How to slow down your chowhound

    

Picture this: You set down your dog's meal, and before you can even blink, it's vanished into thin air. Sound familiar? Some dogs chew slowly and savor every bite, while others are known for hoovering up their food, gobbling it at lightning speed without a second thought. Wolfing down their meal may seem like an impressive feat, but this habit can actually pose serious risks to your dog.

After all, eating too fast can lead to serious problems like bloat or aspiration (inhaling food).

 

Because this can be a tough habit to break, we’ve compiled a list of handy tricks that may get your chowhound to slow it down:

1. Slow-Feeder Bowls. These specially designed bowls come in various shapes and sizes, all aimed at slowing down your dog's eating pace. Alternatively, you can create your own by placing your dog's regular dish upside down inside a larger bowl, creating a barrier that forces them to eat more slowly.

2. Food Puzzles. Engage your pup's mind and slow down their eating with food puzzle toys. These clever contraptions make your dog work for their meal, preventing them from gulping down large mouthfuls in seconds.

3. Cookie Sheet or Muffin Pan. Similar to the concept of a slow-feeder bowl, spread your dog's food across a cookie sheet or fill a muffin pan with small portions. This makes it harder for them to hoover up their meal in one go, encouraging slower, more mindful eating.

4. Hand Feed. Turn mealtime into training time by hand feeding your dog during obedience sessions. This slows down their eating and also strengthens your bond as you work through training exercises together.

5. Hide and seek: Split your dog’s dinner into several meals and hide them throughout the house and yard. This will really make your dog work for their supper.

6. Training time: Use your dog’s food drive to spruce up on training. Practice training commands and give handfuls of kibble as reward.

7. Timed feeders: You can program timed feeders to release a small portion of the food at different times of the day. But be careful—some dogs may get impatient and destroy the feeder to get to the yummy food inside.

If you feel that your dog’s eagerness for food seems more like intense hunger than just simple excitement, be sure to speak to your veterinarian. Certain conditions can spike your dog’s hunger level.