Also called · begging for food · barking at the table · always hungry
What it looks like
- Sits by the bowl outside mealtimes
- Glues themselves to you while you eat
- Asks for more immediately after being fed
Why it happens
In the wild, eating took a long time
A wild carnivore has to go through searching, then hunting, before it eats at all. A dog or cat at home simply waits and receives. Never fighting hunger is a real advantage, but it also means they never use their head or body to get food, so time and energy are left over.
Begging worked once
If begging has ever succeeded, the behaviour is reinforced. Human food is a high-value reward, so the lesson is learned quickly.
Surgery and medication can raise appetite
Spaying increases appetite because the appetite-suppressing effect of oestrogen is gone. Neutering also tends toward weight gain as activity drops and surplus energy goes to fat. Among medications, corticosteroids and anti-epileptics such as phenobarbital increase feeding behaviour.
What to do
Use fibre to create satiety
Fibre increases the sense of fullness in the digestive tract at low calorie intake. Dogs fed a high-fibre diet (12–20%) ate less of a meal offered 30 minutes later than dogs on a diet with under 2% fibre. That is the basis for suggesting high-fibre food for overeating and begging.
Make meals take time with food toys
Toys that release food when rolled or pulled make eating take time and give something close to the satisfaction of play. It is the straightforward way to reduce problem behaviour that comes from boredom and frustration.
Count treats in the daily calories
Many owners do not count treats as food at all. Jerky in particular is calorie-dense and has to be included in the diet.
Do not respond
Eye contact, talking, and pushing them away are all responses. Nothing at all should happen while they are begging.
Watch out for
In a four-month study of 39 dogs at different levels of calorie restriction, the heavily restricted dogs reduced their daily activity within days. Dogs conserve energy by moving less when intake drops. Meanwhile the mildly restricted group tended to show more destructive behaviour. (Crowell-Davis et al., Appl Anim Behav Sci 43, 1995)
In the same study the mildly restricted group showed no increase in aggression and no coprophagia — but destructive behaviour did rise. Give them chew toys as an outlet at the same time.
See a vet if
Sudden heavy thirst together with a large increase in appetite (diabetes, Cushing’s and similar)
Eating a lot while losing weight
Common questions
The problem is usually the structure of satiety rather than the amount. Raising fibre at the same calories, or making the food take time to get, has better support.
Related behaviors
Was this useful?
General behaviour and nutrition information. It does not replace diagnosis or prescription. Similar behaviour does not always have the same cause, and the cause is not necessarily diet or environment — have a vet rule out illness first, and consult a behaviour specialist where needed.