Swallowing Without Chewing: The Evil Of Many Dogs

It is true that you have often seen your dog swallow food as if he had never eaten in his life. This is a very common problem many dogs have: swallowing without chewing.

Although it seems to be something intrinsic to your species, what is certain is that you will have to do something to avoid this behavior, as the continuation of this could have more serious consequences later.

As immediate consequences, this can cause poor digestion, as well as the imminent need to vomit the food, which will come out whole because he has not chewed it and this can hurt your dog’s throat and vocal cords.

But why do they act like that? Why swallow without chewing?

Survival

Dogs are descended from wolves, so they retain some characteristics of their ancestors. One of them is to swallow without chewing, for the sake of survival.

Doing this allowed the wolves to eat faster and faster and satiate themselves when they had one prey, since they didn’t know when they might have the next.

While this is an unnecessary tendency when the animal is the only one in the house, it is certainly so ingrained that it will be difficult to eliminate it completely. Dogs, on the other hand, don’t understand manners, so for them to act this way is the most natural thing in the world.

Why don’t they get sick?

Dogs’ digestive system is better prepared than ours to swallow large pieces of food without getting sick. This is thanks to the amazing ability of your esophagus to dilate and expand.

Unfortunately this can also lead to problems such as obesity.

It is difficult, though not impossible, to differentiate when the dog can naturally swallow without chewing from when the dog is a sweet tooth.

We must also take into account that ingesting too much, without expending too much energy, will lead to excess weight that will trigger other problems in the bones, joints, respiratory system and heart.

Advice to avoid swallowing without chewing

Swallowing without chewing does not mean your dog is overfed or overweight. But since this is not a good attitude, it is better to do something to discourage her. Let’s see some practical advice that will help with this:

• Combine the feed with natural foods such as eggs or chicken. These foods may contribute serotonin, a neurotransmitter that can reduce nervousness and will prevent your dog from wanting to swallow without chewing.
• Stress and anxiety can increase food intake. Look out for signs that tell you your dog is stressed.
• Take long walks and encourage the dog to exercise. If there is physical wear and tear, it will not be a problem if your dog sometimes swallows food quickly.
• Pay attention to the amount of calories you give your dog, so that it doesn’t exceed the energy he expends.

Other recommendations

There are numerous varieties of pet items on the market and, when we need help to fight our pets’ bad habits, there is also. For example:

• “Anti-gulping” feeders. These feeders, known as “anti-gulping” feeders, prevent the animal from putting its entire snout in it and prevent it from being able to swallow too quickly.
• Kong Rechargeable Toys. These toys have an opening that can be filled with the daily ration that your dog needs and, while he plays, he can take out the ration grains.

This will help your dog develop patience while he is having fun and not swallow food quickly.

• Spread the food on the floor. Don’t make a mountain, but spread it out on the ground. Thus the animal will be forced to eat the ration, one by one, instead of swallowing a large amount at once.

You should be willing to do some cleaning later to get food and drool off the floor.

Like us, dogs also bear marks of childhood, their ancestors, their genes and their upbringing. The tendency to quickly swallow food may seem impossible to control, but we are certain that if you follow our advice, your pet will soon be calmer when it comes to eating.