Are her cravings just old age?

Agutka

My GSD pup is ten this year. And I've noticed a new pattern to her begging. A few months ago I was sat peeling an orange. Pops up a dog head. And she's staring at me. So I offer some and she ate two oranges before getting bored. Since then she's been begging when veg are being peeled, when fruit are being consumed. If you open the fridge door, she's there waiting for a carrot.
She's never been one to refuse food, but this is just extraordinary and I'm starting to wonder if there's something wrong with her - like when they eat grass to get over a bad tummy.

Runningbackwards_2

Hi Agutka - just seems to me like your dog is wanting some healthy variety in her diet! My 3 dogs all eat fruit and veg (and I often gave the two I have had since pups carrots to gnaw on when teething) - two of them will eat a massive variety including apples, pears, melon (especially watermelon cold from the fridge in the summer), clementines, carrots, etc raw, whereas one will only eat the odd bit of raw fruit, but no raw veg, though she likes steamed veggies! They all 3 like to graze on herbs from the garden as well - found they especially liked borage which I planted for the first time last summer. In the wild dogs will forage and will also eat the stomach contents of animals which they hunt.

I wouldn't be worried if I were you, I would encourage her to have such healthy treats (far better than begging for a biscuit) especially if it isn't causing any stomach upsets

olias

Just be careful as some foods are really bad for dogs, for example a handful of raisins can cause kidney failure. I also believe citrus fruits are not good (so no more oranges!) and potato peelings are a no no. Just do a google under 'food bad for dogs' or something similar, and there is plenty of info.
Personally my dogs faves are carrots - which is great, because they are possibly the cheapest veg, they keep their teeth clean, and the dogs don't put on weight.

Olias

Sagz_2

If this begging is really out of character I think I'd get her checked over by the Vet, jsut to be sure there is not some underlying reason.

Hopefully it's just a behavioural change x

viktory

My dog has discovered she loves grapes.

olibrofiz

Maybe your GSD just fancies a change? Mine love carrots & melon )

Grapes are a no no tho as they're another thing not good for dogs

viktory

olibrofiz wrote: »

Grapes are a no no tho as they're another thing not good for dogs

Didn't know that, so thanks.

Agutka

The staring begging is normal, but for normal food, it's this new craze for healthy food I'm confused about.
I was kind of hoping she wouldn't eat stuff that's bad for her - isn't there some kind of instinct?

Ooh, I'll look into herbs for her. Weirdo.

She hasn't had a carrot today, I'm off to the kitchen

rising_from_the_ashes

viktory wrote: »

My dog has discovered she loves grapes.

Grapes are really toxic for dogs so I'd avoid these:

"Toxins in grapes, raisins or sultanas can cause renal failure in dogs. In some cases, small dogs have died after eating as few as four grapes. Vets believe many owners are unaware of the dangers and have fed their pets cake and biscuits containing chocolate or grapes as treats. In other cases the animals have helped themselves."

My dogs loves veg: he gets cabbage in every meal (cooked & frozen in individual portions so it's not too much hassle) and also loves turnip, carrots and pretty much any other veg.

My vet advises not to feed too many turnips and no potatoes at all due to the levels of starch in them.

He gets the odd apple core (although he pinched a bag of 7 the other week, ate them all when I was out and then wasn't a well boy!) and would probably kill for a banana!

motherbear

Agutka - Think our furbabies must be related! My GSD will be 10 in August and you have just described her to a T lol.
She is always begging for salad stuff whenever anyone goes near the fridge.
My dd did a little 'experiment' on her one day - she prepared 2 bowls, one full of chicken, beef, pork & lamb and the other full of lettuce, tomato, carrots & cucumber, she put both bowls down next to each other at the same time ...... the dog went straight to the salad bowl and scoffed it in no time, she totally ignored the bowl of meat! then went and stared at the fridge

rev229

My dog loves fruit and veg. wh have had to stop growing veg in the garden as she will pinch it and eat it. She loves apples and takes them of the apple tree. In fact she sits and barks at the apples on the tree if she can't reach them!! she is fussy about lettuce as she won't eat iceberg!! She isn't the bightest dog but very lovable!!!