Eating too fast

Our rescue has been with us since February. Even after all this time he eats really fast. Sometimes I think he inhales the food. How can we slow him down? We're assuming in the puppy mill he had to fight for whatever he got, because he does have some food aggression issues with the other dog. (No attacks, just growling)

We've had to take rawhide away from him, because he gave me a scare the other day. He got the rawhide wet enough to be pliable and then swallowed the thing whole before I could get it away from him. I'm afraid one day he will choke.

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Permalink Reply by Kristen on July 28, 2009 at 5:33pm

Here is a link to a kibble dispensing ball. I'm sure there are others out there. This is similar to what the gal with the lab uses to slow her boy down. http://www.muttropolis.com/products2.cfm/id/8021/name/Kibble-Nibble...

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Permalink Reply by Karen and Hardy on July 28, 2009 at 11:04pm

Well, we tried the plain yogurt. It slowed him down a lot because he had to lick the yogurt off the top pf each piece of food before he would eat it. To be fair I gave Shasta (our border Collie/lab mix) the yogurt too. She was not at all impressed.

I think we'll stick with the yogurt for Hardy. Thanks again, everyone!

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Permalink Reply by Carlie on July 29, 2009 at 7:40am

http://www.zootoo.com/dogs_dishesbowls/brakefastdogfoodbowl

We have these bowls for both of our corgis, who love to eat as fast as possible, despite us feeding them separately. They are great, instead of it taking them 30 seconds to eat, it now takes them at least a minute to a minute and 30 seconds :). Either way, I feel like they are taking their time... good luck :).

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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on July 29, 2009 at 9:30am

Just some thoughts....how many times a day do you feed him? If only once maybe you can feed him 2 times? Food can be a big issue for a rescue if they had to "fight" for it...my rescue Wiley does this cute happy little dance each time I walk down the hall with her food ( I feed mine 3 x's a day)...I believe she survived on leftovers...as in eating poop...so each time she knows she gets real food she is soooooooooo happy. I occasionally have a growl or 2 but I also get on my knees and pretend to eat their food so they learn to "share" since we have lots of grandchildren! Could you feed him in his kennel and would he feel more protected?

As for bones...I understand that it's better to get pressed bone BUT my dogs throw up from rawhide bones and I now use
cow hooves (yes this sounds gross) BUT they last a long,long time( remove when they get small) and are great for teething also. I send one along with my pups when they leave too! WARNING: only buy USDA hooves...the kind you buy in bulk from farm supply store STINK !!!!!

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Permalink Reply by Karen and Hardy on July 29, 2009 at 11:26am

We feed twice a day and when he hears the magical words "Are you hungry" he puts his front paws down with his butt in the air, wiggles his little nub and yodels this little "Arr arr oooh" song for me.

He has no food aggression towards people: only the other dog. I can stick my face in his bowl when he's eating and push him out of the way. He licks me and sings to me...I am sure the song is "Now why do you want to eat that when you have yummy people food!"

We tried the cow hooves--the really nasty looking ones that looks like the whole foot. He hates them. He also hates the pressed rawhide bones too. He only likes the rawhide, but the little monster will swallow it whole if he thinks I might take it away from him. His favorite is to stick his head in the rawhide container and choose his own. Maybe we'll try the cow hoof again, but let him pick one of two...

Maybe the pig ears that I saw at the pet store? They seem brittle like they would crumble when chewed. (I bet they stink too!)

Gosh he sounds really spoiled right now!