How To Know If Your Aussiedoodle Is Hungry Or Thirsty

You’re enjoying a snack and your Aussiedoodle gives you the classic puppy dog eyes. Is your dog hungry, thirsty, or simply tugging at your heart strings? 

Increased appetite or thirst may signal an underlying health issue in your dog. But like us, dogs sometimes eat or drink excessively out of boredom. By closely monitoring our dogs’ weight, diet, hydration status, and lifestyle, we can better distinguish between behavioral and medical causes of increased appetite or thirst.

We often equate food with love and want our dogs to be happy. But ultimately, we want them to be healthy. This means prioritizing weight management through balanced nutrition.

As a lifelong dog owner, I genuinely understand the desire to strengthen the human-animal bond and recognize that food undoubtedly makes our dogs’ tails wag. But as a veterinarian, I am committed to maximizing dogs’ quality of life for as long as possible. I also recognize how difficult it can be to identify true hunger or thirst in our canine companions, let alone interpret its potential significance. In this article, I discuss the characteristics of ideal body condition, general feeding recommendations, tips for recognizing true hunger or thirst, and possible medical causes for increased appetite or water consumption.

DISCLAIMER: If you have a question or concern regarding your dog’s health or behavior, please consult a veterinarian. These are general tips and recommendations but each dog requires unique care based on his individual needs.

Using Body Condition Score to Determine Healthy Weight

Is your dog at a healthy weight? It can be difficult to objectively assess a dog’s weight due to variations in shape and size for different breeds. 

Veterinarians employ a body condition score system to objectively evaluate a dog’s weight. A dog’s body condition score can range from one (extremely underweight) to nine (obese). Ideally, your dog should have a body condition score of four to five, where the ribs are palpable, the waist is easily seen from a bird’s eye view, with a tucked abdomen when viewed from the side. 

For humans, weight can be a sensitive subject. As a veterinarian, I have learned that a dog’s weight and diet are also often emotionally-charged topics for owners. Many pet owners are surprised to learn that over 50% of the pet population in the United States is overweight or obese. Pet obesity is a serious problem because it increases the risk of other health issues, such as orthopedic disease and diabetes mellitus.

Pet obesity is often associated with overfeeding. While people overfeed treats and human table food to their pets, many owners also overfeed their dog’s main diet, such as dog kibble. It can be easy to overfeed your dog if you use a free-feeding method or do not consistently measure your dog’s food. Please remember that the feeding guidelines listed on your dog’s food do not account for treats. 

How Much to Feed Based on Your Dog’s Energy Requirement

I recommend asking your veterinarian to help you calculate your dog’s energy requirement. Your dog’s caloric intake depends on his resting energy requirement (RER), which is affected by many factors. Your dog’s energy requirement is based on life stage and lifestyle. Factors including age, neuter status, and activity level affect how many calories your dog needs each day. A growing puppy has higher energy needs than a senior dog, while a neutered dog has a slower metabolism and thus, requires less energy than an intact male dog. Temporary lifestyle changes should also be accounted for, such as decreased activity levels following surgery. 

How Many Times a Day Should You Feed Your Dog?

I do not recommend free-feeding, a philosophy that grants your dog unlimited access to food at all times. This method requires your dog to self-regulate how much he ingests, often leading to overeating and obesity.

In general, I recommend dividing your dog’s daily caloric intake into at least two feedings per day. Waiting more than 8 to 12 hours between meals may increase the risk of nausea and issues such as bilious vomiting syndrome. Please note that your dog may require a different feeding schedule depending on his age, breed, and health issues. For example, young puppies typically require smaller, more frequent meals. Toy breeds often require smaller, more frequent meals even into adulthood because they are at greater risk of low blood sugar. If in doubt, consult your veterinarian when determining the best feeding schedule for your pup.

Is Your Dog Dehydrated?

Is your dog drinking more than usual? Is this because he is dehydrated? You can assess your dog’s hydration status by checking his gums, skin elasticity, and eyes. A dog’s gums should be moist. Dry or tacky gums, or thick saliva, are common signs of dehydration. If you gently pinch and release a portion of skin in an adequately hydrated dog, the skin should return to its normal position fairly quickly – veterinarians call this a “skin tent.” If a dog is dehydrated, skin elasticity will be affected, resulting in a delayed skin tent. Moderate to severe cases of dehydration can also result in sunken eyes. 

Another way to evaluate your dog’s water intake is to look at their stool. I recommend using a fecal scoring chart to determine whether your dog’s stool is too dry, often indicating insufficient water intake.

Dehydration can lead to serious health problems. Therefore, while I do not recommend unlimited access to food, your dog should always have access to water. 

Is Your Dog Hungry, Thirsty, or Just Bored?

After confirming appropriate weight, diet, and hydration in your dog, you can better interpret the significance of his increased appetite or thirst. If these physiologic requirements are met but your dog is still eating or drinking excessively, consider whether he is acting out of boredom. Like humans, dogs can eat or drink when they are bored. Without adequate and consistent physical exercise and mental stimulation, your dog may exhibit behavioral issues.

I recommend keeping a journal to document suspected changes in appetite or thirst, as well as any associated activities or triggers. A thorough history will help you recognize patterns and aid your veterinarian in determining if there is an underlying medical cause. For example, you may realize that your dog consumes more water solely on days when he goes on long walks or spends more time outside. Alternatively, consistently increased appetite and water intake may be due to diabetes, hyperadrenocorticism, kidney disease, or a side effect of a medication.

Strive to quantify your dog’s increased appetite or thirst. This means measuring the amount of food your dog is consuming. It may be difficult to quantify the water your dog consumes, especially if there is more than one pet in the household. If you have more than one pet, try to isolate your dog from the other pets for at least a couple of days. During that time, measure how much water the bowl holds and log how many times you need to refill it throughout the day.

Changes in appetite and thirst may reflect a serious health issue. You know your dog best and should not ignore these signs. If you have any questions or concerns about your dog’s appetite, thirst, general health, or behavior, it is never wrong to consult your veterinarian.