Normal Dog Behavior

Dogs normally go through different changes in their appetite mainly due to obvious reasons such as when a dog has had a lot of exercise, a young dog that is growing, a dog that is impregnated, or when the dog is simply not getting fed the correct amount. However if your dog starts to develop any of the following unusual eating habits, it's probable the dog has some sort of health or emotional disorder.

• The dog asks for food at all times of the day, even right after he has been fed.
• The dog begins to eat things he normally would not, and sometimes even eats inedible things.
• The dog devours his food as quickly as he can. (This is not uncommon though when there are two or more dogs eating together in the same room).
• The dog starts eating his own feces and those of other animals.

Dog Appetite questions and answers
Q: Misty, my German shepherd has recently come up with some strange eating habits. She's constantly asking for food even right after we have fed her. We've even caught her stealing food from the kitchen (which she never did before) and she's eating her own feces.
A: There are two reasons Misty could be acting this way. She might be going through some behavior problems. The other possibility is that Misty might be having health problems. If she has been losing weight besides acting in this unlikely manner, it's possible that she is very sick. German Shepherds have propensity to getting a disease called Insufficient Pancreatic Exocrine (IPE); this disease blocks the absorption of necessary nutrients to the intestines. Check to see if your dog is using the bathroom more often, and if the color of the feces are light and greasy looking, and smellier than usual. Dogs with this problem often times eat their feces because their feces contain undigested food and "hungry" dogs try to satisfy their hunger with it. The treatment for this disease usually consists of feeding the dog a special diet that your veterinarian will let you know about.
 Q: Our Yorkshire terrier Tabitha, used to be a light eater; that is, until we brought our new puppy, Tim, into the house. Tabitha's started gobbling her food down without even chewing it and she even steals food from little Tim. This has been going on for a while now and she's starting to gain weight. What should we do to resolve this problem?
A: It sounds like Tabitha is going through some "jealousy" problems, and is not enjoying the presence of a new puppy in "her" home. She's probably afraid that little Tim is going to steal her food from her and this is probably what is making her gulp down her food. However this new habit can actually cause Tabitha to have health problems and give her gas. Feeding the dogs in separate rooms is something you may want to try and take both dogs food away from them after about 20 minutes.