Do Labradors feel hungry
Tubby Labradors May Be at the Mercy of Their Genes, Not Just Too Many Treats
Tubby Labradors May Be at the Mercy of Their Genes, Not Just Too Many Treats
One in four Labrador retrievers carries a gene that tricks their brain into thinking theyre starving
By Meghan Bartels
If your Labrador retriever seems hungry all the time, it may be because they are.
These dogs are notorious among veterinarians for their tendency to pack on the pounds. And in previous research, scientists found that one quarter of Labradorsas well as two thirds of a less common breed of dogs called flat-coated retrieverscarry a genetic mutation that is associated with obesity in other animals. And in new experiments, researchers found that dogs with this mutation both feel hungrier between meals and burn less energy than their counterparts do.
What we see in the dogs is that theyre getting this molecular starvation signal, says Eleanor Raffan, a veterinarian and geneticist at the University of Cambridge and a co-author of the new paper, which was published on March 6 in Science Advances. As a result, they try to eat more and dial down their energy expenditure.
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In the new study, Raffan and her colleagues wanted to understand how the mutation, which affects a gene called pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), impacts the lives of dogs who carry it. So they recruited dozens of U.K.-based dog owners who were willing to take part in a series of experiments .
The first experiment, nicknamed the sausage in a box test, brought Labs into the lab about three hours after the dogs had eaten breakfast. Researchers showed each dog a sausage, then closed it in a plastic box with holes so the dog could smell but not eat the treat. Then they watched how the dogs interacted with the box and for how long. The researchers found that dogs with the POMC mutation were more focused on the sausage box, spending about twice as much time interacting with or manipulating it.
The researchers also had dog owners conduct an experiment at home. In this exercise, breakfast became an all-Fido-can-eat buffet in which dogs got a new can of food every 20 minutes until they stopped eating, vomited or reached the experiments maximum limit of 6.5 pounds of food. On average, all the dogs, whether they had normal POMC genes or not, ate about four pounds of foodan enormous amount, Raffan says. (Dogs with the POMC mutation ate somewhat more, though, and dogs without it were more likely to end the experiment by vomiting.) The result suggest that the mutation doesnt make a difference in how quickly dogs feel full. The increased focus on food by the POMC-mutation group, however, suggests these dogs would continue to seek out more food if it wasnt in front of them by, for example, begging or stealing.
The researchers also looked at the opposite side of the equation: how dogs burn energy. For this experiment, they recruited 19 flat-coated retrievers. (These dogs carry the POMC mutation more frequently than Labradors, and researchers wanted to compare dogs that didnt have the mutation at all with dogs that had it in both copies of the gene because they expected the results would be more subtle.) The dog owners coaxed their pets into falling asleep in a chamber that measured the metabolic gases they produced, which allowed the researchers to calculate how much energy they burned while at rest. The scientists determined that dogs with the POMC mutation used less energy than their counterparts.
Taken together, the experiments show the complex way in which the mutation affects a dogs brain and body, Raffan says: It makes them want food more without actually making them like a particular food more or need more food to feel full. Simultaneously, it makes them burn food more slowly. They get a kind of double whammy of both eating more and burning off fewer calories, meaning that theyre predisposed to obesity from both directions, Raffan says.
The mutation is the legacy of a now extinct breed called St. Johns water dogs, the ancestor of both Labradors and flat-coated retrievers. These dogs accompanied fishers and happily fetched fish out of the frigid waters of maritime Canada in the 16th and 17th centuries. You can imagine that, in that context, willingness to eat anything that came your way and have a little bit of a layer of blubber under your skin to keep you warm in the sea might have actually been quite a good idea and a bit of an advantage for those dogs, Raffan says.
But for modern pets, the mutation is more harmful because obesity can cause or exacerbate health issues ranging from breathing problems to skin disease to incontinence, Raffan says. In one survey, 11 percent of Labradors were obese, compared with 7 percent of non-Labradors. In another, 5 percent of Labradors were obese, and 36 percent were overweight.
Dogs with the mutation can stay at a healthy weight, but they need their owners help to do so. In particular, Raffan says that spreading out meals through the day, resisting the puppy eyes begging for human food and giving the dogs lots of exercise are key, as is giving them something to think about besides their innate hunger. We hate being hungry. You dont like it; I dont like it; the dogs probably dont like it either, she says. So keeping them distracted and occupied seems to be helpful.
Why Are Labradors Always Hungry? The Science Behind Satiety
Its long been said that Labradors are always hungry and seem to be bottomless pits when it comes to food. Some breeds, like the Labrador, are very food-motivated, while others, like border collies, are more task- and people-oriented. So why do Labradors spend their time seeking food and why are they more prone to becoming obese because of this? There could be a few reasons your Labrador constantly appears ravenous, so lets have a look at what those might be.
Are labradors genetically hungrier?
