ravenous dog who should be full

Question
We babysit a dog whose owners tell us not to give him anything more food than what is recommended by his vet.  The dog spends all his waking hours looking and sniffing for food.  Is there something he can eat that won't put weight on him, but will satify him so that he's not constantly underfoot when we're eating or in the kitchen.  He's a yellow lab going on 14 yrs. old and has all sort of health problems for which he takes medications.  I always feel that I'm gipping the dog out of the enjoyment of food.  He has a gluten free dry food.

Answer
Some dogs are just naturally pigs, but there could be an underlying health issue to this dog's appetite. Internal parasites and Cushing's Disease are two things that come to mind.

You and his owner might try feeding him green beans to fill him up a bit more. Some people use that when dieting dogs to keep them feeling full while cutting back on the actual amount of food. You might also try breaking up his daily food ration into smaller portions and feed him more frequently throughout the day.... say 2-3 times.

When the family is eating, put him in a crate or in another room and just keep him out of the kitchen.