel them. they are good roughage and don't damage their teeth.

 

btw, my male #76 eats 4 cups a day and has ribs and hip bones showing(i like them thinner)

female-#61- 3 cups a day, both are 4 years old and both get a couple of biskets a day. they are on nature's domain(from costco)

 

how about breaking his feeding up into 3 meals a day. but then you have to contend w/ a new potty schedule.

 

Did you have to continue the carrots forever? I'd really like to wean off of additions.

 

I'll see how he does on the 2 1/2 cups a day and go from there. He's pretty dainty.

 

I thought about breaking into 3 meals a day, but I'd have to adjust his eating and his potty schedule and that's a pain.

[Guest Swifthounds]

The looking for food more often likely has zero to do with actually being hungry. If he enjoys this new food more (smells better, etc.) he will be more motivated to seek it out. When I first switched to raw, the hounds were constantly watching me, staring at the refrigerator and even "hunting" around the yard for food (I feed outdoors) - and it wasn't at all because they were hungry all the time.

[cleptogrey]

as to the carrots, why wean? they are not fattening, not expensive and easy to buy. i always had a 5lb bag of carrots in the fridge for velcro.i think swifthound's comment is totally accurate, don't get overwhelmed that he is hungry. as long as he is NOT opening the fridge and cleaning you out of house and home...been there! dogs can do the strangest things

 

annie is #61 and eats 3 cups a day. sounds like you might be able to give him a tad more. my dogs are totally addicted to their minimal treats, they LOVE them, run to their beds to enjoy them. they are alarm clocks when it comes to treat time(after our dinner when the dishes are getting washed they get something to chew on). they follow dh around, stand next to him and nudge him, he loves every second of their antics- it's part of owning a dog.

Edited September 21, 2011 by cleptogrey

[Sambuca]

I want meal time to be easy. I do give treats when the dogs are being good and when I leave, but I am not one to enjoy giving treats as a mandatory thing. Treats are just that, treats. I know not everyone feels that way, but that's how I feel. I also don't really like giving carrots because they don't digest them well as seen in their poop. I will do it for now until he adjusts, but I have 3 dogs in the house for now they are on 2 different foods and that may be going to 3 foods soon, all 3 dogs have very different feeding instructions and I sometimes have petsitters. Adding more complications to meal time is just a PITA. Also, if I'm constantly HAVING to add food to their food why am I even bothering trying to feed a balanced diet. (Wanting to add food to their food is different.)

[cleptogrey]

yeah, they(carrots)are bulk....no they don't digest and even though we think of them as sweet there is enough fiber that they counter act calories- that's why they work! trust me it was a real challenge keeping velcro at #24 and scotties are known for their voracious appetities. he was on meds and they would need to be adusted constantly if his weight fluxated. if you don't feel comfortable letting him chow down on them then just learn to ignore it, thats all that can be done.

 

at various times i have had dogs who were on special needs diets. so, i cooked for them, had a stasch of what ever they ate, one ate kibble, one ate custom dinners, that's life.it's a lot like having a family who needed to eat at differnt times(no way can an elementry age kid wait until 8pm for dinner when their bedtime is 7:30-8!) and ye-gads babies need their own food for quite some time!!!

 

sorry if i sound tarnished, but who said it was easy having multiple dogs or better yet...multiple kids? we all have to go with the flow and do what is best for our family members, be they human or canine(of feline).

[sobesmom]

I wouldn't continue the "fillers" forever. I did use them with my Sobe when I switched him to a food with about double the calories of his previous food, so he was getting a lot less volume. Maybe 2 weeks. That was it. He loved to eat, and any trick he could pull to make me "think" he was hungry, he'd try. I ignored it, and he eventually gave up.

 

My experience is - most greys will eat anything that doesn't eat them first. Genetically programmed to get food when available.

 

The more you reward the "it's been 30 minutes since I've eaten - I'm STARVING" - the more of that behaviour you'll get.

 

Hand the dog a rawhide, or a marrow bone to keep his mouth busy.

 

Meals are meals here. You eat, you're done. No fuss, no muss. Treats are treats, chews are chews. I don't do "add-ins".

 

That said, I DO give my dogs variety in their diet. Raw bones, raw meat, dinner leftovers, as appropriate in substitution for, or as part of their kibble meals, not all the time - occasionally. My choice for their overall health - not because I feel compelled to "give a little something extra" because one acts finicky.

 

But - I'm also referred to as the "dog feeding Nazi" here.

[Walliered]

I have two 85# males. Each of them eat 4 cups 2 times a day. Da Vid is on Taste of the Wild and Huck is on Science Diet J/D. Mine would starve on 1-1/2 cups per day.

[Sambuca]

I do ignore him. I wait until he's lying down before I start getting his food ready so I don't give in when he's demanding. He is also scavenging for food and stealing things which he didn't do before.

 

He eats 2-3 cups a day. Most greyhounds I know only eat 2-3 cups of Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream a day. I am watching him and will adjust the level of food as needed based on body condition. He is a very dainty male and I like my dogs lean.

[Guest Swifthounds]

But - I'm also referred to as the "dog feeding Nazi" here.

 

You too?

[Feisty49]

This is an interesting topic. I love reading what others do regarding feeding.

 

Annie Bella lost 4 pounds, going down to 64 pounds, with her bout of diarrhea starting the end of August. She's a pretty big girl overall (tall and long) and all her ribs were sticking out like the bones they are. On the 'script Purina EN food, she's put on the 4 pounds and another one. I've cut back from 2 cups twice a day to 1-3/4 cups twice a day. That should bring her down the extra pound if not more because of the doggie dates I've set up for her.

 

I do give treats a 3 or 4 times a day, but I use either half a dozen kibbles from her prescription food or a mini size biscuit (she handles small biscuits better than large ones). I don't give any other supplements and am wondering if I should, but definitely want to wait before tossing anything else into her diet until I'm sure her intestinal problems are over.

 

Having dogs is a lot of work and can be a lot of money. I knew I would not be happy having more than one dog because of the potential extra work & confusion involved. (I had only one child too because I knew that's what would work for me.) That's why I carefully chose Annie -- actually she chose me at the meet & greet but it was instant attraction on both sides. I needed a dog who could live in a one-dog household and occasionally be left alone for a few hours. I'm retired so it's not often Annie is alone. Between our attraction and the info about Annie Bella from the foster moms and the adoption organization, I knew Annie would be fine with just my cat and me and interacting with other dogs on dog play dates.

[Guest GreyHawk]

Lets's recap:

 

Before - 5 cups - always hungry

 

After - 2.5 cups - even more hungry

 

So you're feeding him 50% less and he's acting as if he is starving all the time?

 

Maybe he is playing complex psychological games with you but

my friend OCCAM says that perhaps

 

HE'S STARVING

 

You like your dogs lean -no doubt to reflect your similar body image.

 

 

(try living on 1.5 cups of peanuts a day(1800 calories) and see how you like that)

[Guest sja5032]

I think he has just realized that you will feed him if he acts hungry. If he is maintaining his weight then what you are feeding is fine. My 75lbs boy eats 2 cups/day as did my 80lbs boy, both maintained weight. My parents' grey was on 2 cups/day w/ 1/2 can of wet food and gained weight (he should be about 80lbs and is now like 90lbs). It all depends on the dog, their activity level and metabolism.

 

If your dog was in fact starving he would probably be throwing up bile, losing weight, and not be acting normal. I would much rather see a grey a little lean then fat, they are not built to carry excess weight. Seeing "fat" greys makes my angry (including my parents') because of the stress they are putting on their joints and other possible health issues.