Am I starving my dog?

[Laura & Chewie]

Chewie is 8 months, eats two meals a day...Fromm's, yet always acts like he is starving.  The package has a recommended daily amount for dogs 15 lbs and dogs 30 lbs.  Since Chewie is 23 lbs I feed him an amount in between.  Since he went on two meals a day he usually gets some kind of jerky...chicken or sweet potato chew in the afternoon plus he isn't lacking for treats.  He is always sniffing around the kitchen floor looking for crumbs, begs like crazy when we have food and devours his meals in 30 seconds flat.  He really hasn't gained any weight in the last couple months, but I understand minis slow down much earlier than larger dogs.  When you feel his ribs under all the fluff, he feels just right.

 

So, do you think I am underfeeding him or is he just a little piggy?

[Adina P]

I'd go with "just a little piggy" =)
Out of the three dogs I've had as my own, each ADORED any extra food they could get. Whether I was chopping broccoli, peeling an apple, boiling pasta, or opening a can of tuna...they pretty much wanted nothing more than to hover nearby and catch whatever morsel they could. During meals, Thule would lie under the table and could catch something falling out of a dead sleep, Cass sits up right and stares, and Rosco lies nearby just in case. When they pass through the kitchen they first sniff the floor for 'leftovers' before moving on. They clean each other's dog bowls.

I think most dogs are wired to grab what they can and it's the rare dog that is picky.