The Zim Family Cocker Spaniel Forum

Hoping someone on the forum has a suggestion to help with very early morning barking.

We rescued Pumpkin three years ago; she promptly began living the good life in our home a proceeded togain 4-5 pounds. She's recently been treated by an internal medicine specialist for a heart murmur and chronic cough. As part of her treatment, the specialist recommended weight reduction (I was not surprised!). We put her on a weight reduction food and cut the volume by 20% and, in approximately eight weeks, she has lost three pounds. Unfortunately, since we changed the diet, she wakes up between 3:00 and 4:00 AM barking! (normally, she would be fed around 5:30 p.m.) She will not shut up until she's been fed her morning meal. I have tried postponing her evening meal from 5:00 p.m. until about 6:30 p.m. but it has had no effect !

I'm losing my mind and need some suggestions.

Thanks,

Terri Ward
St. Louis, MO

Terri,

Will the vet allow you to split her food intake...mid-morning and late night? Maybe she's feel full longer...just a thought.

cut back on the morning meal amount, adding it to the 6:30 evening meal?

Oh I do know how you feel and I feel your pain Holly has been on a diet since last year and she has lost around 12 pounds. She is my alarm clock as early as 4.00 am but instead of barking she nicely scratches a chair, making this scratchy noise that at times drives me crazy. I have opted to ignore her as I have to wake up around 5:30 but if is later I just go and feed her. I am trying to feed her a snack before we go to sleep such as carrots or green beans as it makes her full. She also sits behind the sofa in a guard position growling/crying for food even after I have already fed her. Thats what really drives me crazy as I cannot watch TV or read in peace. Good luck.

I agree with the green beans and carrots as filler-uppers. Use the "no salt added" green beans. Maybe you could give her a bully stick for about an hour before she goes to bed (or even when she first wakes you up) and that might help. It won't necessarily fill her up, but it will give her something to keep her mind off of the food.

Pumpkin, Holly and I have a lot in common. We're always hungry.

20% less is significant. Would it be possible to cut food gradually? OR would it be possible to cut down food by 10% and exercise more?

I wouldn't reward your dog with food for barking because this may continue even after the weight loss. Perhaps ask her to be quiet and to sit down preceding you waking up or giving her food.

I would try feeding her more in the evening so that she's not hungry that early if your vet allows increasing the amount a little. Or I would give smaller portions more often (smaller 3-4 portions/day) if it's at all possible. Or giving two portions in the morning (instead of 1 and) could also work.

Also she maybe getting enough calories in her food, but perhaps she's not getting enough nutrients and that's the reason she's hungry. If your dog can digest cooked or raw food, then maybe feeding her a little of that in the morning and feeding her dry food in the afternoon would provide more nutrients? Sometimes giving dogs plain yogurt with priobiotics can also help digest food and therefore get more nutrients out of food. Whatever you do, make sure you measure all the food your giving your dog, so that you don't give more than you should.

If you end up giving her snacks or treats, just make sure they have valuable nutrients. If the dog has health issues I would stick to veggies, fruits, meats, etc.