# My dog literally acts like he is starving, constantly searches for food



## hannaw (Nov 25, 2016)

Hey all,
I have a 1-2 year old Yorkie mix who I adopted back in May from a rescue. He was found as a stray so his background is unknown. This weird food behavior of his didn't start until he had settled into our home within the first week. He actually wasn't interested in food for the first few days but after about a week, he became obsessed. He's on a raw diet so he gets meat, bones, and organs. He goes crazy for his food like any dog would, but he continues to act like he is physically starving. I'm talking about his constant searching for food in the house, eating things that aren't even food, going outside and eating leaves, twigs, or whatever he finds. He definitely isn't eating enough to make him sick, and sometimes he just plays with it in his mouth... but he literally becomes obsessed with searching for food. I can't even let him out in the yard without being on a leash or he will just wander around, searching for weird things to eat. When there's people with food around, he begs obsessively for food (which is just a dog thing really) but then people accuse me of starving him. He's a lanky dog who is naturally skinny, so I could see why they would think he's "starving". But I feed him a lot for a 6lb dog. This is what I feed him during a week.
-1 whole chicken wing (or 2 smaller wings) 1-2 times a week
-chicken livers/tripe twice a week, 1/4 cup, twice a day
-ground turkey/chicken/beef anywhere from 1/4-1/3 cup, twice a day.

Now to me, that is a LOT of food especially because it's 100% real food, no fillers, and the majority of people I've seen only feed their dogs this size 1/2 cup of kibble per day. He's getting about a 3/4 cup of food a day and it's not even kibble. I upped his amount to this after I noticed he seemed a little skinnier than originally, but now he's put on a small amount of weight and muscle so he looks really good. However, he still acts starved and obsessively searches for food. I don't know if this is something psychological that he picked up after living on the streets, or if there's some kind of medical condition going on. Or perhaps he's just extremely food motivated (he will do anything for treats; he has learned 25 tricks because of this) so maybe I'm just worried over nothing. I've just never had a dog like this whose main agenda in life is to search for food 24/7. It also makes makes me wonder am I still not feeding him enough... He is a low-medium active level dog so it's not like he's burning a lot of calories each day to where I'd need to up his feeding. Honestly, I don't know what I should do anymore lol. Other than the food behavior, he's a totally normal, healthy, happy dog... so this is just a weird click of his.

Any ideas? Hopefully I'm just worried over nothing...


----------



## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

You cannot compare raw and kibble in terms of volume. Raw is mainly water weight. 

Picking a middle of the road kibble, Purina One chicken and rice (a very common supermarket type food), a half cup of kibble (around 50 grams) is just a bit under 200 kcals. Whereas, 100 grams of raw ground turkey is about 150 kcals. 

I think you need to calculate what he is getting on a dry matter basis.

Smaller dogs tend to need a higher percentage of their body weight when fed raw compared to large dog-- large dogs is more like 2-3% of body weight each day, but small is more like 5-8% of body weight roughly (some more, some less). And that is optimal body weight. So very roughly, maybe a 1/3 to 1/2 lb of raw daily


----------



## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

Get a scale. Small dogs can need 10% their body weight daily. My little orally obsessed dog gets only 2.5% to maintain a lean body but there are lots of treats on top of that, he is 13 pounds. Diet is 10% bone, 5% liver, 5% other organ like spleen/brain/kidney, 80% meat and red meat like beef, pork, lamb and venison are better than fish and poultry. I'm not happy with how that compared to NRC and add 1/2 tablet of a multimineral/vitamin to my little dogs' daily ration.

Use ground beef more often then ground poultry, fattier and higher in some essential nutrients.
Use beef liver for about half the liver or he won't get enough copper.

Give him a challenging meal at least once a week. Right now that is elk bone here but pork or beef neck in huge bits, beef ribs, turkey neck, lamb or fish head, other pork bones that get worked for a good amount of time really settle my food seeker down. Couple months ago he worked a bone for 3 hours and was so relaxed for a couple days I thought he was sick! As I write the dogs are working elk bones, an hour so far with no slowing down. Bucky has a 6" circle of of a scapula and Ginger has 5" of elbow I think. I expect to throw away bare bone but food seeker can get through pretty big stuff.


