Why doesn’t my dog eat slowly?
You still happen to be fascinated and impressed by such a spectacle: your dog begins to salivate in front of his bowl as soon as he approaches it and he throws himself on it as if he had not swallowed anything for a century! Even if you laugh nervously, in truth, you’re rather worried to see how quickly he finishes his meal. And above all, he still wants more! You should know one thing: regardless of their breed, even if they love food, dogs do not eat so quickly for no reason. There must probably be an explanation behind it. Here are some theories:
- Irregular meal times: if you adopted your dog, it is possible that its former owners fed it at any time, in which case, this irregularity may have disturbed it. If he has no landmarks during the day, he is likely to rush to his meal as if it were the last! It also often happens in dogs that were once strays, forced to survive by looking for food anywhere. But normally, after some time, care and lots of love, your dog will start to eat more slowly and calmly, realizing that his next meal won’t be too long.
- Bad nutrition: if he devours his bowl like a starving man, it is perhaps the very quality of the food that is to blame. Indeed, everything depends on the food you serve him, because some foods are not well balanced, or even unsuitable. Also, as a precaution, always check with your veterinarian to be sure that your pooch is getting all the nutrients he needs for his health. Otherwise, if he perceives certain deficiencies, the specialist will recommend a better quality food.
- Underlying disease: the latter option is less easy to detect. It is indeed possible that an underlying health problem is causing your little companion to feel excessively hungry. So, to be sure, it is better to seek the advice of the veterinarian.
A priori, even if he eats quickly from time to time, it is not so serious. But, it shouldn’t become a habit either. You should make sure to control his eating habits to avoid possible health problems. Fortunately, at your level, there are solutions you could consider. Here are some successful options.
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The tennis ball trick
At first you might think it was a joke, but not at all. A simple tennis ball could reduce the gluttony of your voracious little one! Oh yes and how is that possible? All you have to do is place a ball (clean and new) in a bowl, then pour your dog’s kibble into it. In fact, it will act as a distraction: he will concentrate so much on the ball, that he will not throw himself on the food. By having fun, of course, he will eat more slowly. Yes, it’s silly, but it really works!
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Use a bowl or slow feeder
Don’t have a tennis ball around? Too bad, you’re going to try something else. Did you know that there are bowls for dogs, specially adapted for slow feeding? They have small built-in obstacles that prevent them from devouring their bowl too quickly. Although they are commercially available, there is nothing stopping you from DIY one yourself. For example, place a mini-bowl upside down in its usual dish and pour the food around it. You will see, it will take him longer to finish his bowl!
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Make Mealtime Fun
In the same vein as the ball, if you have the opportunity, make sure to make this moment more playful. Why not serve him his meal in a dog toy? You know those famous food dispensers that only release a few pieces of kibble at a time. Well, it can be very useful in this kind of context. You don’t want to incur incidental expenses? No worries: create your own version by simply placing muffin cups upside down and pouring food between the cups. Like a kind of treasure island, your dog will have fun finding his kibble in this fun little course.
There is no mystery: like us, dogs like to eat. And, of course, some are probably more greedy than others. Do you think yours is obsessed with food? He never seems to be satisfied and asks you for more again and again? You should be flattered that he’s salivating so much over the delicious meals you prepare for him. But hey, we can understand that you would like him to slow down the pace a bit. So, how to make it less voracious? We have some tips for you.
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As we’ve already suggested, there’s no better way than distracting your dog to curb his gargantuan appetite. The idea is above all to occupy him with exciting and fun activities. Play with him more often, plan more walks, trips to the park. Invest in a few small toys that will even make him forget his meals. Tell yourself that the more busy he is, the less he will want to eat. Many dogs beg for food because they are bored at home and have nothing else on their minds!
So, there is a strange phenomenon: as far as we are concerned, when we spend energy doing sports, for example, this often stimulates our appetite. We feel like a little hollow that must absolutely be filled to meet the needs of our body. But, in fact, in canids, it is quite the opposite that happens. The more they physically exhaust themselves, the more they reduce their desire to eat. So, make sure your pooch gets enough exercise: allow him to run around and exercise. Afterwards, he will be far too tired to demand more food. But, besides that, make sure you provide enough nutrients to compensate for its energy expenditure. In addition, everything is also at stake in his education: a well-trained and disciplined dog is also one who will think twice before begging you for food…because he knows full well that he has no right to do so. and he has to wait. Everything in its time, right? Up to you !
