How to Stop Your Dog from Eating Too Fast
Now, picture this. It’s feeding time. You put down the bowl and turn away for a second. When you turn around, just like magic, the food is nowhere to be found. If this scenario happens to you on a daily basis, I welcome you to the gulper’s club.
Eating too fast may seem harmless, and most often, dogs don’t seem to suffer any ill effects except for the occasional vomiting and gagging. However, it’s important to note that continuing to allow your dog to chow down on their food is like playing a game of Russian Roulette. It’s risky because it only takes one bad roll to send your dog to the hospital, and in severe cases, it can also be fatal.
Gastric Dilation and Volvulus aka the Canine Bloat is a life-threatening condition caused by eating too fast. It happens when your dog swallows the food along with excess gas. The trapped gases can then cause the stomach to bloat and twist, and unfortunately, this can lead to a life-threatening blockage. If this ever happens, rush your dog to the emergency room immediately.
Now that we’ve learned about the worst-case scenario, let’s tackle this problem with some much-needed tips.
Spread the Food Around
This might get a little messy, but it helps to slow your dog down. What you can do is spread the kibbles on the floor and let them work for their food. The important thing is to keep your floor free of any toxic chemical that could potentially make them sick.
Give Them Space
Some dogs chow down their food because they want to protect and secure their food. If you have other animals in the same household, make sure you separate them during feeding time. Giving your dog plenty of space enables them to enjoy their meal without the fear of competition.
Feed Them One Kibble at a time
This one is time-consuming. However, using this technique, you can train your dog to eat slowly while bonding with them at the same time. Furthermore, hand-feeding allows you to control their food consumption.
Food Puzzles and Slow Feeder
Sometimes you can get creative with some DIY food puzzles at home. However, If you want to save time, you can also purchase a slow feeder at your local pet store. Both options are great at slowing your gulpers down.
The Tin Can Solution
Place a large tin can in the middle of the bowl. This way, your dog has to work around the can to get to their food. This is a cost-effective way to slow the pupper down.
Cut It into Smaller Chunks
If your dog is on canned food or a homemade diet, you can prevent choking by cutting their food into smaller pieces. Personally, I put my dog on a ground turkey diet, and when I cook the food, I always make sure it’s chopped up into tiny little pieces. If you want the recipe, you can find the ground turkey recipe by clicking here.
Happy feeding time!