Do dogs require a quantity of food to feel "full"?

LisaO

Hope thread title makes sense!

Just wondering about volume of dog food against quality of food fed. Folks regularly post re: what to feed their dog & generally recommended good quality dry food, etc. My question is: you feed a smaller quantity of the "better quality" foods & this provides the dog with the correct nutritional requirements but does the dog also have a need to intake a certain quantity of food in order to feel satisfied? If so, what can then be used to supplement these complete foods without putting the nutritional balance out of kilter?

My dogs are fed on Burns,Nutro and recently Orijen. All often recommended & I have no doubt they are very good - the dogs are extremely healthy, good weight (but not overweight), excellent coats and really enjoy their food. But I wonder if their enthusiasm at dinner time is because they are very hungry - and is that a bad thing?

To me, it seems a bit like (& I know you shouldn't compare dogs to humans) a person living on protein shakes - it provides all their body needs but they always feel hungry?

ValerieR

Foods go by dog weight. If you give them what is recommended and they are healthy and not losing weight ... they get what they need as these foods contain all the nutrients they need and don't require any more.
It is in the dog's nature to be always hungry !!! :-) The trick is resist giving them more!!!
I hope this helps.
ValerieR

Alfasudcrazy

I am not sure is it wise to stick rigidly to quantities. A dogs food intake requirements change all the time.

Their levels of activity change - the weather and temperature changes too and so also does a dogs food intake requirements. This changes almost on a daily basis.

I found its best to choose a food you think is best and then stick to that rigidly.

Mine have always had dog food available to them 24/7 since they were puppies and so only eat in moderation and do not get overweight. Plus I don't like the idea of dogs gulping down large amounts of food in a short space of time - especially large dogs for fear of causing bloat.

I always give them their daily treat in addition though. This can be simple things like some scraps of bread which they love or a biscuit (not chocolate) or a sausage roll etc.

Try not to overdo the treats though as this will cause them to put on weight - this is very hard to do for indoor dogs but as mine are all outdoors I don't have this problem.

carwash_2006

Better a little on the hungry side than a bit overweight. They have very different digestive systems to ours and we should not judge how we think they may be feeling based on what we may feel. Always decide whether you are feeding your dog the right amount based on the dogs weight. The feeding guidelines are just that, guidelines. Run your hand down you dogs back and make sure that the bones are covered but that you can still feel them.

I find if your dog is about the right weight you will notice fairly quickly any change and thus can udjust the quantities. Of course if you start giving them a lot more exercise then it will be necessary to up the amount of food.

Free feeding does not work well for all dogs, those that have been used to it from puppyhood will be more likely to eat the proper amount. If they have not been used to it I would not recommend suddenly starting as they will probably overeat.

For some dogs having the food there all the time can lower your value to them and it can make them easier to train if they have to rely on you for their food. This also probably depends a lot on the owner as well. A lot of trainers seem to recommend not leaving the food down for the dog for this reason.

LisaO

I currently feed according to dogs condition - increase amount if they need it, reduce it if they are looking a little overweight & seems to work fine. Am feeding just one meal a day & treats for training.

I couldn't free feed - my lab would just carry on eating forever - I'm sure he could polish off a 15kg bag no problem! I did free-feed my first lab but he had a very different personality - much more self-control, for a start!

Only reason I was asking is because my lab is very food oriented & becomes such a worrier when it starts to get near dinner time. Not sure if he really is desperately hungry but certainly acts it.

Sigma Force

I feed my collie and little mix breed Burns, it depends on the dogs weight but also on how much excercise they get. My collie is a smallish boarder collie about 17kg and she nibbles at her food and usually prefers to finish the rest in the evening. She gets two of the measured cups of Burns and is a good weight for her size and full of beans.

The smaller dog is only 7kg she gets one of the measured cups of Burns, she's a total greedy guts and will sneak the other dogs food when she's not looking. She's got a sensative tum so can't have treats so she gets greedy because she only gets boring plain food mostly. She's a tiny bit chubby but not overweight I rekon if I fed her more she would eat it she is always hungry was always a greedy guts.

