Does your dog usually eat every meal because he has not eaten in days? Does he inhale his dinner so rapidly that you are just sure he did not have time even to chew? You’ll be shocked to know its results! It can lead to many troubles like burping, excess gas, gagging, scarfing down meals, choking, etc. As a result of constant rapid eating, your dog can also face a life-threatening condition known as bloat.
Why Do Dogs Eat Fast? Understanding the Causes
Well, your dog may be eating fast for many unrevealed reasons. However, understanding why he is doing this might be beneficial in ending this unhealthy habit of your dog.
For a lot of dogs, quick eating is actually a learned behavior. Plus, whether your dog came from a big litter & had to compete for the milk of the mother, or spent time as a drift seeking food. Maybe, he passed through the phase where he didn’t even know where the next meal would exactly come from. Such conditions can also lead him to this kind of behavior.
As we always take care of your convenience, especially when it comes to your beloved pets, today we are here with the best solutions.
There are several reasons why dogs might eat their food too quickly, and understanding these causes can help you find the most effective solution to slow down their eating. Below you will find some common reasons.
Competition
In multi-dog households, dogs may eat quickly to ensure they get their share of food before their companions do. This competitive behavior can stem from the instinct to protect resources and may be exacerbated if there’s a history of food scarcity or resource guarding.
Instinct
Your dog’s wild ancestors had to eat quickly to avoid attracting predators or competing for food. This behavior may be hardwired in your dog’s instincts, even though they no longer face the same survival challenges.
Anxiety
Some dogs may eat quickly due to stress, anxiety, or excitement around mealtime. This can be related to environmental factors, such as loud noises, a chaotic home environment, or even the presence of other pets or people during feeding time.
Hunger
Overly hungry dogs might gulp down their food quickly, especially if they’ve had to wait for an extended period between meals. Inconsistent feeding schedules or insufficient portion sizes can contribute to increased hunger and eagerness to eat.
Health issues
In some cases, fast eating could be related to underlying health issues, such as worms, malnutrition, or metabolic disorders. If you suspect your dog’s rapid eating may be due to a health issue, consult your veterinarian for guidance and appropriate treatment.
Habit
For some dogs, eating quickly may simply be a habit they’ve developed over time. In these cases, it’s important to address the behavior with consistent training and positive reinforcement techniques to encourage a slower eating pace.
By understanding the specific cause or causes behind your dog’s fast eating, you can tailor your approach to address their individual needs and create a more relaxed and enjoyable mealtime experience. Remember that it may take time and patience to change your dog’s eating habits, but with persistence, you can help them develop a healthier relationship with food.
Keep Your Dog From Eating So Fast | A Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1. Ensure Your Dog Is Getting The Right Nutrition
If your dog is not getting enough food, or his meal is not providing enough calories, protein, and nutrients, he will be more likely to eat all kinds of meals. In this situation, talk to the veterinarian about the specific dietary needs of your dog.
Plus, use a weight scale or measuring scoop to make sure you are feeding the correct amount of food. Choosing the right meal for a dog is one of the super difficult choices the parents of a pet usually face! Whether you prefer canned food, a raw meal feeder, or dry kibble, not all meals are created equal.
Step 2. Feed Smaller Meals
A dog that’s just fed one (or sometimes two) random meals daily might be growing so hungry between scarfing down meals and feelings as a result. So, divide the similar amount of meals into quite smaller proportions that are more frequently fed the whole day.
If your schedule restrains you from making different meals regularly, simply consider the automatic feeder. The feeder will dispense a little amount of food many times hroughout the entire day, even when you are not home. Sounds amazing, right?
Step 3. Feed On a Reliable, Consistent, Schedule
This step is also quite a simple yet important one. Feed the dog at the same time on a daily basis. Some dogs just need the consistency and security of daily meal times to understand that if they eat at a safe, normal pace, the food in front of them won’t be the last.
This will help them learn so many things, and they won’t keep the habit of eating fast anymore.
Step 4. Make Sure Your Dog Feels Secure During Meals
If your dog is the only fur-child in your home, ensure that his feeding dishes are placed in a space where he feels safer and can enjoy his meal. Furthermore, avoid noisy and high traffic places, flashing light areas. Yes, you heard that right!
Plus, the presence of other friends or family members can also make him feel really insecure. If you have got a special multi-pet household, just try separating your pets during mealtimes. A lot of dog dads and moms have huge success serving food inside a kennel or crate where the dog feels entirely secure.
Step 5. Make It Impossible to Scard Down Food
If you have taken the above steps and the dog still keeps eating so rapidly, you will need to make it almost physically impossible for the dog to engulf the dinner. Fortunately, with a little ingenuity, slowing down the voracious eater will be quite convenient. A great kick for the bucks!
Tips To Follow For Keeping Your Dog From Eating So Fast
Turn Over The Bowl’s Side
If you give food to your dog in a non-tip bowl, try turning it upside-down and feeding on the bowl’s underside. With the dish turned over, just spread the meal in the ring around the centre of that bowl.
Because of this, it may spread around while the dog tries eating it. But that’s okay!
Chasing the dish in the room’s surroundings will just serve to slow down his speed more often.
Make Use of A Slow-Feed Dog Dish
Feed your dog from the special slow-feed bowl. There are many feeding dishes for dogs that are specially designed for slowing down rapid eaters. The nicest thing about them is that they just work wonderfully!
These are designed to make it a bit more challenging for the dog to eat more food. Thus, it results in slowing down food speed to a great extent. Isn’t it amazing?
Use Treat Dispenser or Puzzle Feeder
For slowing down a quick eater while making the food-time a fun, pleasing experience, just try giving meals in any puzzle feeder. Plus, you can also use a dispenser rather than a bowl. The puzzle feeder generally challenges the dog to solve the problem to access the food. They may require the dog to remove blocks, flip open compartments, flip objects, and much more!
Our Takeaway
The above tips and steps will surely help you out to a great extent, and soon you’ll be successful in keeping your dog from eating so fast. So, what are you waiting for?
Just follow the above amazing tips and thank us later! Good Luck, folks!
Also, you can read 50 Dog Life Hacks To Make Your Life Easier.
