Tips To Help Your Dog Eat Slower

Dogs are real gluttons, but we can’t let their appetite lead them to health problems. It is best to adopt a list of precautions when they are eating, especially to help them eat more slowly.

In fact, if your dog eats heartily, that’s a good sign, as the most worrying symptom in pets is lack of appetite.

However, if your dog eats a dish too fast a few seconds after it has been served, it can become a problematic situation, because when he swallows so quickly, he also takes in too much air, which can cause stomach distension.

Stomach distension in dogs has different degrees of severity, as the stomach becomes excessively inflamed and still air can cause a lot of pain to the dog. 

This is something you should pay attention to, especially in large dogs, as they tend to suffer from gastric torsion, which occurs when the stomach is twisted, causing strangulation of blood vessels and organs that are compromised in the torsion.

This is one of the most delicate veterinary emergencies, as it can cause the dog’s death in a matter of hours or days.

Although the exact causes of gastric torsion are not known, it is known that an incident factor is the  presence of excessive air in the digestive tract, so here are some ideas on how to prevent your dog from eating food too quickly.

Small portions are best

Instead of feeding your dog once a day with a large portion , the best you can do is give him smaller portions of food several times a day. This will make your dog feel full throughout the day.

This will greatly benefit your digestion and prevent you from spending too many hours on an empty stomach . The main reason dogs attack the food plate is because they don’t eat anything for a long time, so by the time they’re served, they’re hungry.

It is advisable to feed the dog between two to three times a day. However, you should keep in mind that you should not leave food within his reach throughout the day, as this will not be good for him either.

Buy the necessary accessories

Currently, on the market, it is possible to find a wide variety of products designed to correct this type of behavior.

It is recommended to purchase dishes for dogs that eat fast, which are specialized dishes that, in a way, prevent immediate access to food , making them, necessarily, have to eat more slowly.

Another way to make your dog eat more slowly is to buy a toy to fill. Unlike dishes, these toys serve to fill with food, presenting a certain level of challenge for the dog, who must find the proper way to obtain the contents of the toy.

You can even design your pet’s own homemade toys.

Avoid drinking too much water

As with excess food, excess water, especially after eating, can cause the animal to fill its stomach, causing different problems, including regurgitation.

The best thing is that you only serve a little water after each meal, and that after drinking it, remove the container for two hours. After he has rested, you can give him the normal amount of water.

If you have multiple dogs

The competence between them makes them develop some habits that are not very healthy, so the best thing is that, if you have more than one dog, the foods are separated. This way, they will eat calmly, without having to  worry that the other animal will steal their food.

High plate for big dogs

This will not help you to make him eat slowly, but it  will prevent him from consuming too much air and gasses from building up in his stomach.

Therefore, for large dogs, it is advisable not to leave the dish directly on the ground. It is better to place it on a base or on a small table so that the food is closer to its reach, due to the size of the animal.