Anyway to get my puppy to eat slower?

Riley seriously swallows her food whole...and this morning and just a few minutes ago she threw up all her food...and all of it was whole...even her milkbone was partially whole

any tips? Its not like our other dogs try to take her food, b/c they are feed at the same time and Riley is always the first done.

Re: Anyway to get my puppy to eat slower?

what about this?

Re: Anyway to get my puppy to eat slower?

wow thanks! I'll have to look into this if this continues.

Re: Anyway to get my puppy to eat slower?

If you are using wet food switch to dry food.

Re: Anyway to get my puppy to eat slower?

I have two suggestions.

1) try hand feeding. This is actually a technique that professional trainers use for bonding and training exercises. Rather than putting the bowl down, feed small handfuls of the kibble to your dog. Either just hand feed, or if you want, ask the dog to do something and use the kibble as the reward


2) if you are pressed for time or don't like that idea, you can also try a Kong. You basically put half the kibble in first, then take either wet food or peanut butter and spread it over the kibble to "seal it in" and then the rest of the kibble, and then more wet food/PB or a biscuit to block it in. The website is below, and it has recipes too. This will make the dog eat slower, work for his food, burn energy, and be mentally stimulated as he has to figures out how to get the goods!

http://www.kongcompany.com/worlds_best.html


ETA: the portion of kibble you feed your pooch by hand or kong should be the same portion you would put in his bowl. I might even reduce it a bit if you use the kong and use the PB or wet food to seal the food in b/c that is food too and you don't want him to get chunky! :)

Message edited 10/2/2007 10:02:21 PM.

Re: Anyway to get my puppy to eat slower?

I had this problem and I started putting water in his food. It seemed to work. Now as an adult he has slowed down. No more water.

Re: Anyway to get my puppy to eat slower?

Message edited 8/13/2009 11:16:41 AM.

Re: Anyway to get my puppy to eat slower?

Sometimes it can be a lack of nutrition or not enough fiber in the food and the dog is eating so fast because he is desperate for the nutrition.

What kind of food do you feed your dog? I would suggest Eukenuba or Iams - dry food.

Re: Anyway to get my puppy to eat slower?

Re: Anyway to get my puppy to eat slower?

Re: Anyway to get my puppy to eat slower?

My second dog did this. She would eat so fast she would sometimes throw up.
My vet told me to put her bowl up higher so she would have to reach for it just a bit.

It worked.

Re: Anyway to get my puppy to eat slower?

It's me or the dog lady recommended hand feeding so it gets the timing thing down with relaxing and eating. My MIL puts a large ball in the food so the dogs slow down and eat around the ball. They have to push it out of the way and it takes longer. GOOD LUCK!