Why do labradors eat so much

Perhaps you have your own methods of keeping their weight at bay? If you do — or would just like to share an adorable picture of them — post to our Facebook page. We'd love to see them! In the meantime, just know that your poor Lab might not be able to help being a little bit greedy.

But, at least now you know why. Type keyword s to search. With their love for food, Labradors are incredibly easy to train- as long as they receive a tasty reward. This is why Labrador Retrievers are so widely used as assistance dogs, as they are almost always rewarded with food; and we all know how much a Labrador loves his food! There is a fine line between getting a little something special as a reward for being good and polishing off a whole bag of doggie biscuits in a day.

Be mindful, knowing that your Lab does not have the ability to feel full and can become overweight rather quickly. The general rule of thumb is to feed the Labrador puppy under 3 months of age 4 times a day. When he reaches 3 to 6 months of age, lessen to 3 meals a day. When he is 6 months and older, you can limit the feeding to just twice a day and he will be satisfied.

Foods that are bad for Labs include avocado, bread dough, chocolate, ethanol, grapes, raisins, hops, macadamia nuts, moldy food, onions, garlic, and xylitol. These foods are harmful to your Labrador and should be avoided at all costs.

Your Lab is going to be interested in your food, and if you are using human food as a special treat, you should know that there are some foods to avoid. Why do Labs Shed so Much?! Skip to content Why do Labs Eat so Much? Updated January 20, Your account is fully activated, you now have access to all content. Why do labradors eat so much? Freshly cooked, delivered to your door!

Feed My Pup. Does your dog eat wet or dry food? Let us know and get started with healthy personalized meal plans! Dry Food Wet Food. Raffan, who had previously studied obesity in humans, started by looking at a group of 15 obese and 18 lean Labrador retrievers. The team examined three genes known to relate to obesity and weight in humans. A growing body of evidence suggests that biological reasons may underlie weight variations.

The results uncovered a modification in a gene called POMC. Most of the obese dogs had a scrambled section of DNA at the end of this gene. The scientists believe that, because of this modification, Labrador and flat-coat retrievers — which are related to Labrador retrievers — are unable to produce two substances usually involved in turning off hunger after a meal: the neuropeptides beta-MSH and beta-endorphin.

The mutation appears to be specific to Labradors and flat-coat retrievers and correlates with an increased tendency toward food-motivated behavior.

Next, the team looked at Labrador retrievers, and they discovered that a number of behaviors correlated with the POMC deletion.