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

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Here is an article from Animal Planet about animals who hoard toys and food.   You know, people that grew up in the depression are some of the biggest culprits of hoarding.  Poor Bentley came from a depression himself before he found your wonderful home.  My cousins cat, with a similar background like Bentley suffered from the same situation.  They eventually found ways to deal with it and it got better.   The cat was waking them up at all hours of the day and night to be fed   Sleep became impossible. 

Do a search for more articles on hoarding. Here is just one.

http://blogs.discovery.com/daily_treat/2010/07/dogs-cats-that-hoard...

 

 

[F, Calla & Luca]

For the dog door problem, my dog door is on a screen porch so I can close the door to the porch and the dogs can't get out on their own. Even so, if we're all out on the porch, or I want the door open for ventilation, I had a little frame that holds a wood panel, put on the door. That way the dogs can access the porch but can't go outside unless I want them to. This comes in handy if it's rainy or I have workmen outside, etc.

[Lorraine Bromley]

I would give him lots of his own toys. Maybe left in the babies laundry bucket for awhile before introducing them to her. I would give her a kong filled with really high smelling kong fill during meal times (humans) so that she gets to know stealing food is not necessary and will look forward to the kong instead. I would also get him an antler so that he can have that to chew on and it is indestructible. Teach the bring it back and drop it command so that when he is seen with contraband you can immediately control his behavior and swap out his toy instead. He is retriever so controlling the behavior with training seems the most likely fix for this. The veggie ideas will also work well. Frozen kongs with low fat yogurt also a good treat. Neely had a spot we let him have in the backyard for his treasures. When we found stuff outside we would put it back in his hole. I would get to tidying up before he went in so that his treasures would be safe for tomorrow. So maybe a little sand box for digging and hiding the goods? Then I would also work on tiring him out. Scent training would tire his brain and maybe curb some of this behavior. A tired dog is a good dog.

[Frances Pendrous (Horan)]

I agree with many of your replies. Going by his sad background, I feel he is very food driven. Our second doodle is a rescue and there is nothing he wont eat. I think they learn to have a cast iron stomach. My first one is so picky it is pathetic...but she has never been deprived, on the contrary, we overly indulged her until he joined  the family. She, by the way, is nearly 100lbs and we feed her with wet food mixed with dry in the evenings, and we leave dry food down constantly in a feeder, so they both can snack whenever they want. Now the rescue is always sitting in the kitchen drooling when dad starts fixing the wet food in the evenings, but he never overly eats from the dry food that is there all the time. I truly think these dogs that have been neglected/starved will always have a few food issues, but none that cannot be worked out given time. Good luck and try not to get to down on his behavior just try to leave kibble down all day and see where that gets you.

[Leslie J]

I hope that this doesn't sound offensive... but I hope that you have doggie insurance!  If naughty Bentley does eat a stray object it can be very costly!  Cocoa spent one night in doggie ICU and it cost us $850.  I have it now but I sure wish that I had it then- she had no complications so it could have cost us much, much more.

[Jennifer and Jack]

I just want to say what every one else has said. That does not seem like he is getting enough food. Jack Doodle is 11 pounds and he is on 3/4 cup a day of Orijen. That is a real high quality food that requires a lot less then regular dog foods.

 

I think it is a combo of both. What brand dog food do you have your dog on?

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Oh I second the insurance. I didn;t have with our first doodle, but when the second one came and I saw what she would chew, eat, swallow, try to swallow I decided she is just a stomach pumping or surgery waiting to happen. Still working on her eating everything, but it is pretty constant surviellence to keep on top of her.

[Lynda Kamrath]

I'll bet you are frustrated.  Weight control does not sound like a good alternative for him, so try some other high quality dog foods and you can try giving him a little more.  1 1/2 cups 2X a day does not sound too much for a 95 pound dog.  You can also try adding veges to his meals.  I think the "stealing things" may be an issue with boredom rather than hunger.  Then he tries to eat the things he steals to hide the evidence.  Do you have a regular routine of exercise for him?  That might be something you can add to your schedule.  Include the baby and get everyone dressed up and ready for a walk.  He will begin to look forward to that.  You will also start to look forward to it and the weather is perfect now to start a springtime exercise routine.  It will be good for everyone.

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

I agree with Lynda after reading everyone's response.  I think he is bored and needs more exercise and possibly a bit more attention.  I know when Gracie wants attention she will grab one of her toys and bring it to us or start squeaking it.  She has never had "issues" or been deprived and gets plenty of attention and exercise.  Though today is a rainy day and she is feeling neglected because she wants to be outside with us.  Kids and dogs are a lot alike.  They do what they need to in order to get attention and if they are bored or need exercise, they start to bounce off walls!  I think all the suggestions are good and you probably need to apply them all in one way or another.  Good Luck!

[Shannon Chairsell]

Just remember when it comes to food all brands are very different and all have a different suggested feeding guidline. This varies due to the ingredients and how much they need of that food for proper nutrition. I am going through training with my standard right now and we have learned a few tricks so far... Get Bentley a stuffable KONG or a Softhide (made in the US) bone. They will act as a pacifire while you are eating. Place them away from where you are eating and should keep him busy. Or kenneling during dinner is an option. We also learned to just say "Thats Bad" when he has a hold of something we dont want him to have. Give him something thats his and in a very hi tone PRAISE for about 20-30 seconds. These approaches are working for us! Good luck to you and Bentley.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

He sounds hungry and bored to me. Mix extra food (green beans) with more exercise and training and you might see an improvement. My thoughts only

[Bonnie and Kona]

Just a note. Kona weighed 94 pounds. The vet said he needed to lose weight. We put him on one cup of food twice a day and in six months he is down to 82! Now he seems too skinny. He runs with my husband 5 days a week 3-4 miles. So I think Bentley needs more exercise. I'm increasing Kona's food to 1 1/3 c twice a day. Owen is our six month puppy who steals everything imaginable off the counter, tables, chairs etc. We just tried increasing his food (he eats 4 cups a day!) and it is helping some. Good luck. Poor guys... you and him.