# Tess gorges herself on food.



## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

Beh. A bit of background info. 

I really thought I was getting my dog from a good breeder. She seemed ok on the outside- she had tested the parent dog's eyes, had her dogs in agility/lure coursing. We brought her home and she seemed ok at first.

We've had nothing but issues with behavior since. Nothing that serious, though. The breeder has been completely MIA since then, I've emailed her several times but no answer. She was completely unsocialized with dogs, she has no problem peeing in her crate since we got her, and she will eat 1/2 her body weight and not stop. I doubt any of the issues are her fault but the lack of support is upsetting.

So this morning I weighed Tess (8.9lb) I caught her INSIDE the bag of kibble which was on top of the dining room table. She was completely round and still eating. I weighed her and she was !!!! 13.2lb !!!. It's Beneful so I expect I'll have 5lb of diarrhea to deal with come evening. Just FYI I would never buy Beneful but we're dogsitting.

I know the obvious solution is to keep food out of her reach but she will eat non-food things too like toilet paper etc. Fecal test from the vet is negative and she is healthy.

In the breeder contract it says if we have a behavior issue from the start she can be returned for a refund but I don't want to return her, obviously. I've had her since eight weeks. 

Sorry for the rant but I am getting really upset over it. Is there anything I can really do to stop her gorging? Is there any reason for it?


----------



## minnieme (Jul 6, 2011)

WOW.... ~4 lbs of food........that's crazy!! I am sooo sorry for the wrath her gut is going to have... my fingers are crossed for you that a fast can cure it within 24 hours. I know little about breeders....and behavioral problems from less than stellar breeders..... but I really hope she's okay and you too!


----------



## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

I don't know anything about the breeder you got her from, so I'm certainly not trying to defend anything, but as for gorging habits, I don't think it has anything to do with her breeding. Dogs are naturally gorge and fast eaters, not grazers. Some dogs are food crazed, some aren't. As for her eating non food items... I think that can be curbed with some training on what is appropriate to chew and what is not. Grissom was a "food mongrel" too.


----------



## eternalstudent (Jul 22, 2010)

As linsey says dogs are natural gorge eaters. Some breeds (labs for instance) have been reported to eat to death (they end up with ruptured stomachs). It is not a breeder issue as such. 

The other issues can all be trained away, non of them to me sound like a wonky puppy. I would also ask how much socialisation would you expect from an 8 wo. I ask as I did not think it was until then (8-12 weeks) that you really take them to meet other dogs, the rest is just within the litter.

With a bit of direction to her I am sure you will come good )


----------



## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

After I lost my black chow, I got another pup from the same breeder. He had the same issue as your pup, gorging on anything that resembled food and eating it so fast and so much that his stomach would swell up like a balloon. He was also very food aggressive. 

I worked really hard with him on the food issue. We did the 'nothing in life is free' method for food control and aggression. I would actually leash him and make him sit for his food. Then he would be rewarded for proper behavior and for controlling himself by getting small amounts at a time. After a few weeks he did get much better. I was just about to buy him one of those special bowls that make then slow down their eating when we lost him to bloat.

My son's chihuahua puppy was 1 pound and would also inhale food until she swelled up like a balloon. We had to keep anything edible picked up because at her size it didn't take much to double her size. We actually rushed her to the vet once because she ate so much and got so huge. She also was still peeing in her crate at 8 months old but a lot of that was because at her size she needed taken out VERY often and watched constantly for accidents so she was really hard to housebreak. 

Just wanted you to know that the problems you are having are very frustrating but they do occur in some dogs, regardless of the breeder.


----------



## Porphyria (Jul 13, 2011)

Zephyr is a notorious counter surfer; he'll steal food right in front of me! I think some dogs are just bigger pigs than others! But the lack of communication from your breeder definitely does sound frustrating; I'm sorry you're having to deal with that.


----------



## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

Caty M said:


> Beh. A bit of background info.
> 
> I really thought I was getting my dog from a good breeder. She seemed ok on the outside- she had tested the parent dog's eyes, had her dogs in agility/lure coursing. We brought her home and she seemed ok at first.
> 
> ...


