How to keep dog from eating too much

[schmism]

Dogs are pack animals.

If you want your dogs to listen to you, they need to recognize you as pack leader. The #1 thing the pack leader would do (in the wild) is provide food.

The first thing any obedience school/teacher will tell you is do NOT let the dog self feed. You should provide food for the dog twice a day. The amount should be measured each time. Put the food down, if the dog ignores it, leave it for 10 min and take it back up. The next feeding time, give the normal amount. rinse and repeat till the dog eats when you put the food down.

For dogs that are overweight a great way to thin them down is the green been diet. (or any frozen veggy mix) the veggies act as filler so the dog feels full and doesn't pester you. Substitute 1/2-1/3 there evening feeding (as they are less active at night...)

we feed ours 1 and 1/3 (meausured) cups food twice a day. In the evening they get about a 1 cup food 1/3 cup veggies and they love them.

 

[Justaplain]

Canned green beans. suppose to cut their appetite. bcs

 

[EastTexFrank]

Canned green beans. suppose to cut their appetite. bcs

Never heard of that one??? May have to give it a try.

I can relate to this thread because one of our three dogs is exactly the same. It's almost as if she obsesses about food. She'll eat anything at any time of the day or night and eat until she is sick. We got her from the pound 10 years ago when she was about 4 or 5 weeks old so she has never been deprived in any way. We feed outside twice a day, a smaller portion in the morning and a slightly larger portion in the evening but they have to be watched all the time. The overeater is always finished first, wanders out into the yard, goes on point and barks a few times. When the other two rush out to see what she is barking about, which they always do, she does a 180 and heads back to finish off their bowls. She's not too smart but she has what you'd call "native cunning". The reason we have to watch the amout she eats is because she has back and leg issues and can't afford to be overweight.

I'm going to try the canned green beans and frozen vegetables though. They could all stand to lose a few pounds. As they get older, they are becoming less active. I hope my wife doesn't read this. She says I could stand to lose a few pounds as well.

 

[Richard]

We've started feeding them more intentionally now, as opposed to just open food season. I might add that in the morning it's dry food (easier for me to get out to work) and at night it's dry mixed with some canned (just couple tablespoons full to 'coat' the dry stuff)

I got a kick from this...

Last night, went to feed them. Got a bowl of food, mixed in the canned stuff. Seperated the bowls so I could give Hattie (the glutton) hers downstairs.

Walked to stairs and she absolutely ROCKETED down the steps... as I turned to close the door, two of the other three dogs meandered down also.

I called for them to return UP the stairs but they just turned around and looked at me like I was a dummy...

Then it hit me... I called Hattie to come, knowing they would all eventually come but I was banking on her ROCKETING PAST them in her determination to get to the bowl first.

Worked like a charm.... she came screaming up the steps leaving the other dogs in the dust. I simply closed the door to keep them all seperated, gave her a measured bowl then as she was munching down, took the other dogs their food downstairs (instead of feeding them up and her down)

I just knew I could count on her rocketing past all of them. Was kind of funny seeing her do exactly that.