# Why is Piper acting like she is STARVING??



## diana_D (Jan 27, 2008)

Goldens usually act like this, but I don't think yours is faking it, she is way too skinny at 21 kg (did the conversion). I understand your concern for keeping her slim, but how tall is she?

Please do not mistaken being in good shape with being skinny.


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

I wouldn't cut her food back until you notice her gaining weight...IF she starts to gain weight. Cutting back food when she's already at a good weight mean she's just going to get skinny and probably feel extra hungry. 

My brother's dog Blue is super active and has a super high metabolism. He was fed 4 cups of Orijen 6 fish a day until he hit a year and then they only cut back half a cup, so he was still getting 3.5 cups a day - he's at a perfect weight right now. 

Keep an eye on her weight but like I said, I wouldn't cut back until you notice her getting more padding on her ribs. Check her weight by feel weekly and you'll catch it early if she starts to put on pounds. 

Oh, and Ranger had to go on a diet earlier this year - he was on super high calorie food (EVO) and I had to cut him down to 1.5 cups a DAY. As soon as his kibble ration went under that 2 cups, he started acting like he was starving - eyes following food, drooling while people were eating...I switched him to a lower calorie food and he was able to get 3 cups a day, but his calories were still less than when he was getting 1.5 cups of EVO a day. Once he was back up to 2-3 cups of food, he stopped the "I'm starving" act AND started losing weight. (Which he had to do!)


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## Toffifay (Dec 29, 2009)

I would have to agree that your dog is not merely being a typical golden that "acts" like she is hungry, but rather she is not getting enough calories. A 10 month old puppy can eat much more than a fully developed adult.

One of my clients adopted two dogs that were significantly overweight, about 20 lbs. overweight. They listened to their Vet who suggested that they feed the dogs Hill's Rx w/d, which is loaded with fiber and low in calories. 

I didn't know that they had put the dogs on the strict diet and when I saw them after being on the Rx food for a little over a month, I was concerned to say the least! Their body condition was shocking...I could feel every rib, every vertebrae along their topline and the points of their hipbones! They had thick fur and you couldn't tell how skeletal they were by appearance alone. 

I immediately called the owners and asked if they had taken their dogs to the Vet, because I thought they were very sick! 
That is when they proceeded to tell me about the strict diet that the Vet had put them on. They told me that the dogs were so hungry all the time that they were eating inedible things like bark off of the trees in the backyard! 

I tried to tell them that underneath all that fur their dogs were now severely underweight. They felt terrible about it, of course, and they were just following their Vets directions. 2 cups of prescription diet food per day. If they had continued this diet the dogs would have wasted away to nothing! Their bodies began absorbing muscle tissue as the fat stores were completed depleted. 

If your dog is exhibiting obsessive behavior and food stealing, I would consider giving a larger ration. Yes, you do not want a heavy dog, but a skinny dog is not a fit dog. She needs her muscles more than ever to help her get around on those three legs!


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## Piper (Jul 18, 2010)

Thank you for your reply. I will add her up to 2cups twice a day to see how she settles in. I don't want to starve my poor girl, nor do I want to tamper with what is natural for her build.

I think she was 24.5inches tall...if I measured her height correctly. That's from her standing up right up to the middle of her neck at the back.


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## BayBeams (Jan 3, 2010)

It sounds like adolsescent behavior to me, not so much that she is starving.  It can be hard to figure out a balance of food with activity level.
I feed my 18 month old male a little less than 1.5 cups twice a day plus he gets a few treats for training. He is at a good weight and doesn't act hungry.
Maybe you could weigh your dog once a month for a few months to see if you notice a change either up or down. That will help you adjust your food amount.
Good for you for being so conscious of maintaining a good weight in your dog.


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