# Always hungry...



## smbrach (Jun 28, 2018)

Hello GSD friends! 
My Ava girl is about 5 1/2 months old and weighs about 51 pounds. I have transitioned her to Victor active dog and puppy and have been feeding her apx 1 1/2 cups of food 3 times per day, so 4 1/2 cups total in a day. I feel like this is enough but she always acts like shes starving and looking for food. She sits by the dog food container when it's time to eat like she can read the clock, and I find her sitting there looking at me with those beautiful brown eyes of hers (begging, I know lol) but like she thinks its time to eat every couple of hours. She is UTD on vaccines and deworming, and has had heartguard.



Is this "starving" behavior normal? lol


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## Katsugsd (Jul 7, 2018)

What a cutie!


I think Katsu would keep eating if I kept giving her food. She gets 1.5-2 cups a day. If her stools look fine and she isn't skin and bone, I wouldn't be concerned by the behavior.


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## clipke (Nov 14, 2017)

A higher protein food may help satisfy her. Victor offers a sled dog food that I believe is 42% protein. My dogs were on that for a while but it's pricy. I believe it's called Victor Grain Free Ultra Pro(a 30lbs bag only lasts a week for 2 large dogs, at your dogs current weight it may last a month). Victor Hero Canine is also a good option, or Nutra Pro.


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## Dutchy (Jul 8, 2018)

I think it's common when they are young. My pups only about 4 months but feeding time she acts like a mad dog wanting to get at the food. I feel like if I kept feeding her, she would keep eating. And she is extremely food driven. 


As long as she isn't too skinny, as in you can see all of her ribs, and her coat and stool looks good, I think your fine.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Can you post a picture from above and from her side, both while standing? Dogs are opportunistic; wired to eat while they can, based on their scavenging heritage so when there is food, a healthy dog will want to eat, no matter if it is a buried rotten chicken carcass or kibble on the other side of the pantry door. I feed mine on various times.


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## McGloomy (Mar 13, 2018)

Wish my dog was always hungry.


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## crittersitter (Mar 31, 2011)

Pretty girl! My 6 month old boy is the same way. Some are always chow hounds and others out grow it. So long as she is thriving don't worry about it. I think my boy had limited feeding bowls with the other pups and had to fight for his food. A breeder error in my opinion.


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## tc68 (May 31, 2006)

smbrach said:


> Hello GSD friends!
> My Ava girl is about 5 1/2 months old and weighs about 51 pounds. I have transitioned her to Victor active dog and puppy and have been feeding her apx 1 1/2 cups of food 3 times per day, so 4 1/2 cups total in a day. I feel like this is enough but she always acts like shes starving and looking for food. She sits by the dog food container when it's time to eat like she can read the clock, and I find her sitting there looking at me with those beautiful brown eyes of hers (begging, I know lol) but like she thinks its time to eat every couple of hours. She is UTD on vaccines and deworming, and has had heartguard.
> 
> 
> ...


I'm glad you wrote this. For a while I thought I wasn't feeding mine enough. For the 1st 6 months of his life, he was on Victor Nutra Pro, 3 times a day 1.5 cups each time for 4.5 cups a day, just like yours. It seemed like he was always starving. And just like yours, about an hour before each meal he would start picking up his activity and try to herd me to his food. He'd walk over to his food container every now and then. At 7.5 months old (80lbs), he's on his first bag of Victor Hero Canine. I also eliminated his lunch meal. So now he gets 2 cups 2 times a day for a total of 4 cups a day. He still seems to be starving. Still exhibiting the same behaviors. I don't want to give him more food because that would mean more pooping. He's already pooping 4 times a day. If I add more food, I'm back up to 5 times a day. That limits what I can do during the day. I'm hoping within a month or so, I can get him down to 3 poops a day....then twice. I'm wondering if it's the food. If it is Victor, then I may have to try Fromms or Taste of the Wild. Or if it's not the food, then maybe it's the dog. 

So to answer your question. Yes, I think it's "normal" in the sense that mine is going through the exact same thing as yours.


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## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

A dog can easily have different nutritional needs from others. Maybe you could try changing the food she is eating or adding some raw. I do not restrict food, I change foods up, and now I also add some raw. No dog I have ever owned has been consistently hungry. The only dog I ever had that became over weight did so after being neutered as a medical necessity. Prior to that he was always too thin. If anything, I find being underweight a problem with them.


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## clipke (Nov 14, 2017)

tc68 said:


> I'm glad you wrote this. For a while I thought I wasn't feeding mine enough. For the 1st 6 months of his life, he was on Victor Nutra Pro, 3 times a day 1.5 cups each time for 4.5 cups a day, just like yours. It seemed like he was always starving. And just like yours, about an hour before each meal he would start picking up his activity and try to herd me to his food. He'd walk over to his food container every now and then. At 7.5 months old (80lbs), he's on his first bag of Victor Hero Canine. I also eliminated his lunch meal. So now he gets 2 cups 2 times a day for a total of 4 cups a day. He still seems to be starving. Still exhibiting the same behaviors. I don't want to give him more food because that would mean more pooping. He's already pooping 4 times a day. If I add more food, I'm back up to 5 times a day. That limits what I can do during the day. I'm hoping within a month or so, I can get him down to 3 poops a day....then twice. I'm wondering if it's the food. If it is Victor, then I may have to try Fromms or Taste of the Wild. Or if it's not the food, then maybe it's the dog.
> 
> So to answer your question. Yes, I think it's "normal" in the sense that mine is going through the exact same thing as yours.


Likely just the dog. My dogs were on Victor for a while, now on Purina Pro Plan Sport which is almost identical to Nutra Pro, and they poop 1-2 times a day. They pooped more often when they were younger.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

Have you ever lived with a human teenagers (esp boys) and watched the way they eat?! Adolescent dogs can have high metabolisms and put away food the same way -- only they don't know how to raid the fridge (thank goodness).


Pay attention to your dog's form by comparing it to one of the canine body condition score charts -- there are lots of them out there (your vet might even have one as a handout or posted on the wall). Here's an example:
https://vet.osu.edu/vmc/companion/o.../body-condition-muscle-condition-score-charts



Looking at body condition is much more important than focusing on particular weight numbers. If it gets too lean, increase the food. If it's normal/ideal, hold steady.


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## girardid (Aug 13, 2015)

i wouldnt worry. I have pup right now thats been eating 5-6cups per day of high calorie kibble for a while and still lean as a rail. They are growing up and need the energy plus they were bred to be working dogs ridiculous food drive was bred into them on purpose to make training easier. My last dog was the same way lol star tracking with your dog or something to put it use it sounds like your pup might be good for it


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## smbrach (Jun 28, 2018)

wolfy dog said:


> Can you post a picture from above and from her side, both while standing? Dogs are opportunistic; wired to eat while they can, based on their scavenging heritage so when there is food, a healthy dog will want to eat, no matter if it is a buried rotten chicken carcass or kibble on the other side of the pantry door. I feed mine on various times.


I will work on this. She doesn't like to hold still. lol


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## smbrach (Jun 28, 2018)

Magwart said:


> Have you ever lived with a human teenagers (esp boys) and watched the way they eat?! Adolescent dogs can have high metabolisms and put away food the same way -- only they don't know how to raid the fridge (thank goodness).
> 
> 
> Pay attention to your dog's form by comparing it to one of the canine body condition score charts -- there are lots of them out there (your vet might even have one as a handout or posted on the wall). Here's an example:
> ...



After seeing the chart, I definitely think that she's in the ideal range. I gave her a bath yesterday and could actually see her body under the fluff, and she seems to be shaped well.


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