I think it depends on the dog the collie cares more about her tennis ball than her food bowl.

No idea how many hours of excercise they get as it varies but they both are always out at the same time running around they both play differently the collie will go bombing and then lie down pooped the little one will run about and then just play with a toy and wander round.

BlackCat2008

Have to agree with above it depends on the dog I always leave dry food out 24/7 even with the rescue dogs they usually gain weight quick and then figure out the food is always there and just eat what they need they usually eat small amounts through out the day and there weight evens out after a few weeks.My dach/pointer has food 24/7 but go's ape at it when you fill the bowl but when I check to see if she's swallowed it all it's usually not much I think she just likes to put her mark on it as she's food aggressive and only I deal with her food for safety reasons.

The grey hound gained weight and looked some what over weight when he first got here now he's the perfect wieght and looking great, the collie likes to sit at the bowl and pick out his favorites and take his time and he's figured it's there all the time so he nibbles through out the day as well.

I've never found I had a problem training them as they will do anything for treats regardless.

Maybe try giving him the food for a month 24/7 and see if he figures out that it's there all the time, he will gain weight but if he figures it's there all the time he will even out and you can leave it with him if not then at least you will get a good picture of his eating habits and when he likes to eat I think small meals through out the day is better than one for the hole day.

LisaO

Yes, Guineapigrescue, it does depend on the dog. Fortunately both my 2 are very happy to eat dry food. My Jack Russell is always eager for his dinner - he actually bounces so high, he comes up above the kitchen worktop - not bad for a 12 year old and he always empties his bowl. but he seems very content foodwise, ie, ready for his dinner but not like he hasn't eaten for a week.

Lab on the other hand is a total glutton - he worries for his dinner & you have barely turned round & its gone. He could have just eaten in the last 5 minutes yet if you mention the D (dinner) word, he is over to his feeding place like he never had anything. He would steal food (of any description) at any opportunity & has shown aggression to the JRT over food (they are fed at same time but in separate areas). I could not leave food down as he would not stop eating, plus the other guy would never get any! Yet he is fit, healthy, perfect weight, so obviously getting all he needs. Guess it is just his way & do know other labs who are the same.

LucyK

I have an 8 yr old lab who was given to us last year. Since then I've been trying to figure out his appetitie etc. He was quite skinny when we got him - his previous owner left dry food out for him in the monring and he could nibble away.

I starting feeding him one meal in evening but soon discovered he wouldn't eat the dry food unless he was really hungry and I had to be standing beside him. I started adding fish (tinned sardines, mackeral, the odd tin of tuna) and he devoured the food then!! Still I had to be in the room when he ate.

More recently I bought him a tin of Brandy dog food (I was out of feed) and he absolutely loved it. So I've been mixing the brandy dry and tinned and it's going down a treat. He eats half around 6pm and polishes the rest off during the night. I've heard so much about tinned food being so bad for dogs but Im thinking surely its better than him going for days without eating. Like some of the above comments - I know I'm treating him like a human!!

He's very energetic and happy. (although a little clingy)

Anyway would love to hear any advice or tips on this.. Thanks LK

peasant

LisaO wrote: »

Lab on the other hand is a total glutton - he worries for his dinner & you have barely turned round & its gone. He could have just eaten in the last 5 minutes yet if you mention the D (dinner) word, he is over to his feeding place like he never had anything. He would steal food (of any description) at any opportunity & has shown aggression to the JRT over food (they are fed at same time but in separate areas). I could not leave food down as he would not stop eating, plus the other guy would never get any! Yet he is fit, healthy, perfect weight, so obviously getting all he needs. Guess it is just his way & do know other labs who are the same.

Labs are quite famous for this ...they'd hoover up anything edible and come begging for more until they burst

Elevelyn

My dog hates dry food so i started adding some wet food in with it and she is eating so much better now, before she never got excited about dinner and now she does. i know its not the best thing to give them but she is a very healthy pup now and seems alot more content.