----------



## hannaw (Nov 25, 2016)

I just calculated 10% of his body weight and that came down to him needing 9.6 ounces / 1.2 cups of food daily. That definitely seems a little much for him... But maybe I've been following the wrong advice. I've been told on different forums and by people IRL that he only needs like, 1/2 cup of food a day, but I increased it since it didn't feel like enough. This is my first time owning a super small dog so I guess I never realized that they would require more food. I mean, we feed our Westie a little over 1 cup of food a day and he's 3 times his size... I'm just finding it hard to believe that he needs that much! Trust me, he'd eat it since he has no self control, but I just don't want him getting sick off that large of an amount.
Also, get does get pork neck or turkey necks when I can find them. Unfortunately, since I've moved to California, I can't find any store that carries what I need for an affordable price. He gets all the good stuff back in my Texas home when we go back over the breaks, but right now, I can't find him anything other than chicken wings.  If anyone is from LA, please tell me some good spots for affordable meat and bones, haha.

Thank you guys for your input so far. I honestly feel so misguided right now. I should have done more research with him because deep down, I honestly felt like he wasn't getting enough food. I just was conflicted because everyone told me "no, now you're feeding him TOO much" when I upped the amount. In regards to the 1.2 cups of food, what are your thoughts? Should I may just give him 1/4 cup more a day so it brings him closer to 1 cup daily? 1.2 cups still sounds like too much to me.


----------



## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

Turkey necks are hard to find cheap in California but pork and beef neck are found at Mexican markets for a good price. Google your area, I found a lot close by and some have online flyers so you can buy good stuff on sale. Look at Super King for instance. Consider pork shoulder, I cook shredded pork for the humans but dogs get the raw bones. Beef ribs are easily found in any grocery store. I buy bone in chicken breast, do a sloppy job of boning - dogs get bone/humans get meat.

100% of the dog meat in my freezer ATM is from Creston Valley Meats though. He travels throughout the state twice a month and you meet the truck at freeway exits. Since he sells by the box you need a freezer. Happy birthday a few years back when I got a freezer and could finally buy from him.

Both dogs are now comatose after 2 hours working on bones.


----------



## hannaw (Nov 25, 2016)

Kathyy said:


> Turkey necks are hard to find cheap in California but pork and beef neck are found at Mexican markets for a good price. Google your area, I found a lot close by and some have online flyers so you can buy good stuff on sale. Look at Super King for instance. Consider pork shoulder, I cook shredded pork for the humans but dogs get the raw bones. Beef ribs are easily found in any grocery store. I buy bone in chicken breast, do a sloppy job of boning - dogs get bone/humans get meat.
> 
> 100% of the dog meat in my freezer ATM is from Creston Valley Meats though. He travels throughout the state twice a month and you meet the truck at freeway exits. Since he sells by the box you need a freezer. Happy birthday a few years back when I got a freezer and could finally buy from him.
> 
> Both dogs are now comatose after 2 hours working on bones.


Yeah I've called and checked both Mexican markets and Asian markets with no luck.  I will definitely keep looking though since he really loves pork necks. May even try rib bones!

Also, thank you for showing me that website! The prices seem incredibly fair, considering how I just spent $12 for under 4lbs of beef alone... I had no choice sadly, ran out of dog food. But these mixes seem to have a balance of everything I need. I just wonder if it's okay if I found a mix with meat and organs, and fed him everyday with that. Would that be too much organ, considering I only give him 10% organ weekly? I would love to be able to use this as a staple food source and then just provide him with different bones weekly. I'm just worried about him not getting a balance between organ and meat.

What mix do you use for your dogs? I would love to check it out since I'm highly considering this!!

edit; I'm looking at these options. Do these seem balanced? 
http://crestonvalleymeats.com/product/beef-heart-chicken-anchovies-2-32pound/
http://crestonvalleymeats.com/product/beef-heart-chicken-pork-2-23-per-pound/


----------



## brunojones345 (Jul 21, 2016)

Why don't you give your little dog some treats occasionally. Or, include probably a kibble on his diet rather than all the way raw. Probably your dog needs more food than you actually giving him daily.


