I have a retired 7 year old girl(spayed 1 1/2 years ago). She isn't as active as she once was, but certainly not a total couch potato. I've had her on Pro Plan Chicken and Rice for a long time with some switches to Solid Gold Millenia here and there. She does well on almost anything, but I've noticed waxier ears of late on the Pro Plan and she gains weight more easily since being spayed. I have dropped her food to 1 cup 2x. She is maintaining, however, she's getting into stuff in the house and eating just about anything! She ate an entire reflective line belt used at the Guard Unit by my hubby. The darn thing is about 3 feet long. That was upchucked for nearly 2 weeks until I felt O.K. that it was out of her. Only 1 small piece came out the other end. This week she ate part of a Rubbermade food container(also stolen from my hubby's gym bag...rements of his lunch inside); 1/2 a remote entry from his old BMW; had started to knaw on a brand new tube of Elmer's Wood Filler! What's up with her? I have always been able to leave her uncrated, but now she's going to be crated. The question is: Is she famished, or is this behavioural? Should I change her food to a senior diet, or maybe put her back on the Millenia? Maybe it's time to run her in for an early senior checkup. I do have 3 other girls in season right now. Could that be it?

Geesh... Els - what a chow hound. :-)

I wouldn't think the items she is chewing have anything to do with her being hungry.

How much did you decrease her daily intake by?

It could be a yeast issue in the ears and 1 tbspn of apple cider viniger can usually help. Put in food daily with added water. You may want to start with less to get her used to the taste.

My dogs do better ear wise on a grain free food or a food with only rice in it as the grain.

She is 7 so if its been a while I would have a full blood work up done on her. You mention she gains weight easily. Have them check her fat metabolism thru the blood work. I've been thru this and my girl's was very slow. Giving Lecithin capsules at 1200 mg daily took care of the problem and she was able to maintain the proper weight by 6 months on the supplement. I kept her on it for the last 6 years of her life. It has been known to help humans for the as well.

It could be a hunger issue and you may very well be able to increase her daily amount a bit while on the Lecithin without weight gain.

For what it's worth, I'm trying to keep my 2.5 year-old lean. She was spayed about 18 months ago. I cut back a bit on the kibble (she gets a little bit less than one cup twice a day) and supplement her food bowl with cut-up bite sized green apples (about 1/2 apple a meal). It causes her to eat a bit slower (a real speed demon) and it seems to be filling. She also gets about 1 tbsp of yogurt with each meal.

She seems satisfied (as much as any Lab can ever be food satisfied).

I find when you cut them back supplement them with green beans, no salt added, fills the void and really helps with the weight loss program. Mine love green beans.

Good Luck the older they are the harder it is to take the weight off.

One more thing, all mine do terrible on Proplan. Proplan makes the all itch and gives them yucky ears, we have abanded Purina all together. I know it is a good food just not all dogs do well on it.

Well, she's feeling much more chipper today I'm happy to say. I actually caught her dragging yet another line belt out of the bedroom yesterday! She hadn't started munching on it thank the lucky stars. I gave my hubby the "what 2 for" this morning about leaving his junk lying on the bedroom floor. Anyway, I went and got Solid Gold Millenia yesterday and will gradually switch her and everyone else back to it. We'll see if that helps and I will add the salt free green beans too. We have an apple tree and she helps herself to an apple or two a day. They are great this year. I hadn't heard about Lecithan, but I'll look into that as well. Thanks for all the responses.

I second the green beens. I've used it with a neutered male before. It helped him.