WHY IS MY DOG EATING SO MUCH????

Question

My boyfriend and I have a 1 year old pure bred Black Lab. We just switched him to adult food - vet recommended brand. The bag says to feed him 4 cups per day according to the chart on the bag. However, he wants more than that. He seems to want 5 -6 cups a day and a few dog appropriate treats. No table food. He's very active as we walk him 1 mile every day and he goes for a super workout every Sunday to the local dog park. Is is normal for him to want extra food? He's in great shape and his coat is very nice and shiny. I'm just concerned about him wanting the extra food. Should we give it to him???? HELP PLEASE!!!!!!!!!

Answer 1

All dogs want extra food.He is eating too much, but if he doesn't gain any weight he should be ok.He sounds ok because it seems like he's very active.Good luck!=)

Answer 2

First many labs are chow hounds ie if it is there they will eat it.

For the normal dog food consumption is related to energy demands which is relatrd to activity and age. If your pup is very active he will require much more than a sedintary dog of the same age and weight.

Sometimed "adult" foods are inappropriate for a very active "adult". The adult foods are calorie reduced to maintain the weight of THE AVERAGEADULT DOG". That is very important. Also realize thart feeding instructions on dog food products necessarly speak to the "average" dog.

Now here is how to do it right.

Weigh your dog. Keep a  chart. Weigh him weekly. If he is gainong weight and id full grown, then he is gwetting too much, and visa versa. Also check the calorie density and digestibility of the food. Highly digestible calorie rich products like Iams Eukanuba require far less by weight and volume than average products. In the long run you must guage ther dog, and monitor his weight. You should be able to slip a finger between his ribs but not see his ribs from a distance. That suggests good weight for him. DrW

Answer 3

    The bag is a guide only I had 2 70lb dogs, one ate 3 cups and 1 ate 5 cups. Just like people dogs have different metabolisms. The cheaper the food the more crappy fillers too so a cheap food must be fed in larger amounts to get decent nutrition.The more exercise the more food needed and hyper dogs like hyper people can eat eat eat and never gain an ounce..wish I was like that. Walking a Lab 1 mile is not exercise, that is just a stroll for him, he should have 1 hour of off leash exercise or on leash jogging a day.Or maybe a playdate with a neighbors large breed dog?  My 7lb MinPins can walk 7 miles and not be tired out, leash walking is not really exericse for a dog over 4lbs. Dogs with worms will need more food too so  if the isn't on heartworm meds with the wormers you might want to have his stool checked.  

Answer 4

I have always raised large breed dogs and I feed them once a day mid afternoon a big bowl. 5 cupd or more.  

Answer 5

Yes as long as he isn't gaining too much weight. The feeding amount on the back is just an estimate and since your dog is active, it is not unheard of for him to need more than the recommended amount.

Answer 6

Many dogs will look hungry all day long, and Labs are well known for being like this. Don't fall for it. Give him the amount he's supposed to have. He isn't going to starve with regular meals. If he seems to be getting a bit thin, give him more. If he starts getting a little heavy, give him less. Easier to get 3 extra lbs off him than 15, and it's better for a young large dog to stay on the light side for the sake of joint development. He's young and might still grow or fill out a bit with muscle but by the time he's 2 he will probably need less food unless he's extremely active, and a one mile walk doesn't count as extremely active for a Lab. Remember they were bred to retrieve ducks all day long in cold weather. I have a 55-lb Lab cross who does very well on 2 cups of dry food a day with a little fish added.

Answer 7

if you give him too much food he will become obese dont give him too much ...give him the amount your vet told you to give him  

Answer 8

Well, it's normal for a dog to eat extra food, but don't give it to them.

Dogs are kinda like horses.. If you leave one with unlimited of food, they'll eat it until they die.

And trust me. I had a black lab, and my grandma was feeding her too because she thought my dog was skinny, and after my grandma fed her too much (we didn't know she was feeding her until she confessed), she got so fat that she couldn't keep up if we walked only 1/4th of a mile.

She wasn't a very fun dog but we still loved her.