----------



## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

hannaw said:


> I just calculated 10% of his body weight and that came down to him needing 9.6 ounces / 1.2 cups of food daily. That definitely seems a little much for him... But maybe I've been following the wrong advice. I've been told on different forums and by people IRL that he only needs like, 1/2 cup of food a day, but I increased it since it didn't feel like enough. This is my first time owning a super small dog so I guess I never realized that they would require more food. I mean, we feed our Westie a little over 1 cup of food a day and he's 3 times his size... I'm just finding it hard to believe that he needs that much! Trust me, he'd eat it since he has no self control, but I just don't want him getting sick off that large of an amount.
> Also, get does get pork neck or turkey necks when I can find them. Unfortunately, since I've moved to California, I can't find any store that carries what I need for an affordable price. He gets all the good stuff back in my Texas home when we go back over the breaks, but right now, I can't find him anything other than chicken wings.  If anyone is from LA, please tell me some good spots for affordable meat and bones, haha.
> 
> Thank you guys for your input so far. I honestly feel so misguided right now. I should have done more research with him because deep down, I honestly felt like he wasn't getting enough food. I just was conflicted because everyone told me "no, now you're feeding him TOO much" when I upped the amount. In regards to the 1.2 cups of food, what are your thoughts? Should I may just give him 1/4 cup more a day so it brings him closer to 1 cup daily? 1.2 cups still sounds like too much to me.


Are the people telling you to feed a 1/2 cup only people who feed raw or people who feed kibble? I'd suggest completely getting rid of the idea of measuring by cups. Ban it from your mind. Go by weight and calories and feed to body condition (too thin, add a bit; getting chubby, cut back a little). My 75 lb dog eats 2.5 cups of a high protein (38%) dry food. When he was eating whole ground raw, he ate about 2 to 2 1/2 lbs, which by volume was about 5-6 cups. 

To compare protein and fat content, try using a dry matter basis calculator to understand the comparisons between kibble, canned and raw. Kibble is about 8-10% moisture, ground raw is about 65-75% as is canned food at about 70%.


----------



## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

No organ in those. My favorite is chicken, beef heart and organ mix which isn't listed atm.

Consider mix meat, beef trim/heart/organ blend or organ mix plus beef ribs, neck or other bone and chicken feet. He usually has boxes of lamb, pork and beef bones for cheap. Or buy one of the 50/50 chicken+boneless and organ mix and feed 2/3 that and 1/3 organ. Since he is a horrible food seeker I'd go with whole bone if possible. Remember to factor in the $5 delivery charge! More you buy the better the deal.

The organ mix is actually only half organ which makes the liver part very roughly 15% of the mix so half organ blend and half bony meat is about right.

My littles get a chicken foot a day or chicken head every other day or big bony bit every 2-3 days if only getting boneless grinds. When there isn't enough thawed stuff they get some scrambled egg to make up the weight. Ginger actually got an egg a day a couple years ago but 1 a week is probably a better amount!

Do try 1/3 vitamin/mineral tab ground and mixed with one meal a day. Raw is low in magnesium, manganese, riboflavin and zinc. I haven't done trials with current dogs but a past dog was definitely better with the supplement.

Definitely get a scale!

I've had 2 food seekers and 2 normal dogs. Food seeking is part emotional, possibly hormonal but is also a survival instinct. Dogs are designed to gorge and take in food when available because tomorrow there might not be any. Dainty 13 pound Ginger once ate an entire feathered whole prey chicken in one go. It was a bantam layer but still quite a feat. She regained her figure in less than a day too.


----------



## Galathiel (Apr 11, 2012)

I would get used to feeding by body condition, not just by measurements. Now, my dog would eat at any time and never misses an opportunity to get food, so you can't always go by their 'acting' hungry. Is he losing weight? Does his ribs seem too prominent? I often feed in a range (from 1.8 lbs to 2.25 lbs a day). I have a set amount I give, then add things if my dog is getting too ribby, etc. Some things I add are eggs (great protein addition), canned tripe (can't get non-beef tripe locally), or canned fish like mackerel or sardines.