I am so sorry that you are having such a poor experience. The gorging I think is dog to dog although if she was not monitored while feeding in the litter she may have learned that she has to eat as much and as fast as possible to get her share. You are right in that she should have been socialized and taught to be clean. You do have a lot of work ahead of you. We do not let our pups go until 10 - 12 weeks as they are pretty well along being housebroken by then. 

I don't know your schedule but I would provide her with as many little meals throughout the day as possible. That guarding-gorging behavior sometimes stems from feeling she won't get enough. If food comes more often then it becomes less valuable - so hopefully she will stop the gorging. You can also have tiny treats from dehydrated meat and make her work for them throughout the day. 

Take your pup out everywhere and try to give her what she was lacking in socialization. Don't be afraid to keep people and other dogs away from her - just tell them you are training her. Maybe set up play dates with very mellow, easy going dogs who will let her come to them and also instruct her in basic manners. I am very selective as to what other dogs my pups socialize with.

Keeping clean in the crate is harder - She needs a feeding and watering schedule. After you offer food or water leash her to you, wait a few inutes to twenty minutes and take her out. This is not playtime. She is outside to go potty. Praise when she does. Sprinkling some treats on the ground will get her to sniff around which in turn often causes them to need to go potty. I would keep her leashed to me, staked out at my desk or in a crate. I hope some of this helps and you are right to be frustrated with a breeder who seems to haqve done nothing to get you a properly prepared pet. I am sorry. At this point though you have work to do to get your baby where you want her. I hope some of these suggestions help and feeel free to PM me if you need other ideas. I am truly ashamed of breeders who sell pups in this condition.


----------



## tem_sat (Jun 20, 2010)

Sounds like Pica...

8 Tips to Help Prevent "Pica," A Dog Compulsive Disorder - Cats & Dogs « ArcaMax Publishing

I would have a consultation with a vet who is experienced in this type of issue.


----------



## RCTRIPLEFRESH5 (Feb 11, 2010)

PuppyPaws said:


> I don't know anything about the breeder you got her from, so I'm certainly not trying to defend anything, but as for gorging habits, I don't think it has anything to do with her breeding. Dogs are naturally gorge and fast eaters, not grazers. Some dogs are food crazed, some aren't. As for her eating non food items... I think that can be curbed with some training on what is appropriate to chew and what is not. Grissom was a "food mongrel" too.


it sounds to me caty is more upset about her breeders lack of response to her concerns than about the breeder breeding the undesirable trait of gorging into her IG anda:


----------



## jdatwood (Apr 13, 2009)

Akasha, Zuri, & Freya would all probably gorge themselves til they popped given the chance (they've tried a few times). As a puppy Akasha got into our jar of fish oil capsules and ate them all. THAT was nasty to deal with and totally our fault because they were left out where someone could get to them. We just don't put them in situations anymore that will allow anything to happen.

Similar situation with dogs getting into the trash. Any time we leave the house we have to make sure there's NO food items out AND the trash can is locked away in another room or else Shiloh will make us pay the price

Oh Akasha also was attacked by the treat jar when she was younger. We left and came home to this.....


----------



## tem_sat (Jun 20, 2010)

jdatwood said:


> Oh Akasha also was attacked by the treat jar when she was younger. We left and came home to this.....


omg...

How did you get it off? I hope she didn't injure herself!


----------



## jdatwood (Apr 13, 2009)

We pulled VERY carefully :wink: Natalie was rushing to get it off and I was rushing to get a picture before she got it off


----------



## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

LOL, thats a classic!


Caty - one thing to consider..................I'm pretty sure you mentioned at one point that you had to get your pup a little sooner than anticipated because the breeders child had leukemia? Maybe they just have other priorities right now.


----------



## RCTRIPLEFRESH5 (Feb 11, 2010)

MollyWoppy said:


> LOL, thats a classic!
> 
> 
> Caty - one thing to consider..................I'm pretty sure you mentioned at one point that you had to get your pup a little sooner than anticipated because the breeders child had leukemia? Maybe they just have other priorities right now.


wow.==(...


----------



## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

BAHAHAH, Jon I laugh every time I see that pic of Akasha!!!


And to Caty...I would also be upset about not being able to contact my breeder....one thing I LOVE about Rhett's breeder is contact-ability!! Even when she isnt available she has an automatic email sent back that says when she expects to be online again and that she will email me(who ever emails) asap!:smile:


----------

