Does your dog eat his meals very quickly and greedily? Unfortunately, this is a problem that you cannot downplay. Eating too fast has a very negative effect on your dog’s health. Therefore, I will present the causes of the canine’s behaviour and ways to deal with this problem.
The dog may eat too quickly due to his past trauma when he had to fight for every bite. This way of eating is also common among dog eaters. In some cases, your dog may eat speedily and greedily because he is used to it or he has seen it from another dog.
What will you learn from this article
- trauma from the past – the dog had to fight with other quadrupeds for food; otherwise, he would be hungry
- greedy – the dog likes to eat very much, which makes him eat very greedily
- habit – the dog eats fast because he thinks this is the usual way of eating
Why does the dog eat quickly
Fast and hurried eating is a widespread repetitive behaviour in dogs. Have you noticed a tendency for your dog to be too greedy regarding food? If so, it is worth knowing how to prevent it and what causes such behaviour in your pet.
Eating very fast hurts your dog’s health. Therefore, as a responsible dog sitter, you should not be indifferent to such behaviour of the dog.
Initially, I didn’t realize that eating my dog too quickly was a problem. I thought it was normal to some extent, and it was due to his character. I want to introduce you to this topic because perhaps it is new information for you.
So, I want to answer the question of why your dog eats fast and also give you some tips on how to slow down your dog’s eating.
Causes of fast food in dogs
There can be several reasons for eating too fast in a dog. Therefore, it is good that you familiarize yourself with all the possibilities. You will make sure that you correctly assess the causes in the case of your pet. I was initially wrong about why my dog was eating fast. It took me a while to understand what the real problem was. I hope this helps you avoid this situation.
Gluttonous dog
Your dog’s fast eating, maybe because he’s an exceptional eater. The love of food is a widespread character trait in dogs. However, in most cases, this does not mean the dog eats very quickly without being greedy.
Perhaps your dog belongs to that group of canine gluttons that love food so much that a meal takes them literally a few moments.
What could cause this dog behaviour? It’s safe to say that nothing concrete. It’s just your dog’s personality. Moreover, you can also be sure that the food you give him tastes excellent.
However, does this mean you should accept this approach to eating your dog and move on with it? Not. I will tell you more about why overly cheap food harms your dog later in this post.
Dog bowl |DUO chestnut
Trauma from the past
One of the most common causes of dogs gobbling food would be past trauma if the dog had to fight for every bite of food, whether with his siblings or with other dogs while in the shelter. It was undoubtedly a very unpleasant experience for him.
Very often, even in safe conditions with a good, loving family, dogs can still instinctively eat at a very high speed. In the past, they knew they would be hungry if they didn’t eat fast enough that no one took their food.
It is unfortunate, and every time I think that not every dog has loving people and a safe home, it breaks my heart. That’s why I try to help dogs in need as much as possible. If you would also like to help dogs in need, I refer you to a separate entry, which you will find HERE. In it, I will tell you how you can do it.
Quadruped rush
The dog may quickly eat because he is simply in a hurry to do other activities. Even the best fun will not make the little glutton skip the meal. However, he will try to eat as soon as possible to return to the interrupted entertainment as quickly as possible.
That’s why I try to let my dog have a moment to calm down before a meal. Thanks to this, he is not additionally stimulated while eating, and there is no need to hurry.
Dog personified
There is also the possibility of your dog eating very quickly for no apparent reason. That’s what his instinct tells him, and that’s why he behaves the way he does. Perhaps, as a puppy, he observed another dog eating very quickly and took it as a pattern.
Contrary to appearances, this will be the easiest way to wean your pet from eating this way. Changing the dog’s habit will be easier to achieve when there are no severe reasons behind his behaviour.
Why a dog shouldn’t eat fast
Eating very quickly affects the dog’s health negatively. First, your dog cannot properly chew his meal. Too big bites can cause your dog to choke while eating, which is very dangerous.
What’s more, it’s much harder to digest large pieces of food. That can cause discomfort in the dog and indigestion. That is especially dangerous if the canine suffers from diseases related to the intestines or stomach.
Fast and greedy food means a large amount of air goes to the dog’s stomach along with the bites. That is an unnatural process because, like normal eating, this does not happen. Although it may sound relatively trivial, your dog swallowing air while eating has adverse health effects.
Why? Because as a result of the dog swallowing air bubbles, he may feel bloated after a meal. We often mistakenly look for the cause of bloating in bad karma, which may be a mistake in many cases.
Eating greedily can also cause your pet to experience gastric torsion. That is a severe condition that may require surgery.
So, as you can see, eating your dog too fast is a serious problem that is unfortunately often underestimated. That is because the effects of such behaviour are not immediately apparent. You may not be aware that your dog’s health problems are due to eating too fast.
What can you do to make your dog eat slower?
One way to slow your dog’s eating is to provide a calm, safe atmosphere during his meal. Your dog needs to feel that there is no reason why he needs to gobble his food.
You can try giving your dog food from your hand for a while, separating the batches yourself. This way, the canine will get the next bite after he swallows the previous one. I know this is quite a burdensome solution, but it is very effective in the long run.
In pet supply stores, you can buy a bowl that slows down food for your pet. How does it work? Such a bowl has protrusions at the bottom, so the canine is supposed to reach his food between them. That is a handy gadget in the fight against your dog eating too quickly.
If your dog eats too fast, you can give him part of his daily dose of food in an olfactory mat or a dog congo. All kinds of toys in which you can put part of the dog’s meal are a perfect way to control your pet. The dog will have to put effort into getting to the food, so he will not eat so quickly and greedily.
Practice makes perfect
Calm eating is a skill that can be developed by training your dog. You can’t expect your pet to change its eating habits overnight. Therefore you must be patient.
Perpetuating bad habits is a huge mistake. Therefore, if you notice that your dog eats very quickly and then he has side effects of such behaviour, you must act immediately. That is the basis for raising a dog and instilling new behaviours.
The dog’s greedy eating is a problem
I hope I’ve managed to draw your attention to the fact that a dog eating too fast is a problem. If you observe such behaviour in your pet, let it signal you to take steps in this topic immediately.
Your canine eats greedily, or maybe you have already developed a new way of eating with him? Share your answer with me in the comment.
If you have any questions or want me to discuss a topic in the next post, share it in the comments section.
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