hi Guys I have a almost 5 year old golden lab, he is as a rule a brilliant dog but in the last 12 months has stared eating everything, we have cut his food back because he was getting fat and he is starting to look good again but for instance last night he ate a cardboard box it was a thick box from the bottle shop and was in fact full of bottles, I originally thought someone had been in our yard but he started throwing it up just now. He has also knocked bins over eaten ice cream boxes and plastic, boxes of chocolates all sorts I am wondering if I am now not feeding him enough but as I am sure you will all know it is hard to tell as they just keep eating. Any advice is welcome Thanks all
Hi and welcome . Labs are known for their greed , and their habit of eating absolutely anything they come across ! However , as this has only started recently , I would take him for a check up at the Vets, just to make sure that there isn't an underlying problem ? Has he been wormed recently ?
I would definitely go to the vets and get him checked over to eliminate any medical conditions that may cause his hunger. You need to ensure he can't get access to bins and cardboard / other things he can eat as it may be a habit now and he could eat things that are very dangerous fir him. As he has self rewarded by getting into bins he will continue to do so as he knows that if he knocks a bin over that he gets food. Sometimes dogs do these kind of things when they are bored or stressed. He may need a bit of mental stimulation to tire his mind out more.
Be careful with what he is eating from the bin - I watched a vets programme about the mould on bread being really dangerous for dogs - can lead very quickly to organ failure and nothing vets can do. I’m always careful with The bins - someone else has also posted on here about dogs suffocating on empty crisp packets. I have a bin the fits in a small cupboard so he can’t get in as he would eat anything.
Thanks guys, yes he has been wormed, he is usually pretty good, he doesn’t get into the bin inside and we do make sure the outside one is locked, will take him and get him checked. Just an update appears his cast iron stomach has won again, no side effects no idea how he keeps going but am grateful
Hi there @Annette1981 as others have said it is worth have a check up with the vet to make sure that there are no underlying problems. Also have a chat with the vet on your dogs current diet, target weight and current food as it could be that he isn't getting enough nutritional value from his daily food so is scavenging to top up - or it could be that there has been a small change in the formulation of his current food. There is a formula from which you can work out how many calories your boy should be getting a day from his food based upon his weight (or target weight ) factoring in activity levels. That is then converted into the amount of food per day, although not all manufacturers are very good at showing the calorific value of their food .
I feel for you and your worrying. My 3 year old ate a lot of inappropriate things but thank God he grew out of that behavior. Taught me to puppy proof even when I don't think I need to. The cardboard and paper recycling is a favorite for one of our cats and I think she taught the one year old lab to enjoy ripping up boxes and egg cartons. They don't eat it, just shred it. They don't eat shoes or go in the garbage so I am ok with occasionally having cardboard shredded. Keeps them occupied for a bit. And if I am having visitors I put the bin away. Lol! I am wondering how much you have cut back his food? It's hard for me to limit my own food, and when I do I just want more and more. Maybe our furry friends have the same issue. Maybe feed 3-4 times a day? Or cut his food back a little less drastically. I eat raw veggies as a snack and do share with my boys. A 2 inch piece of carrot is a special treat. And it keeps their teeth clean. Good luck!
