Gluttony

Hip_Shot_Hanna · 10-18-2007, 07:25 AM

Hi all -

Does anyone else here have a Doberman that would probably eat himself to death given the chance? Torque is not quite five months old, and he will eat anything that is considered edible.

Like.. the chicken scratch, the deer corn, dried corn on the cob he found that we were saving for chicken feed - anyone else's dog food if they have left any. He eats melons we throw out for the chickens if he can get to them (the proof is left in his stools.. seeds!)

Last night I caught him in the pantry. The door had been left open, and he was merrily munching away on small breed puppy food I have for a pomeranian puppy here... at least it wasn't something far worse for him. I have no idea how much he ate, I do know he can clear a cup and a half of food in ten seconds. Fortunately, it was at night, when he is very mellow. He got me up around 12:30 a.m. - he wanted a drink and to go out and spent the rest of the night without incident. This morning he is getting less breakfast than normal, and I'm sure he won't be happy about that.

I feed him 4.5 cups of Eagle Pack large breed puppy food per day, divided into three feedings. He's not thin in the least, but he's been this way since the day we got him.

Will he ever outgrow this? I can tell you that I have never ever seen him stop eating and leave anything - and I truly do fear someday he will eat himself to death. Bloat is a major concern - it terrifies me to think about that happening to him, yet with his ravenous appetite, I can see it as a potential problem.

VaBtrfly · 10-18-2007, 08:14 AM

It's not uncommon for some dobes. Only thing you can do, is be extra diligent in supervision and yep, they can be sneaky little buggers...lol. To slow down your "chow hound" take a look at these...

http://www.nextdaypets.com/directory...r-P564C72.aspx

http://www.brake-fast.net/

I prefer the brakefast bowl but, they haven't added a stainless steel bowl yet and Bane has a bad reaction to plastic, so my groomer suggested the other... which works also.

Or, you could try a basic cookie sheet with a couple of clean cans spaced apart and the food sread around. It didn't work for me but, still worth a try.

Hope this helps and good luck!

Lexxsmom · 10-18-2007, 09:52 AM

wow, i wish lexx ate like that, if I feed him his kibble meal i practically have to plead with him to eat it....

alwayshadpets · 10-18-2007, 10:37 AM

I think Tamora could be a chow hound. Years ago it was a fad to free feed. I could fill dish and leave out all day. Both past dobies stayed same weight until the day they died. They potty trained very easy and only ate when we were home.
Recent years the 15 minute food rule applies is the method of choice. I brought Tamora up this way. Copper the chow hound would never allow a free feed program anyway.
Both methods worked, but I think I like the 15 minute one better.

**ddsalazar** · 10-18-2007, 10:42 AM

Our boy was a MAJOR chow hound and sneaky hence his nickname "the burglar". He ate very well up until his last day. Not even bone cancer slowed him down. I really to had to watch his weight and my husband's as they were partners in crime. My hubby, trying to be as quiet as possible during these late night fridge raids, would turn around to find Jack licking his chops with that "what's are we eating" look. Our trainer suggest slowing his eating down by putting tennis balls in his food bowl, but I was so afraid he would gulp them down just as fast. I always separated his food in three portion and feed them in small amounts, morning noon and evening. I also would put hot water and let it sit for 15 minutes so the kibble would really expand. It's incredible how much a cup of food is when its gets full of water. This was how our trainer feed her two dobes and said soaking really helps with the expansion of food in their tummies and will help minimize the chance of them bloating. Also, watched his exercise when he ate. All in all, he loved to eat everything except Jello. I have a friend who has a dobe girl and they have to beg her to eat. I guess every pup is different.

Hip_Shot_Hanna · 10-18-2007, 10:48 AM

Many thanks to you who have answered this post. I used to just make him sit, then throw his kibble across the floor which slows him down considerably, but also gets the floor, well... not so clean... LOL!

As for the 15 minute rule - that works for everyone but him. He can inhale 1.5 cups of dry food in 10 seconds flat, 15 at the outside, but I do use it for my other dogs. (Small breeds, kind of picky sometimes)

I may indeed try wetting his food. It will definitely bulk out and perhaps he'd feel "full" afterward, though I don't think he has a fill meter.. honestly I think he'd eat until he burst.

Other than that, he's very very good. He doesn't even eat the weird stuff puppies often do if it's left about, like string, sticks (he does chew them up but doesn't eat them) or plastic stuff. I'm very blessed, but I am careful because I never know when that might change.

**Burns** · 10-18-2007, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hip_Shot_Hanna

Does anyone else here have a Doberman that would probably eat himself to death given the chance?

*raises hand*

Yup, Red would fall into that category. He doesn't even chew half the time - just inhales the food. Same with treats - I think to myself, how does he even know he likes them if he doesn't even chew and taste them?

He also loves to eat bird seed on the ground below the feeder, and I'm afraid he's gonna get some funky disease from eating bird crap. When the bird feeder's full, his stools are half poop, half bird seed

**DreamDoby** · 10-18-2007, 11:31 AM

Harmony could eat herself to death probably also. I really doubt she has a full meter. I have found her in the dog food bin a few times that I have forgot to put the lid on tightly before. She was quick to realize that I wasn't back yet to finish up to close it and started to eat until her days content as fast as possible until someone snitched on her barking out of their room and running to tell me. You can't get anything past a poodle.

Hip_Shot_Hanna · 10-18-2007, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreamDoby

You can't get anything past a poodle.

LOL! I know - over twenty years ago our toy poodle snitched on the cat. I was thawing liver out in the kitchen sink, and the cat had found it and was enjoying her feast.

Although I truly think Cherie was just complaining because SHE didn't have any!

dogs4jen · 10-18-2007, 12:45 PM

Iggy is a pig too. We've been working on sit and stay before we give him his dish because otherwise he'll knock the bowl out of my hand. I've been feeding him about six cups of canidae a day and I'm sure he'd be happy to eat anything I would let him.
Jen