How Many Of You Have Dogs That Just Won't Stop

[Guest FrankieWylie]

I swear, in the last week Charlie has become this ravenous crazy beast. He just wants to eat. Then eat some more. Then eat again. He is starting to constantly stay under the table looking for the smallest morsel of food.

 

He has always been an eater, but in the last few days it's become almost unbearable. Today he had his morning meal, a snack of two chicken wings, two necks and two feet and just finished up his evening kibble with add ins. His total intake today is DEFINITELY more than any other day in terms of quantity (we are slowly upping the meat and lessening the kibble).....and yet he is STILL going to his wobbler to get more food (but ha! it's empty). WTH? This is new. Again, always food motivated, but this is an extreme.

 

Perhaps we aren't giving enough kibble? The raw meat he has gotten has not equaled 2.5lb (his 3%) but we didn't want to give him 2.5lb PLUS kibble, because that would an excess. Does it just seem like he is hungry because we are giving more meat and less kibble? So, to our EYES it looks like a lot? We are weighing it, so we know it's within what he should be getting with the kibble.

 

Or, perhaps he is just working us.....Imma act like I'm hungry just to be a greedy heifer. Who knows. But this is definitely new!

[Guest mainegrey]

maybe there's some greyhound winter gluttony-nitis going about. My Mr.Man is begging like crazy, and checks his bowl contents every time he passes it. Just to make sure his eyes are not deceiving, he makes sure he licks the empty bowl every time too. him maybe, it's because the temperature is going down, and they are trying to put on some fat? We got him in September, and he was absolutely not food interested, a completely different dog now. I used the advantage of it, and just in one week he learnt to sit and to do down

[Guest mbfilby]

Myka would eat until she exploded, just like that old Monty Python sketch I'm sure of it.

[Guest KsFrets]

Magnus would too. If we tried free feeding... he might make 5 minutes before exploding. He goes crazy at the end of our walks and at bed time, because he knows he gets a cookie. He will run through all his tricks... without even being told!!!... to get that cookie.

[Yamaha_gurl]

It's gotta be the cold weather, Bella is insane...must eat 24/7, even right after dinner.

[JAJ2010]

You can always add a bunch of green beans in to add empty calories and let him feel fuller

[Guest FrankieWylie]

You can always add a bunch of green beans in to add empty calories and let him feel fuller

 

 

YES! That. DUH. We just picked up frozen green beans at the store....totally forgot I even had them. Ugh. This time of year kills my brain. Thank you for reminding me!

[Guest june]

Mine have been acting hungry too. I've been giving them a smaller meal in the morning when they will be sleeping all day and a bit extra in the evening. Also adding a Kong with a few treats and I medium milk bone stuck in. Working with the Kong seems to help a bit. I think in my case it is the cooler weather. Took one of my girls to weigh at the vet and she was down 1/2 lb with still getting the same amount of food. Tells me she is burning more calories and so the extra in the Kong.

 

I also add about 1 tsp of olive oil to each meal in the winter. Adds calories and since I've started this I don't get dry flaky skin in the winter.

[Guest FrankieWylie]

 

I also add about 1 tsp of olive oil to each meal in the winter. Adds calories and since I've started this I don't get dry flaky skin in the winter.

 

 

 

Do you do any fish oil also? WE just ordered some salmon oil, and plan on adding that in. Magic still has some dry flaky skin, and we're hoping that plus a more raw diet helps!

[Yamaha_gurl]

 

I also add about 1 tsp of olive oil to each meal in the winter. Adds calories and since I've started this I don't get dry flaky skin in the winter.

 

 

 

Do you do any fish oil also? WE just ordered some salmon oil, and plan on adding that in. Magic still has some dry flaky skin, and we're hoping that plus a more raw diet helps!

 

Salmon oil will help, you could even add sardines (in water, not the in oil kind). You would not believe the change in fur when you start feeding quaility food, it's insane.

[kudzu]

Soleil is an eating machine. And the more treats he gets the more he asks for food. That doesn't mean there could not be some health issue contributing to this but keep your mind open to this possibly being a behavioral issue. Dogs do what is rewarding & the more they are rewarded for something the more they do it. So if he's finding various behaviors that he feels are paying off then he will do them again & the more consistently they pay the more he will do them.

 

BTW, had a couple vets say fish oil is best with olive oil second & giving both, in appropriate amounts, is a good thing.

[Guest FrankieWylie]

So if he's finding various behaviors that he feels are paying off then he will do them again & the more consistently they pay the more he will do them.

 

 

 

Completely agree! He is very food motivated, and we knew that immediately LOL! It's just been this last week that he has seemed SO hungry. We are also going to do a weigh in at the vet on Monday, because they both look like they have lost weight. That could also be us critiquing their physique because of the seeming hunger issue. Not that Charlie didn't come to us looking like he could stand to lose a few pounds lol. At least by the "three rib" standards. Though, we think he really is just built more stocky than Magic.

 

Gah, I always hit reply too soon!

 

 

How do you determine the appropriate amount of salmon/olive oil in its liquid form? (meaning not capsule). Is that information going to be listed on the bottle? And, I know you should work up to it to avoid getting loose stools in the beginning.....do you just judge that as you go?

[Batmom]

Mine are always willing and eager to eat, even if they just have.

 

That said, if your meat portion is predominantly chicken, I would calculate amounts based on calories rather than weight. Chicken can be pretty lean, and a lot of chicken volume-wise can still be quite low calorie-wise.

[gazehund]

Myka would eat until she exploded, just like that old Monty Python sketch I'm sure of it.

 

Dodger would too. Nothing at all to do with cold weather, the boy just loves food.

[cleptogrey]

some dogs are just hungry food monsters. it doesn't matter what breed they are, the just LOVE to eat and that's it. others are picky eaters, just like people. emily(greyhound) used to drag the sack of food out of the closet and bing! she also uncovered the feeder/food storage container, that was given away. velcro- my scottie also attacked the food bag and ate until he couldn't move(same w/ emily). my daughter's rescue (a san antoino street dog)now is at a normal weight since her food intake is controlled. she eats 3/4c in 2 seconds flat. my friend's corgi- food vacuum - won't stop eating.

 

i have had dogs who chewed each morsel of kibble and never gained an ounce, self regulating. dogs who ate bare minimum- my salukis, dogs who have opened the fridge and helped themselves- no more dishtowels on the fridge!

[Guest june]

 

I also add about 1 tsp of olive oil to each meal in the winter. Adds calories and since I've started this I don't get dry flaky skin in the winter.

 

 

 

Do you do any fish oil also? WE just ordered some salmon oil, and plan on adding that in. Magic still has some dry flaky skin, and we're hoping that plus a more raw diet helps!

 

I don't do fish oil as one of mine just does not like it. It is very good for them but . . . They get the olive oil and a couple times weekly I add ground flax seed to their meals.

[greytpups]

I have two, Ben and Brooke. Serioulsy though, I should mention I've never free fed them, so I don't know how much it would take before they would stop. Ben will put his nose up at some treats though, so it has to be really good food to continue eating. Yes, they are dogs and treated like dogs, just spoiled dogs.