Anxiety is a problem that unleashes dangerous behaviors in dogs; Among them, one of the most common is the speed of eating. There are several factors that unleash this, in addition to multiple consequences that can have, such as vomiting, risk of choking and / or gastric torsion.
Now what to do if your dog eats very fast? Eradicating this practice and teaching your dog to eat calmly requires patience and some important steps. Let’s see in detail how to solve this dangerous behavior.
Index of contents
- 1 Why is my dog eating so fast?
- 1.1 Stress
- 1.2 Bad habits or competition
- 1.3 Gluttony
- 1.4 Health problems
- 2 What if a dog eats too fast?
- 3 What to do to make a dog eat more slowly?
- 3.1 Eliminate stress
- 3.2 Use mound feeders
- 3.3 Buy a Kong for dogs
- 3.4 Serve smaller portions
- 3.5 It stimulates your instinct
- 3.6 Go to the vet
Why is my dog eating so fast?
There are several reasons that lead a dog to eat quickly. In principle it may seem normal, but it is dangerous if it becomes habitual behavior.
Stress
The stressed dogs they develop all kinds of negative behaviors. Lack of stimuli is the main trigger, this can lead them to carry out any activity, such as eating, in a wild way, in order to release a little energy and calm the anxiety they feel.
Bad habits or competition
Some dogs become accustomed to eating fast from puppies, especially when growing with their littermates. Even during the breastfeeding stage, you will notice that they “fight” to eat first, so this behavior can prevail until adulthood.
This can also happen if the puppy is raised in a house with adult dogs, especially if at mealtime the larger dogs prevent the little one from eating, or relegate it to feed last.
Gluttony
Just like humans, some dogs love to eat! This can lead them to rush when food is served.
Health problems
Dogs suffering from digestive problems, how IBD, do not metabolize food well. Which makes your body intensify the hunger signal in search of a greater amount of nutrients.
These dogs with digestive problems, they often “devour” literally any type of food, something dangerous for your health.
What if a dog eats too fast?
Even in those dogs that are only gluttonous, eating on the run can be very dangerous, as it produces:
- Vomiting. If your dog eats and does not chew, it is common for him to vomit the food later. The result? He will still be hungry and will want to eat again, falling into a vicious circle.
- Gastric torsion. It occurs when the stomach dilates, to the point that the ligaments cannot contain it and ends up rotating on its axis. The mortality produced by gastric torsion is high and must be treated urgently.
- Choking. Even if the size of the food is right for the dog, it can choke on eating too fast.
What to do to make a dog eat more slowly?
Instilling better eating habits to your dog is not an easy task, for that reason we suggest you implement the following measures:
Eliminate stress
If the problem is triggered by stress, you need to eliminate the stimulus that produces it. Perhaps your dog needs to walk or play more, or his nervousness has been unleashed by a change of routine. In any case, you must find the root of the problem to face it.
Use mound feeders
Have you never seen a bowl with little mountains inside? Or with a kind of maze? They are special feeders that make it difficult for the dog to eat quickly, forcing it to eat slowly.
Buy a Kong for dogs
The Kong works similarly to dispensers. You can fill it with different foods, such as dry food, York ham, peanut butter, among others (depending on the diet your dog follows).
Thanks to the Kong, the dog will take time to get to each food, while discovering new flavors.
Serve smaller portions
Measure the portion of food you offer your dog daily and divide it into three or four smaller portions. Thus, your dog will not eat as much every time and it reduces the risk of developing health problems.
Also, some dogs may feel hungry during the day if you used to eat it once. With this measure, you offer him spaced meals that help him stay satiated.
It stimulates your instinct
Games are a great way to help your dog eat more calmly. If you like digging up things or looking for toys, hide portions of food around the house to keep you looking. This method is called seeding.
Just like the first solution, be sure to distribute the recommended daily allowance (based on your dog’s age, weight, and physical activity), and divide it into small bites before hiding it.
Go to the vet
If your dog’s anxiety persists and he is frequently upset by his poor eating habits, go to the vet. Only in this way will you be able to determine if your anxiety when eating is caused by any illness.