Is my dog always hungry, or do dogs only feel hunger at certain times?

Some dogs are simply picky eaters and will only eat their dog food when they are really hungry. Often these dogs learn that if they wait to eat their food, something tastier will be offered. I would recommend visiting your vet first to make sure Marshall is in good health with no evidence of weight loss or gastrointestinal disease that could be affecting his appetite. If he is maintaining his weight, it's probably fine for him to eat when he's hungry and you don't have to worry about tempting him to eat or mixing his food with table scraps.

Do you think her body weight is appropriate? If she is underweight, she can eat more. If she is normal, you may consider putting her food in treat or puzzle toys so that it takes her longer to eat. She may also be looking for attention. Help her get in more play time or do obedience training to give her mind something to do. If she still seems really hungry, you can try feeding a weight loss food at higher amounts - they usually have more fiber so that it fills the dog up without adding extra calories.

What a great picture of Alfie! The calorie contents of different foods vary so it's hard to say without knowing what brand of food he's getting. However, in general, a 60lb pit bull will require more food than a 60lb dog of a different breed. They tend to be very heavily muscled which burns a lot of calories, and they also tend to be very energetic. He's also young so will require more food than a senior dog. One cup of dry food 3 times a day might just not be enough for him. I would recommend increasing his canned food to one can twice a day, or you can try adding 1/2 cup dry food at feedings. Watch him to make sure he's not gaining too much weight. Also, if he still seems hungry, you may want to have him checked over by his veterinarian. Intestinal parasites and certain metabolic diseases can cause them to be excessively hungry. And some dogs are just hungry all the time, not matter how much they just ate (kind of like people). The last thing you can try is adding water to his food to bulk it up and make him feel fuller. You can also feed him vegetables such as lettuce, carrots, celery, and cucumbers to give him high fiber/water, low calorie treats.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Abby. Is she maintaining a healthy body weight? If so and if she is acting like herself, then I would not be concerned about her food habits. It may just be her preference to eat at night. If she is consuming enough calories, then I do not have a concern. However, if she is continually dropping weight and shows signs of illness such as vomiting or diarrhea, then she needs to be seen by her veterinarian. Some dogs that go close to 24 hours between meals will vomit due to a build up of stomach acid. In these patients I encourage the owners to feed them more frequently. If this is not occurring with her, then you do not need to worry. I hope this information helps!

She appear very fit and healthy in the photo. If she is still seeking food you can go to 2 cups a day total and see how her body responds. If she is energetic then she may stay fit with as she is burning off the extra calories. If she begins to gain weight, then you have to cut the amount back. some dogs eat others out of greed, not hunger. They simply have a pack mentality and eat it just so the others do not. Feeding everyone separately can help discourage this behavior also.

There are some disease processes in dogs that can cause an increased appetite. Most notably is an endocrine disorder called Cushing's Disease and the appetite is the result of excessive steroid production in the body. A pet taking steroid medication could also have increased appetite. There are other possible diagnoses as well so if the change is significant a good place to start would be an exam and bloodwork with your family vet. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Some dogs have their own schedule in terms of eating. We have dogs that graze throughout the day small amounts, dogs that will eat any food in front of them immediately to the point of making themselves sick, and other dogs like yours that may just eat at certain times. As long as your vet thinks your dog's weight is appropriate/ their growth is acceptable and Norik is not having diarrhea or vomiting then I wouldn't be concerned. I would recommend if Norik hasn't been to the vet recently for his vet to examine him and be sure he is of an appropriate weight.