----------



## hannaw (Nov 25, 2016)

Shell said:


> Are the people telling you to feed a 1/2 cup only people who feed raw or people who feed kibble? I'd suggest completely getting rid of the idea of measuring by cups. Ban it from your mind. Go by weight and calories and feed to body condition (too thin, add a bit; getting chubby, cut back a little). My 75 lb dog eats 2.5 cups of a high protein (38%) dry food. When he was eating whole ground raw, he ate about 2 to 2 1/2 lbs, which by volume was about 5-6 cups.
> 
> To compare protein and fat content, try using a dry matter basis calculator to understand the comparisons between kibble, canned and raw. Kibble is about 8-10% moisture, ground raw is about 65-75% as is canned food at about 70%.


These were people on a raw dog forum that suggested this to me. I've also been told by others (non-raw) that I'm feeding too much but they, as well as myself, have not been taking into consideration my dog's metabolism, weight, etc. I've been playing around with his food quite a bit, and the first month when I initially cut back, he lost weight. So I upped it and he regained that weight back, but still acted hungry. I upped it to where I'm at now, and he's definitely put on weight but is still naturally skinny. However, his waist/butt area used to be extremely prominent (I could feel his hip bones) but now, that area has definitely filled in. To me, he looks like a really good weight and knowing that he's gained weight means I'm headed towards the right way at least. I will definitely just keep playing around with the amount though and stop trying to measure it out. I was just so worried about overfeeding him and making him gain too much weight. He's got very skinny, delicate legs as well as a patella luxation disorder, so I have to be extremely careful to make him stay a healthy weight. I will post a before/after picture of him tonight to show what he looked like before and now just for an idea!


----------



## hannaw (Nov 25, 2016)

Kathyy said:


> No organ in those. My favorite is chicken, beef heart and organ mix which isn't listed atm.
> 
> Consider mix meat, beef trim/heart/organ blend or organ mix plus beef ribs, neck or other bone and chicken feet. He usually has boxes of lamb, pork and beef bones for cheap. Or buy one of the 50/50 chicken+boneless and organ mix and feed 2/3 that and 1/3 organ. Since he is a horrible food seeker I'd go with whole bone if possible. Remember to factor in the $5 delivery charge! More you buy the better the deal.
> 
> ...


Oh shoot, you're right... completely had a brain fart and forgot heart wasn't an organ, oops! I have found a couple of others and like you suggested, they have the beef trim and organs. Which of these may be the best option? 
http://crestonvalleymeats.com/product/organ-blend-beef-heart-beef-trim-2-13pound/
http://crestonvalleymeats.com/product/turkey-heads-guts-beef-heart-chicken-2-75-per-pound/
http://crestonvalleymeats.com/product/mix-meat-bag-1lb-2-45-per-pound/

I'm leaning towards the first one with the blend of beef/heart/trim because I'm unsure about the 2nd and 3rd... the turkey head and guts don't seem like they'd provide him with enough organs per week, but I have no idea. This is the first time I've ever fed him those kinds of things. And the 3rd one seems like there's not enough actual meat (not sure how much that actual beef trim provides, meat wise). So I'm thinking the 1st one is a winner for his staple food source?
Then I'm also looking into this http://crestonvalleymeats.com/product/meaty-beef-neck-bones/ or http://crestonvalleymeats.com/product/beef-rib-bones-w-meat-scraps-1-50pound/ and giving it to him once a week, just so he has something to really chew... but I'm so worried that they're too big for him and he may chip his tooth. I've also never seen these in person so I have no idea what the size is. I'm assuming it's a good amount of meat that won't be too little/too much for his small 6lb self? I'm also looking into duck feet since they are smaller for him, but wouldn't give him something huge to chew on unfortunately... he managed a chicken foot in little under 5 minutes lol. If I were to give him a beef neck/ rib once a week, and 1 chicken wing for actual bone source, would that be nutritionally balanced? He used to get two wings a week but the ones I've bought recently are the entire wings, not just wing tips, so they're twice the amount of meat and bone than before. I just want to make sure it will be enough, since he won't actually be eating the bone off the beef neck or rib. 

