at my wits end!!! help

[meloney garrett]

Ok everyone... our doodle Bentley is eating every thing!  It's like he is starving!  at the last vet apt in January Bentley weighed in at 95 lbs! the vet said he should lose a few, he was not obese but a little overweight.  We feed him a weight control dog food, he gets 1 cup 2x a day.  However... He steals food from the table, counter, your plate... anywhere he can.  Also he takes things off of the table and goes outside with it, like the babys clothes, my school bag with notebooks and pens.. anything!  I am sooo frustrated with him at this point.  my yard looks like a garbage dump because goes out the doggie door with anything he can put in his mouth and then either eats it.. inlcuding a pair of the babys jeans, and belt.. or leaves the non food items destroyed and partially eaten.  I do not know what to do?  Im really frustrated with him at this point and scared of what he could be doing to his belly too. HELP

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I don't have this problem with my Doodles, but I had a Lab for 14 years who was exactly like this.  He was food obsessed and would also steal anything he could find around the house....shoes were his favorite.  He actually broke down the pantry door when we were out one day to get at the food.  Although we always tried to keep things off the floor, with three kids in the house this was nearly impossible.  We never fully solved the problem, but learned to keep food out of his reach and he was never allowed in the kitchen or dining room when we were eating.  We also had to remove the "doggy door".  Good luck!

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Eghad, you have your hands full. Maybe the doggy door should be closed off so he can't escape, just until you get things under control.

A 95lb dog only getting 2 cups a food per day does not seem like enough, especially considering it's weight controlled. Daisy is 65lbs, not overweight and eats 1-1/3 cup 2 times a day. Is this puppy behavior, how old is he?

I am sure the baby proofing is done, sounds like you need Bentley proofing as well (as if you don't have enough to do with a baby, school and life).

My friend has her dog on weight control - she is 70lbs, same amount as you but adds green beans or carrots for more substance. Maybe try that.

Sorry cause it really sounds like you have your work cut out.

 

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

1 cup of food twice a day for a 95 lb dog doesn't sound like enough to me (but I'm no expert).  Rooney is 20 lbs and eats 2/3 cup of kibble 2 x a day.  I get that you don't want Bentley to get fat but perhaps he is really hungrey.  Are you feeding a high quality food?

[meloney garrett]

ok, here is some background info on Bentley... We got him from a rescue about 13 months ago. He was 3 years old and has now turned 4.  He was so underweight at about 50 pounds.  We began feeding him 2x a day and within about 10 days he put on 15 pounds.  The vet said he was looking much better.  He has no aggressions about food and i was quite suprised about that.  The rescue said he was kept tied outside, in MA in the freezing weather all day everyday.  Im not sure if he ate regularly.  He has put on weight with us but we still feed him 2x aday.  about 1 cup.  I told the vet he seemed hungry but he didnt really address that with me. so now abt a year later he is 95 pounds, and happy!  maybe he is not getting enough exercise?  im not sure?  no worms bloodwork is all normal.  im just baffled!! i was feeding him taste of the wild, dry with a 1 tblsp of wet... but then vet said to try weight control... he hates it!  any thoughts?

 

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

What brand of weight control food are you using?  Are you feeding the recommended amount for a dog Bentley's size?  If you are, I'd say his food obsession is not because he's actually hungry.  His background and being underfed before you got him may have contributed to the way he's behaving now.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Iam thinking his years spent starving have something to do with his food obsession. My Vern is 85 pounds and we feed him Fromm (the 4 star line). He loves to eat, but we are lucky in that he doesn't do all this other stuff that Bentley is doing. Fromm has 4 cups as the amount of food he should be getting daily. I think 4 cups is what is listed for a 75 pound dog on the back of their package. I think you should join the Food Group on DoodleKisses. There is lots of information out there. I also think maybe you should try adding some vegetables to his food, so he feels fuller, but is not getting all the calories.The Food Group has a list of approved fruits and vegetables.

As for all the naughty behavior, I think he is trying to get your attention and might need more exercise. If I don't give my two plenty of exercise, they find ways to get into trouble. Good luck.

