You have a chowhound on your hands if your dog can consume a whole meal in much less time as it takes you to say, “Bailey, slow down!” These are the canines who gulp their meal without chewing or even looking at what they’re consuming. Labs are well-known chow hunters, but they are available in many breeds, types, and personalities.
In some quarters, gulping down food in record time may be an admirable ability, but feeding too quickly is a severe concern for dogs. It jeopardizes their health, and in certain circumstances, it is fatal.
How to Reduce Your Dog’s Eating
We often wish we could take a seat and have a rational conversation with our pets about why they need to eat more slowly. You can attempt that way, but don’t be surprised if it fails. Instead, it’s up to you to know how to maintain your dog healthy and safe. Above are a few tried-and-true ways.
1. Purchase a Slow-Feeder Bowl
There are numerous types, but the main concept is the same. Slow-feeders resemble 3-D mazes rather than standard bowls with smooth interiors. Others are more sophisticated than others, but they all distribute the food so that the dog does not consume it all at once.
2. Construct Your Own Slow-Feeder Bowl
They’ll have to eat an all-around ball, which will slow them down. Other popular methods include putting the meal on a big baking tray or placing it in an old baking dish.
3. Convert Regular Meals to Training Time
Your dog requires frequent training sessions nonetheless, and dinner time is the ideal moment to encourage your food-driven dog. Utilize your dog’s normal food and give it in little bites as he reacts to your instructions. You can concentrate on strengthening old habits while also learning new ones. It will keep their brain and body busy, and you don’t have to think about them gulping enormous amounts of food and becoming ill. You can decide how much you feed them at a time and how long it will take them to complete their meal instead of having them eat everything at once in 30 seconds.
4. Alternate Meal Times during the Day
When the dog consumes in little quantities, eating quickly isn’t as harmful. They are put at risk when they consume too much food in too short a period. Consider dividing your dog’s daily food intake into many little meals throughout the day.
5. Make use of a Snuffle Mat
The mat comprises long fabric strips and is intended to simulate long grass and stimulate a dog’s natural foraging instincts. Everything you must do is sprinkle the mat with your dog’s usual food. Bury some food down within the fabric to make it more difficult. Your dog will enjoy smelling and snuffling to locate all the bits of their meal. It will take them many minutes to find every item, and they may be exhausted and in need of a nap afterward.
Hand Feeding
When a person wishes to develop their connection with their dog and address concerns such as asset guarding and bite inhibition, dog trainers advise hand feeding. It also works well for dogs that need to learn how to eat more gradually. Make sure they have enough time to chew before actually offering the next handful. When your dog is barking, pecking at your hand, or whimpering, could you not give them food? Wait until they’re politely seated before perpetuating the idea that ethical behavior gets kids what they desire.
The Advantages of Using a Slow Feeder Dog Bowl
Based on the regions in which you want to assist your dog, the following might have been some benefits and explanations why you can consider getting a slow feeder dog bowl:
Keeps Nausea at Bay
Some dogs do not puke when they eat from a slow-feeder dog dish because fewer volumes of food are ingested at a time. This improves the digestion of the food.
Precludes Choking In the same way that slow and smaller amount sizes prevent nausea, slower and lower portion sizes protect your dog from choking. Dogs eat quickly, particularly when they are extremely hungry, frequently resulting in strangling and puking.
Gastrointestinal Unpleasantness is avoided
If dogs eat too quickly, they stuff too much food into their bellies at once, which can be very uncomfortable for them. It may also lead them to release a large amount of gas if your dog stinks and has digestion, maybe because they are passing gas due to consuming too quickly. So it is always better to get a good quality slow-feed dog food bowl.
Food bloat and burp or farting are caused by dogs eating too quickly and inhaling air as they consume. These issues are eliminated when portions are more regulated and slower.