And yes, I definitely will be getting some supplements for him soon. He's on a hip/joint supplement to help with his kneecap, so I'l be asking my vet what he recommends for the other nutritional supplements. Thank you for reminding me... it's easy to forget sometimes. 

Thank you so much again for this website... it will be such a life saver. I'm a student so the days when I run out of food for him and have to pay $4/lb for ground chicken.... well, it's not a happy day. Having the food ready to go like this will be a huge help! I just want to make sure I buy everything I need and have my little pup on a new, more balanced diet so he hopefully stops with his behavior. I honestly do think it's also something psycological with him that maybe he picked up on the streets. I mean, he literally ate a huge chicken wing tonight (so big that I can actually see his belly bulging) and I thought surely that'd satisfy him. Nope, he ran out of my room and went straight to my roommate's dog's kibble, and ate whatever was in there. He's eaten a full bowl of kibble before too when I wasn't watching him. He eats just to eat... which is still worrying because I really don't know if he's actually that hungry, or if it's a survival tactic of his. On the other hand, he is the easiest dog to train since he responds extremely well to treats, so that's a bonus!

Thank you again for your help; please let me know what you think about what I've posted above regarding the links, the beef rib/necks/chicken wings... and then I'm going to order from this guy as soon as I run out of dog food!


----------



## hannaw (Nov 25, 2016)

Galathiel said:


> I would get used to feeding by body condition, not just by measurements. Now, my dog would eat at any time and never misses an opportunity to get food, so you can't always go by their 'acting' hungry. Is he losing weight? Does his ribs seem too prominent? I often feed in a range (from 1.8 lbs to 2.25 lbs a day). I have a set amount I give, then add things if my dog is getting too ribby, etc. Some things I add are eggs (great protein addition), canned tripe (can't get non-beef tripe locally), or canned fish like mackerel or sardines.


I've kind of been all over the place with him. When I first got him, he was very skinny. He stayed the same weight for a while, so I upped the feeding. Then he started gaining a bit so I cut it back down. Then he lost the weight again to where his hip bones were showing like the first day I got him, so I've now upped it again. He then gained back that weight but had been staying his normal weight for a while, which still seemed skinny to me. I then upped it again and now he's filled in slightly, to where he looks much healthier. His hip bones aren't poking out, no ribs showing, but he's still just a natural, lanky dog. I'll be posting pictures in a bit to show the difference. I just need to find a right balance because honestly, he will not stop eating regardless of how much I feed him. It could be him just being hungry still, or I still think it's something behavioral that he picked up on the streets. He just acts like every meal is his last and he must prepare for the end of the world haha. I just worry about him being too overweight, because I have to monitor him closely... he's got the start of some kneecap problems, and his legs are very long and frail, so they can't handle too much stress. I just need to find a healthy, normal weight for him and keep him at that, and hope he stops this obsessive eating behavior.


----------



## hannaw (Nov 25, 2016)

Here is an album with his pictures from the first week I had him to today. There isn't a huge noticable change but physically, he has definitely filled out. Maybe he still needs to pack on some weight though. Perhaps this will help see where he's at though. 
http://imgur.com/a/kOY9x


----------



## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

You cannot look at photos! Hands on the dog. Some dogs do have prominent hipbones. Bucky is too solid when his hipbones are covered during apple season and Ginger has an extremely deep chest with tiny waist yet her ribs are a bit too covered. After the last kibble poop when she came here Ginger had a waist and deep tuck although she was obese at 19.5 pounds, now a lean 13.5 pounds.