[April Cliber]

His background explains a lot! 

 

You can try adding green beans to his food.  It's will help fill him but doesn't add a lot of calories.  I agree with the others and don't think that's quite enough food for him. 

[Adrianne Matzkin]

I am sorry you are going through! I it very hard when they can't tell you what they want or need!!!

I feed my girls once a day - Charli, Ms, Skinny Bones, won't eat more than a 1.25 cups at dinner, no matter what I put in it to entice her. Samantha, on the other hand, is overweight (that is MY fault but we are working on it). She gets 1.5 cups of Evo in the winter when the weather did not allow us to play ball or go to the dog park. Now that we are, she is getting 2 cups. She would get more but they love their bedtime cookie and if she doesn't get it, she lets me know she is not happy. I add cooked carrots (they don't like raw ones) and broccoli to add more to their dinner but not lots of calories so she is eating 'more' to feel full.

How much exercise is Bentley getting? It sounds like part of the 'stealing' is, to get your attention - good or bad it is attention. I know that when my girls are 'naughty' they are bored.

Do you give him marrow bones? That's lots of chewing and something that he is 'given' and not 'stealing'.

Maybe try some of those toys that where you can put some kibble in to keep him busy.

Good luck!!!

[Leslie, Dexter & Kirby]

Dexter is a little devil and will steal food, etc.  We have learned to just not leave him unattended with food around.  Maybe you should gate off the kitchen so he can't access it?  I also agree that you should stop the doggy door for now.  Maybe a crate would be a good idea and you can crate him when you're not watching him? 

Dexter also always acts like he's hungry.  He is currently crated 24/7 as he is recovering from surgery to fix his ACL and he still acts like he is starving when all he does is sleep all day.  I think it's the lab in them.

Good luck.

[Melissa & Porter]

Porter is pretty active and a bit overweight.  He gets three cups a day of Fromm and weighs 73 lbs.  I am trying to eliminate snacks to get him down to 68, but I am not really succeeding.  He is more aggressive in his food stealing when I am more successful in my food withholding.

 

Does Bentley have loose flesh around his ribs?  Are the ribs hard to find?  This might be more telling than his weight.

 

I suspect you already do this, but maybe if you give him bones and stuffed kongs and beef knuckles and other fun appropriate stuff to chew, he'll tone down on the bad stuff?

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Oh the toys with kibble is a way awesome idea Adrianne.

I think it might be helpful if you say how much your pups weigh....that is a better judge then just what you are feeding.

I was not aware of Bentley's circumstance....clearly he has some issues.

Melony I know you can get through this but you are going to have to be tough....I think since you have a fenced yard he is out there playing but really not getting true exercise....maybe pack up the kids each day and go for a real walk, see if that helps. He may also just be a little bored.

Good Luck I will be thinking good thoughts.

(I still feel he is not getting enough to eat, try the beans and carrots for sure, he is a big dog).

 

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

I agree, feed the dog.  Look at the side of your package to find out what the manufacturer says the amount a dog Bentley's size should be eating. Adrianne had a great idea about the leg bones/ marrow bones.  April ( who is always a wealth of information--thank you good breeder) who's idea about greenbeens is wonderful.  I have one dog who loves them, one who hates them. I bet, Bentley will love them since he is a food type guy.  I've had a few labs in my day--they will continue to take it ALL if left out on counters, floors... you name it, they get it.  What I am reading is that the taking of  non-food items outside may be different than hunger.  It  may be hoarding.   Good luck with that one!  :)

My girl, has a labby personality.  She doesn't play with many toys--no constant fetch with her, but she eats a lot, steals food, and   she hoards.    She takes everything and puts it under my pillow.  She is getting more brave.  At 18 months she is moving on to shoes.   She is low energy so it makes it easier to deal with.   Labs with high energy, who have this personality can be tough.  I agree.  For now, get him some exhaustive exercise, get him LOTS to chew.  Come to my house to play.  A tired dog is less likely to get into trouble.