Why does my Labrador eat everything?

If your Labrador has been eating everything you might want to know why and what you can do about it.

This post will show you a number of reasons why your Labrador might be eating everything and what you can do to stop it.

So, why does my Labrador eat everything? Possible reasons are that it is not being fed enough, it’s not getting the right nutrients in its diet, it’s ill, it’s stressed or it has separation anxiety.

Your Labrador might be doing it for a number of reasons and it could be due to a combination of them. However, there are also a number of things you can do about it.

Why your Labrador eats everything

Below, I will show you a number of reasons why your Labrador might have been eating everything and what would make them more likely to be the main reason.

It’s not being fed enough

It could be the case that it has not been getting fed enough calories. This would be more likely if it has started doing it more since a change in its diet. It would help to consult with your vet about how much to feed it.

It’s not getting the right nutrients in its diet

It could also be the case that it is getting enough calories but that there is an issue with the things that it is eating. This would also be more likely if it has been eating more since a sudden change in its diet.

It would help to make sure that you have been feeding it the correct diet and that no one else has been feeding it without telling you.

It’s ill

The cause could also be that something has been causing it to be ill. This would be more likely if it has started doing it suddenly and if it has been showing other signs of being ill. In this case, the best option would be to take it to a vet.

It’s bored

It could be the case that it is bored and it is trying to stimulate itself by doing things such as eat things that it should not be.

Labradors are meant to get daily exercise and they can behave abnormally when they don’t get enough. Generally, it is recommended for them to get at least an hour of exercise per day when they are healthy adults.

It’s stressed

Stress can also cause Labradors to start to eat more than they should be. This would be more likely to be the reason why your Labrador has been doing it if it started to do it suddenly or if it does it when things might cause it to become stressed. An example might be if it eats everything when a certain person is around.

It has separation anxiety

It could also be the case that it has some separation anxiety which is where it does not like being left alone and it becomes anxious when it is left alone. This would be more likely if your Labrador eats more things when you are away and if it becomes anxious when you are leaving.

You can watch the video below for some tips on how to deal with dog separation anxiety.

Nature

The cause could also be that it does it naturally since it is not unusual for Labrador to be opportunists.

If your Labrador tends to eat things such as your food when you are not looking or whenever it gets the opportunity to, it would not be unusual behavior. This would especially be the case if it has not been acting unusually and if your vet has not found anything wrong with it when inspecting it.

Things to consider

When it first started doing it

If your Labrador did not always eat everything, it would help to consider what else happened when it first started since it could be the case that an event occurred that caused it to start.

If it started doing it suddenly it would be more likely to be due to things such as a change in its diet, becoming stressed or getting ill. It would help to consider what else changed when it started doing it.

Whereas, if it has always eaten everything, it would make it more likely to be because it does it naturally. However, it could also be that it hasn’t been getting fed enough, a lack of exercise or not being fed the right foods.

When it eats things that it shouldn’t

It would also help to consider if there is a certain time that it tends to do it more since the timing could also have something to do with it.

If you notice that your Labrador only seems to eat things that it shouldn’t when you are away it would make it more likely that it does it due to separation anxiety. Whereas, if it does it when it has not gotten any exercise then it might be due to boredom.

How to get your Labrador to stop eating everything

Below are some things you can do about your Labrador eating everything.

Make sure that its diet is right

It would help to make sure that you have been feeding it correctly by talking to your vet about its diet and not letting other people feed it. You can read more about what you should and shouldn’t feed your Labrador here.

Take it to a vet

If it has started doing it suddenly or it has been showing signs of being ill, the best option would be to take it to a vet. By doing so, you will be able to get expert advice tailored towards your particular Labrador and to rule out illness as a cause.

Give it exercise

If your Labrador is healthy, it would also help to make sure that it is able to get daily exercise. Generally, it is recommended for them to get at least an hour of exercise per day when they are healthy adults.

Give it distractions

In addition to the above, another option would be to give it things to be distracted by so that it is less likely to get tempted to eat things that it shouldn’t be. Things that you could give it would include toys, puzzles and bones.