# Does neutering make your dog hungry?



## karlishug (Mar 25, 2013)

Hi am new here and I've joined in order to pick your brains...

I have a (nearly) four year old Dobermann who as I type he's trying to get on my knee (bad habit letting he do that when he was a pup). Anyhow I digress, last October I had him neutered and I've noticed since then that his appetite seems to be getting larger.

At this point I'm not too worried about his weight as he (and therefore I) is an active dog - getting two walks a day, one of which is at least an hour charging around like a nutter with my other dog. But he has gone from being a dog with a healthy appetite but not greedy, to a dog that now drools when anyone is cooking or eating. He every meal like it's his last and then stands waiting for my other dog to finish so that he can nab any leftovers. they are both on reasonable food (Fish4Dogs) and have been for a long time, plus they get 'extras' two or three times a week like fish, livers, etc..

I can't think of anything else that has changed during this time, so it has to be the op. Has anybody else come across this or should I mention it to the vet?


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

I think it does and with all of them I was told to immediately reduce their food intake by a third so I'm not surprised they feel hungry. An entire dog of the same size would get more food but because neutered dogs are prone to gaining weight they have less. Poor kids!


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## WeedySeaDragon (Oct 7, 2012)

We've not had to reduce our whippet boy's food intake at all since he was neutered. He was done at 14 months and gets the same amount he did before.

I can't say whether or not neutering affected our eldest as he was done when we got him. Even though he's got a very sedentary lifestyle now it's not difficult at all to keep him at a good weight and he's getting enough to satisfy him.


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## 8tansox (Jan 29, 2010)

All of my dogs are castrated and haven't gained any weight. I've not changed the amount of food they have daily, or changed their exercise regime. They are: 5, 3.5 and 2.5 now, and were castrated around 18 months of age, with the exception of the 2.5 dog, he came to me at 10 months already "done". 

Dogs put weight on because people allow it. It's not rocket science to watch a dog's weight and act accordingly.


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## ClaireandDaisy (Jul 4, 2010)

No, it hasn`t. Not with any of mine. Has he been wormed? Is he on any medication?


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## CheddarS (Dec 13, 2011)

Ched hasn't...if anything, we have upped his food cause he was a bit skinny


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

Could be a Mal thing, they're renowned for weight gain if you're not very careful but Kali and Marty were far slimmer before the op. Saying that Flynn isn't much different and was done at eighteen months where as the other two were done at over three years old. 

Bruce (neutered) is my slimmest dog and eats like a little horse but he's very hyper where as the Mals are very laid back, lazy really and have slower metabolisms so don't require as much food as another breed of the same weight. It can be very difficult to judge their weight because of the thick coats - when in full coat you think they're fat but when it's blown they look skinny, so the coats doesn't help to make them look slender.


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## karlishug (Mar 25, 2013)

Yes we're up to date with everything and thankfully, he's fight fit and no need for medication.

He's a happy, healthy lad - he's just become a greedy guts lately and I'm probably worrying unnecessarily at this point.

I was talking to a dog walking friend of mine who said her in-laws dog was the same after he'd 'been done'. He went from being a really fussy eater to wolfing any put in front of him.


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## sopott (Dec 30, 2012)

i think it must. snoopy is neutered and seems to be always on the lookout for food. though he has turned into a bit of a fusspot recently. 

for example, he'd steal a bit of cucumber from the kitchen counter, chomp down, then spit it out... very annoying.


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