In 2016, a study in the journal Cell Metabolism found that Labradors and some closely related Flat Coat retrievers have a specific gene mutation that is absent from other dogs. This gene mutation affects their motivation for food, increases the likelihood of storing fat and makes them more prone to obesity. The study also found that this mutation was more common in dogs that were being selected as assistance dogs than those becoming pets.
The POMC gene, which is the affected gene, is also linked to obesity in humans and is involved in satiety. Satiety means feeling full. It seems that the mutation in Labradors means that they dont seem to realise when they are full, so never feel satiated and will continue to look for food.
Other causes of hunger you should rule out
If you have a dog that constantly seems hungry, it may not just be their genes. When your dog looks at you with those pleading eyes, it can be really tempting to give in, but this can become a very vicious and unhealthy cycle. Dogs that are overweight as puppies go on to become overweight adult dogs and can be obesity-prone for life. With this in mind, if you do have a Labrador, its a good idea to be disciplined right from the word go when it comes to food and meal-time behaviour.
Talk to your vet about body condition score (BCS). This is a way to make sure your dog is an ideal weight for their size, breed and age. Keeping your dog slim throughout life has many health benefits.
Avoid bad feeding habits with your dog
Get into good habits when it comes to your food. Dogs that are allowed to scavenge can become a real nuisance at mealtimes and it can be a hard habit to break once its ingrained. They may appear hungry, but they are just playing the game because they know it works. Make sure everyone in the family, including visitors, knows that feeding the dog from the table is not allowed.
Weigh out your dogs ration of food so you dont leave it to guess work. If your Labrador, or any dog for that matter, seems hungry during the day, split the daily ration into three or four meals. If this doesnt help, speak to your vet about whether a more filling, lower-calorie food might be appropriate to help with the hunger pangs.
Dog parasites
Make sure your dogs worming treatment is up to date. Although heavy worm infestations are not very common these days, worms can still be an issue, especially if your greedy dog is eating all sorts of unsavoury bits and bobs when out on walks. The difference here is that dogs that are hungry because of worms wont gain weight, and may even lose weight.
Medical issues
Labradors are more prone to certain diseases, which might also make obesity more of a problem. Elbow and hip issues are pretty common in the breed, and if your dog cant exercise they will need fewer calories. With orthopaedic problems, its especially important to keep them slim to keep the stress on their joints to a minimum.
Labradors are also prone to hypothyroidism, which is an underactive thyroid gland. The thyroid controls the metabolism, so dogs affected by this tend to be lethargic, hungry and prone to easy weight gain. If your vet suspects hypothyroidism, they will need to do certain blood tests to confirm or rule it out.
In summary
Although your Labrador might have a genetic excuse for being a greedy guts, its still really important that you control their weight. Obesity is very bad for your dogs health and is proven to shorten their lifespan. For maximum time with your furry friend, stay strong and dont give in to those big, hungry eyes!
Reviewed by Dr. Hein Meyer, DVM, PhD, Dipl-ECVIM-CA
Why My Lab is Always Hungry | Find Out What to Do
If youre like most owners of a Labrador Retriever, you may be shaking your head by now, wondering how to deal with a Lab that is always hungry.
After all, one of the most common descriptions you hear about a Labrador is that they eat a lot.
Sure, theyre incredibly energetic pets and will need a lot of exercise in a day, but with that level of energy also comes the fact that your Lab is always hungry.
Sometimes, it can even be slightly alarming when you see how much food your Labrador actually eats.
If you are a first-time Labrador Retriever owner, you may still not be used to their incessant begging for food or the amount of food that they eat.
Dont worry too much, though. There are things that you can do to help you deal with a Lab that is always hungry.
The rest of this article will explain why your Labrador is always hungry, why they beg for food a lot, and the possible steps that you can take to deal with a Lab that is always hungry.
Hopefully, you will eventually get the hang of it and be able to figure out what to do.
Why is your Lab always hungry?
Food motivation is not always a bad thing. In fact, Labradors being food-motivated is probably one of the reasons why they are so trainable as pets, service dogs, or any other type of work dog.
With their even temperaments and their love for food, getting a Lab to do what you want by giving them treats can be a great opportunity.
However, Labradors did not get the reputation of being always hungry for no reason at all. In fact, a Labs hunger patterns have a lot of scientific evidence behind it.
According to this recent study of more than 300 Labradors, there is a certain gene mutation that contributes to how hungry a Lab is.
The gene mutation literally inhibits a Labrador from feeling hunger. The gene mutation showed up in a significant number of the Labradors involved in the study.
And while the gene is not the ultimate reason why Labs are hungry since not all Labs have the gene mutation, it certainly does play a part.
Nonetheless, it is interesting to see how the science backing up a Labradors propensity for food can contribute to what we initially thought as just coincidence.
However, another thing that a Labrador is prone to is obesity. Even though Labradors are generally energetic dogs, the amount of food that they eat could catch up to them.