The turkey mix would have a lot of bone. Since you like to offer big bone less often it wouldn't work, he might be getting too much bone. The mix meat is good stuff and my dogs are getting that heart/trim/organ mix right now. Seems good to me. I'd go with the beef neck as ribs are too easy. You want bone with natural edges and lots of crannies so it takes him a long time to eat. As far as size? Wish they were larger and with my first 44 pound food seeker they wouldn't have been large enough but so far through boxes of beef, bison [might have been neck], lamb and the current box of assorted elk bone size has been fine with the littles and a 35 pound dog that wasn't obsessed. Have not bought ribs or necks though. 

Go up slow with a change in rations. Ginger was looking skinny after a year of dieting but just ,5 ounce more per day had her looking chunky again in only a couple months.

Bucky is still pretty mellow after 2 hours working the elk bone yesterday. Suspect 2 per week would be good for him.


----------



## hannaw (Nov 25, 2016)

Kathyy said:


> You cannot look at photos! Hands on the dog. Some dogs do have prominent hipbones. Bucky is too solid when his hipbones are covered during apple season and Ginger has an extremely deep chest with tiny waist yet her ribs are a bit too covered. After the last kibble poop when she came here Ginger had a waist and deep tuck although she was obese at 19.5 pounds, now a lean 13.5 pounds.
> 
> The turkey mix would have a lot of bone. Since you like to offer big bone less often it wouldn't work, he might be getting too much bone. The mix meat is good stuff and my dogs are getting that heart/trim/organ mix right now. Seems good to me. I'd go with the beef neck as ribs are too easy. You want bone with natural edges and lots of crannies so it takes him a long time to eat. As far as size? Wish they were larger and with my first 44 pound food seeker they wouldn't have been large enough but so far through boxes of beef, bison [might have been neck], lamb and the current box of assorted elk bone size has been fine with the littles and a 35 pound dog that wasn't obsessed. Have not bought ribs or necks though.
> 
> ...


Oh I know! I just wanted to show you guys his picture so you can kind of see his body type and what I'm dealing with. He definitely doesn't look much differently, but for sure FEELS different. I've also noticed in the past month, he has felt heavier when carrying him, so he's definitely getting more plump. In my opinion, he seems like the perfect weight. However, I will find out more at the vet, and when I get back his DNA test. His DNA test will tell me his breed, health/genetic diseases he may have, and the weight he should be. That should give me an idea as to the range he needs to be in. But I agree, I've been doing lots of hands on with him and it's helped me decide whether to increase/decrease his food intake. I'll just feel better once the vet takes a look at him and can give me some feedback as well. I'll be making a list of his diet too so if I'm missing out on any essential nutrients, he can tell me then! 

Sounds good then, I'll be getting the beef mix and beef necks for him! I'll start with 1 neck a week and go from there, but as far as actual bone intake, I'll stick with one big wing a week (or 2 small wing tips) just because they're the easiest source of small bone I can find. I'd try out chicken/duck feet again, but I don't think my roommates would be thrilled to find chicken feet in the fridge.  I'll also just give him one meal of tripe a week since I have it, so might as well finish it off. I do wish this beef mix I'm getting had tripe in it though. I've read everywhere that it's one of the best organs to feed. I know someone who feeds their dog pre-made dog food that contains a ton of tripe, and it has helped their dog with allergies, skin problems, yeast, etc. Just some of the many benefits of a raw diet.  Wish I educated myself about raw diets years ago for our previous dogs. We had a 5 year old Lhasa we adopted, only to lose her less than 2 years later to heart disease. I know it was terminal, but I do often wonder if an improved diet would have helped boost her immune system and given us more time with her. I mean, I've seen the results in our Westie who has severe allergies/yeast problems, and it's cleared about 90% of it. I'm definitely a believer of the raw diet now.  

Anyways, can't wait to try out the new food! But I'm curious, how long will it last in the freezer ? I go home from about a month and a half over the summer, and realistically, I expect 10-12lbs of food to last 3-4 months potentially. So that will be over 5 months in the freezer (since I'm gone those 5-6 weeks). Surely it will be okay right? I typically only freeze enough for 1-2 months, but if I can store his food for literally months on end, then I might just buy 2 boxes of it and freeze it for the rest of the year. Would this be able to last like, 5-10 months in the freezer possibly?


