Critter Corner: Is Your Dog a Pig?

Just like kids, there are some dogs that are picky eaters. You have to put gravy or treats over their “good” food. There are others who like to nibble food, or even bury kibble-bits for a rainy day, however there are competitive eaters. Each meal is a race to consume as much food as possible. Sometimes it is because there is another dog nearby, or it is a race against their personal best.

It is nice not to have to worry about your dog joining the clean-plate-club, but eating too quickly can cause gas, bloating, choking or vomiting. Here are some easy tactics that can help slow them down and avoid unpleasant or even dangerous sideeffects.

Make the food more difficult to eat. You can buy a dish with obstacles. Your dog will have to pick around them to get to the food. An easy do-it-yourself method is just to put an overturned small bowl in the center. This will cause them to eat in a circle rather than one big gulp.

Divide and conquer: Try putting two or three small dishes out at the same time or scatter kibble over a large cookie tray. Offer food multiple times a day rather than two. This gives them the feeling they are eating more,when in fact they are eating more often.

Just add water: This simple trick fills your dog up without adding food. Kibble with a ¼ to ½ cup of water poured over it gives them the feeling of being full. This works particularly well with offering food several times a day.

Keep distractions to a minimum. Just like people dogs will gulp their food if they are in a hurry to do something else. The “something else” may be, seeing what has dropped off the counter while you are cooking your own dinner, what the other dog/cat has not eaten, what the kids are doing or even who is coming home.

Getting your dog to eat more slowly is easy to implement. It is a good idea for all sizes, but particularly important for larger breeds.