In the character of each dog usually goes the fact that they end up obsessing over food. In our lives we can observe how there are dogs that give the right importance to food and others that go out of their way for it and that could spend the day eating, which in the long run can become a problem.
Every owner must know how get your dog balanced and in a dog with balance there is no place for obsessions. That is why if my dog is obsessed with food I must do my part to prevent it from becoming a problem and to make him relax and focus on other things. There are ways to modify this behavior and avoid this insane obsession.
Why is the dog obsessed with food?
There can be several reasons why our dog becomes obsessed with food. There are some diseases that cause the dog to have an increased urge to eat, as in Cushing's Syndrome, which makes the dog appear obsessed with food. If we have ruled out diseases, we can think that it is also due to a behavior problem. Dogs with anxiety often develop obsessions, either biting things or binge eating. He is also a dog that may have had some trauma due to lack of food and that leads him to constantly search for food. This can happen in dogs that have been abandoned and have been very hungry.
On the other hand, there are dogs that beyond illness, anxiety or trauma they are simply very gluttonous and food has become the center of his life because we have not controlled that obsession. In any case, once possible diseases have been ruled out, what we have to focus on is changing the dog's behavior so that it stops being so obsessed with food and enjoys other aspects of its life.
Guidelines in the day to day
Without a doubt, one of the moments that will cause you the most anxiety is that of food. It is better not to give these dogs a single intake, because their obsession leads them to eat compulsively and it can make them feel bad about the food. That is why dividing the food into several small intakes it is much better. It is necessary to avoid that the dog is nervous before feeding him. This is going to take a long time, but it can be done. If we don't give him food until he calms down and sits down, he will understand that these are the things to do and he will not be so nervous when we give him food. It is also important not to give him more food while we are eating, because otherwise he will ask for all the food bothering to get more food.
Tips for managing meals
Food-obsessed dogs tend to eat very fast, sometimes leading to gastritis and other stomach problems. We must avoid this and for this we can use some tricks. Even if we give them food when they are calmer, it does not guarantee that they will not eat quickly. Today we have a great help in the feeders with shapes that make the dog cannot catch the food so easily. This means that our pet will take a little longer to pick up the food and eat it, so that it will chew more and be satisfied sooner. One of these feeders is a great help for those who have dogs that binge eat.
During the hours when we do not give them food, we can also keep them entertained without anxiety. Kong toys are a great help in these cases, since they are rubber toys that are filled with a prize or treat so that the dog has to figure out how to get it. This will take time, which will ease their anxiety while they are entertained by getting that reward that smells inside the toy.
Changing their behavior
Such a behavior change requires much more than focusing on meals. A dog that has an obsession has the problem that it only focuses on food and leaves everything else aside. So that your mind does not run into so much anxiety, it is very good introduce a physical exercise routine in the daily life of the dog. If possible, meals should come after exercise when the dog has calmed down, never before, because they will still be nervous. At least we should take walks for half an hour a day, even longer, depending on the dog and the energy it has. There are dogs that we must take for a run because walking is not enough. If we focus your attention on expending that energy, we will see how your anxiety with food is reduced.
On the other hand, being at home we can keep them entertained with games that require your concentration. Training them to do something and giving them some rewards can be a good way to divert their attention to the constant search for food. In addition, these dogs work very well with treats, which makes it easy to train them if we add them. Working dogs are usually focused on one activity and are dogs that enjoy it. Obviously, we must know what our dog may like in order to propose that activity that distracts him, be it doing agility, looking for hidden things or learning games and commands.
A balanced dog will not have obsessions, will exercise daily and will eat a diet that is healthy for him. It is also very important that they socialize with other dogsas this can also help them forget about food for a day. It is good to go to places with dogs or meet friends who have pets to go for a walk, so that the dogs enjoy the walk and the company. We will see how over time food will not be the center of their lives and we will also have a very healthy and balanced dog in all aspects of his life.