----------



## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

It will last for years. The neck seems to be packed to last too, the assorted bone boxes are in a big bag that I thaw and repack in foil. I buy 40-60 pounds several times a year and need 240 pounds annually for 2 little beasties. Some grinds are packed in 1 pound chubs, others in 2 pound chubs so ask if that matters. I will thaw for an hour and cut the larger chubs in half.

Tripe isn't organ and it isn't miracle stuff. Feed it but at about 10%, not much more. Simon often has tripe, don't recall how it is packed though.


----------



## sonja_sadek (Jan 24, 2017)

Maybe he just wants to play around, try to give him treats or chew toys.


----------



## hannaw (Nov 25, 2016)

sonja_sadek said:


> Maybe he just wants to play around, try to give him treats or chew toys.


He is definitively super playful! He's got a ton of toys for him to play with but I don't have anything yet for his chewing. He never grew out of the teething stage so he does love to nibble and chew on things, including hands, noses, toes... it's a little painful at times.  I have gotten him bully sticks in the past but they don't last long enough for the price. I just ordered him some cow ears though since they are low in fat and easily digestible! Plus they should give him something long term to chew on whenever he gets that urge. Hopefully this will help take his mind off of his food obsession..


----------



## hannaw (Nov 25, 2016)

Okay, kind of freaking out right now. I managed to find an asian market that carried all sorts of different bones, organs, etc, so I picked him up some chicken gizzards and pork neck. The pork neck pieces were a lot smaller than the ones I fed him before, but I thought they would be fine. I fed him a piece tonight that was about 4 inches long and he sat there and chewed on it for a couple of hours. I was monitoring him the entire time and all was well... but I suddenly heard this gag/cough from him and saw him take a HUGE swallow and gulp. He literally just swallowed the entire bone. I have no idea how he managed to do that... he literally was just chewing on it normally a minute before. I was just about to take it away from him too, but noticed he wasn't targeting the meat. He was too interested into trying to physically eat the bone versus the meat, but I didn't think much of it. Until now of course, after he swallowed the dang thing. 

I'm in a bit of a panic now. I know he'll probably be fine but, what are the risks of this causing an obstruction of some kind? He is acting completely fine and didn't seem phased at all but I'm so worried it'll give him stomach aches, cause vomiting, etc. I mean, a 4 inch long bone sounds awfully big for a 6lb dog to swallow whole. T_T Now I'm debating whether these pork necks are safe for him anymore... Ugh.


----------



## keesshep (Apr 29, 2020)

I signed up just to comment. That is not possibly true that dogs eat 10% of their weight, and bad advice, even small dogs. Were that true, a bag of dog food, would last my dog, two weeks. 10% are you kidding? I hope nobody read this and is overfeeding their dog. Cite your sources.



Kathyy said:


> Get a scale. Small dogs can need 10% their body weight daily. My little orally obsessed dog gets only 2.5% to maintain a lean body but there are lots of treats on top of that, he is 13 pounds. Diet is 10% bone, 5% liver, 5% other organ like spleen/brain/kidney, 80% meat and red meat like beef, pork, lamb and venison are better than fish and poultry. I'm not happy with how that compared to NRC and add 1/2 tablet of a multimineral/vitamin to my little dogs' daily ration.
> 
> Use ground beef more often then ground poultry, fattier and higher in some essential nutrients.
> Use beef liver for about half the liver or he won't get enough copper.
> ...


----------



## LeoRose (Aug 20, 2015)

The poster you are quoting was talking about *raw *food, not kibble. Raw food, which has a _very _high moisture content (since it's raw, uncooked meat, organs, and bones), is generally calculated by percentage of the dog's body weight. For an average adult dog, 3-5% of their body weight is typical. For a hard keeper or an extremely active dog and/or a growing puppy, upwards of 10% might be needed to keep them in optimal condition. 

My 55 pound GSD got 2.5 to 2.75 pounds of food per day when I was feeding raw. On Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach Salmon and Rice formula, she gets 2 cups, or 8.5 ounces.


----------

