Dog inhaling food without chewing.
You’re possibly acquainted with the expression “wolf down” food. The maxim is an old one — it goes back at least a hundred years — and we all know that “wolfing down” means to eat ravenously, at an alarming pace. Is this beginning to sound like we’re talking about your canine?
While a few canines carefully chew and appreciate each bite of food, others inhale it so quickly you have to wonder if any chewing was involved at all. Unfortunately, having your dog devour its food can be unhealthy.
Some of these dangers are self-evident. Like us, dogs can gag if they eat quickly or cause vomiting and stomach pain. But with pups, rapid ingestion of food also increases the risk of a severe medical condition. This medical condition is a life-threatening issue that appears suddenly when the abdomen expands from food consumption. The enlarged stomach can curve around and require hospitalization and a medical procedure.
There’s no better time than the next feeding to begin slowing down your pup’s eating routine. There are many approaches available, so you’ll be able to discover one that works with your canine — or mix it up and switch between them.
Set a tennis ball in his food bowl.
A food-motivated pooch is usually too busy zeroing in on his meal even to consider the ball. However, because he has to eat around the ball, it slows down his eating.
Hand-feed your dog
This way, you control the speed of consumption. This is also an excellent way to add some training into feeding time, using food to reward simple actions. Over time, hand-feeding results typically in a dog that eats more slowly when fed from his bowl.
Chill your dog’s food
Chilling his food will also help keep your pup hydrated! You can chill his food in certain types of the bowl to make it easier. This is also an excellent way to bring his meals along if you travel for an extended time with him. Suppose you’re providing kibble, mix in some water, goat’s milk, or bone broth to freeze it.
Use a slow feeder bowl.
These bowls earmark is different shapes and grooves that spread the meal out and stop your dog from taking in a huge mouth full of food.
We have fun changing mealtimes with these techniques and hope you and your dog have some fun trying them out. Remember, eating slower is better for your dog’s health and well-being.
