If you were to come to my house and feed my three dogs, you would think that my dogs haven’t been feed in years. They don’t even chew their food, and it’s gone within seconds.

Fast eating can be bad for dogs because it can sometimes cause bloat. Bloat can be fatal in some cases. Symptoms of bloat are: abdominal swelling after eating, vomiting, excessive heartbeat and restlessness. If your dog shows signs of bloat, you should take him to the vet ASAP.

Why do some dogs eat fast?

Dogs who have been strays at some point in their lives and dogs who come from large litters are typically fast eaters. They have had to compete for their food and usually eat fast so no one can take it away from them. Dogs from large litters fight for a nipple. The average female dog has anywhere from 8-12 nipples. So the runt of litters usually gets pushed out of the way often.

If your dog is showing this fast eating behavior, first thing first, take it to the vet. You want to rule out any medical problems. Sometimes dogs with internal parasites, diabetes, or metabolic problems can also be fast eaters. If all test results come back fine, then there are a few things you can do to slow down the eating:

1. Feed your dog out of a Kong. Here is a great blog about how to do that.
2. I have also seen people feed their dogs out of an ice cube or muffin tray.
3. There is a new product that I LOVE: GREEN Interactive Feeder. You can order it online, or our friends at Canine Crews also carry it.

Getting your dog to eat slower is good for their bodies, so why not make it fun at the same time?

Have you found another way to get your dog to eat slower? Please share with us.