This is especially true when Labradors get older and slowly become more sedentary compared to their youthful counterparts.
As a matter of fact, it is a common recommendation to regulate Labrador food intake, especially when they are starting to gain weight beyond what is recommended.
What to do about a Labrador that is always hungry?
When one says their Lab is always hungry, they usually mean that their Lab seems to never be satisfied with their daily meals and that they keep begging for food during their owners mealtimes.
The problem of obesity and hunger is a cycle. Both these issues feed off of each other and contribute to the problem in their own ways.
As such, many Lab owners are wary about the fact that their dog seems to always like to eat.
To help you curb your Labs habit for begging, here are some handy tips you can try out:
1) Ignore bad behavior.
Like many other training tactics, ignoring bad behavior will be effective in minimizing undesirable behavior in your Lab.
For a pet, your attention and care are a very important part of their lifestyle. Your lack of attention will teach them that what they are doing is not working.
When you tolerate their bad behavior, you will only end up encouraging them and not quelling.
Plus, ignoring their bad behavior is, by far, much better than punishing them for it.
A negative reaction to the things that they do is an outdated form of training that has long since been replaced by positive reinforcement as the ideal training method.
2) Reward them when they do good.
What you want them to do is not beg for more food in certain situations.
An example of this would be to get them to stop begging during your mealtimes.
The first thing that you have to do is to establish space between your dining area and where your Lab is.
Instill in them that they need to stay in this space while you are eating. That way, your Lab will not be tempted by the food that you are eating.
When you get through an entire mealtime without them begging for food, you can reward them as you like.
However, make sure to go to them and not have them come to you towards the dining area.
You inviting them over when your initial instructions were to do the opposite can be confusing to your Lab.
Essentially, training your Lab to stop begging for food is just a mixture of rewarding them and trying to ignore what you dont want them to do.
Yes, it needs a ton of repetition, and you probably wont get it right the first time.
But, with enough time and effort, you will succeed in getting your Lab to stop begging for more food when theyve already had their share.
However, thats not the only thing that you need to do. Your Labradors hunger and eating problems are not just composed of them begging during mealtimes.
It could also involve how much they are eating in treats or how much they are eating in general.
Regulating your Labradors diet
As their primary caretaker, it falls on your hands to curate a diet for your Labrador that is safe and healthy for them.
You cannot feed them too little since it could affect their overall wellness.
In the same way, you cannot feed them too much, as this could cause many problems in the future.
So, what do you do?
1) Talk to your vet.
A safe first course of action is to talk to your vet. They should be able to advise you on the amount of food that your Lab should be eating.
Additionally, they can make any necessary adjustments for any medical issues or health concerns that your Lab may have.
2) Check the label.
Most of the commercial food available on the market have labels that provide serving suggestions.
These suggestions usually vary depending on weight and energy level. Thus, the packaging is usually a good place to start.
Refer to the previous tip and ask your vet what kind of food they can recommend for your Labrador.
With the influx of options out there, it can be easy to get overwhelmed. Just do your research and try to put your Labs best interest in mind.
3) Adjust if you need to.
Of course, the packaging labels are not the ultimate guide. Dogs have their individual needs that may differ from the general population. The serving suggestion may not be enough for them or may be too much.
It is important to know the needs of your Lab so that you can provide accordingly.
It will take some time and observation, but you can adjust their diet if it seems that the amount of food you are giving them is not the right amount of food.
As a side note, wet canned food will usually make your Lab feel fuller. The amount of canned food you need to satisfy your Labs daily calorie requirements is more than the amount you would feed if they were eating dry food. This is due to higher water content found in canned food.
Thus, you may have more success in curbing your dogs appetite with canned food.
Again, this is just a suggestion and is not meant to replace the professional advice that your vet gives you.
Try to be prudent in your food choices and adjust according to what your Lab needs.
4) Cut back on treats.
Another reason for Labrador weight gain is the treats that they consume.
When stacked up, those treats could easily make a dent in your Labradors recommended daily food consumption.
If you dont cut back on treats, it could have bad results.
A common suggestion for helping pet owners deal with a Lab that is always hungry is to deduct the amount you feed them in treats from their main meals.
That way, they can still get treats but without the risk of overeating.
Another thing that you can do is to give them treats that are healthy and good for them.
Crunchy and firm fruits like apples make an excellent alternative for your Labrador thats always hungry.
Conclusion
Yes, it can be tough not knowing how to deal with a Lab that is always hungry. This is especially an issue if you fear that they will gain so much weight that they become obese.
Those thoughts are incredibly valid and are by no means uncommon.
However, if you take diligent care in monitoring your Labradors food intake and dealing with why your Lab always seems to be hungry, youll be good to go.
Caring for a pet can be a challenge. But, the love and affection that your Labrador will give you in return is worth more than what money can buy.
