Wolfing Down Food
All dog owners have to admit. Our dogs love food. But sometimes we can’t help but notice that our dogs may like food a little too much for their own good (i.e. wolfing down food). This blog will include some intel on why it is unhealthy for your pup to eat food too quickly and I hope you find this an interesting read!
Dangers of Wolfing Down Food
There are a few dangers of a dog wolfing down food. One reason is that they can choke on their food which can often result in vomiting and discomfort. Another reason is that it can increase the risk of bloat. Bloat occurs when the stomach or intestines expand and twist within the abdomen resulting in the dog going into shock. Such expansion of the stomach or intestine is often caused by eating too quickly resulting in an excessive amount of air being pushed into the digestive system along with food.
How can I have my dog eat slower? (Part I)
Just as with most issues, there almost always are solutions! One solution is using food puzzles. These are toys that are compromised of different obstacles as well as nooks and crannies for the dog’s food to fit into, effectively making it difficult to take large gulps of food. There are many different kinds of food puzzles available so pick the one that you think would work the best for your pooch!
How can I have my dog eat slower? (Part II)
Another solution would be the use of slow-feeder bowls. There are many different brands of slow-feed dog bowls on the market and all seem to do decently. Just make sure to read the reviews to determine what would work best for you! If you do not like any of the options given however, you can try to create your own slow-feeder bowl by using multiple bowls to feed your dog. You can do this by grabbing an empty bowl that is about 2-3 times larger than your dog’s regular feeding bowl then taking your dog’s regular bowl and placing it upside down into the large bowl. Doing so will create a gap between the two bowls yet allow enough room for your pooch to push some kibbles in between the gap. As a result, this will force your pup to eat more slowly.
How can I have my dog eat slower? (Part III)
The third way to help your dog eat slow is to use the muffin pan trick. The muffin pan trick involves using the muffin pan as a dog feeding tray and filling each of the “trays” with dog food. This will force your pooch to eat little by little at a time and help to eliminate excessive gulping.
How can I have my dog eat slower? (Part IV)
The fourth way to help reduce the speed of which your dog eats is doing it the old fashioned way: hand feeding! That way, your dog will have to lick all of the kibbles out of your hand and cannot take huge gulps of food. This can also work as a great way to help bond with your pup making mealtime both fun and safe!
How can I have my dog eat slower? (Part V)
The last way to help prevent your dog from wolfing down their food is scheduling more frequent meal times. This will be found to be more helpful if your pup has one or two big meals a day. Breaking up meal times can help reduce your pup’s urge to gulp down their food out of hunger and helps them know that another meal is coming soon.
We hope that you have found this blog helpful and that you will see positive results! Make sure to keep on staying safe and we will see you again soon! :)
Citations:
[1] Primal Pet Foods. “5 Ways to Slow down a Speed Eater.” Primal Pet Foods, https://primalpetfoods.com/blogs/news/5-ways-to-slow-down-a-speed-eater.
[2] Staff, AKC. “How to Make Your Dog Eat More Slowly.” American Kennel Club, American Kennel Club, 2 Sept. 2021, https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/advice/4-ways-to-slow-your-dogs-eating/#:~:text=Unfortunately%2C%20eating%20so%20quickly%20can,serious%20medical%20condition%20called%20bloat.