My dog seems constantly hungry; how can I satisfy his appetite without excess weight gain?

For many dogs, food is a big part of their daily life, especially if they have little mental stimulation and do not have to work for their food; their appetites can be difficult to satisfy without excess weight gain.

It is important to first set a routine and have set times of the day when the main meals are fed, and not allow ad-lib feeding (food always available in bowl).

If your dog ‘gobbles’ his food then he is likely to feel less satisfied than if the food is consumed slowly – a ‘Kong’ from your local pet store will help control the speed with which the meal is eaten. Select a ‘Kong’ of suitable size to put most of their meal into (not a size just for treats) and stuff the hollow with Naturediet; the dog will have no option but to slowly lick the contents out, and as this takes time and effort many dogs sleep following the meal which results in improved digestion and satisfaction.

When offering treats, make the dog work for them; hide and seek of the treat, placing treats in a puzzle ball, as reward for retrieving etc. This establishes to the dog that they do not get something for nothing and food must be worked for.

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