Does your dog gulp down all of its food as soon as you fill up its bowl? Even though it's instinct for dogs to gobble up their food without chewing, eating too fast could still make your dog cough, choke, or vomit. Whether your dog eats fast due to learned behavior or an underlying condition, there's so much you can do to slow your dog down while it eats. Keep reading for a comprehensive guide on the best ways you can make your dog stop rushing through mealtime!

1

Take your dog to a vet to rule out medical problems.

  1. Parasites or chronic illnesses can make your dog eat more quickly. A stomach parasite prevents your dog from getting all the nutrients it needs, so it will try to quickly gulp down its food.[1] Thyroid and hormone issues in older dogs can also prevent them from feeling full so they’ll eat really fast. Reach out to your vet to let them know about the issue and take your dog in to see if there are any underlying causes.[2]
    • When your dog eats too fast and then exercises, it can develop life-threatening bloat, also known as gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV). If you see your dog has difficulty moving, dry heaves, a round, expanded stomach, or if it pants and salivates excessively, take your dog to a vet immediately.[3]
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2

Use a slow feeder bowl.

  1. Slow feeders spread out food so your dog takes smaller bites. A slow feeder bowl has raised grooves that your dog has to eat around.[4] Spread the kibble evenly throughout the bowl so your pup will only be able to get a few pieces out at a time.[5]
    • Slow feeders are great enrichment for dogs since it challenges them to figure out how to reach their food.
    • Your dog will eat faster as it gets used to using a slow feeder, but it will still be slower than feeding it from a regular bowl.
6

Put a tennis ball in your dog’s bowl.

  1. Your dog will have to move the ball around to reach its food. After you fill your dog’s bowl, set a tennis ball on top of the food. Since the ball blocks some of the food, your dog will have to push the ball out of the way and won’t be able to take as big of bites.[9]
    • If your dog picks the tennis ball out of the bowl, then try putting a large rock in the middle of the bowl instead. Just make sure it’s large enough so that your dog won’t try to eat it.
    • You can also try flipping your dog’s food bowl over and putting the kibble in the ring around the raised center.
7

Feed your dog from a muffin tin.

  1. Muffin tins force your dog to eat its food in smaller portions. Rather than filling a deep dog bowl with your pup’s entire meal, split it up into quarter portions. Put each portion into a separate cup on the muffin tin. Since your dog will have to stop and move to the next cup to keep eating, it’ll take a little more time to finish its meal.[10]
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8

Spread the kibble out on a cookie sheet.

  1. The dog food will slide around so your dog doesn’t eat in large gulps. Set a cookie sheet on the ground and pour all of your dog’s kibble onto it into a single layer. As your dog eats, it will push the pieces away with its nose and only be able to get a few bits of kibble with each bite.[11]
    • You could instead make a trail of food on a yoga mat. Your dog will love sniffing around for the next bit of food.
9

Hand-feed your pup.

  1. Hand-feeding lets you control your dog’s portion size with each bite. When it’s time to feed your dog, hold a few pieces of kibble in your hand. Make your dog work for the food by training and practicing commands and rewarding it with the kibble.[12] As your dog gets used to being hand-fed, it will learn to eat slower when you put the food back in its bowl.[13]
    • Taking time to practice commands during mealtime also strengthens your bond with your dog.
    • Take about 15 minutes to feed your dog its full meal so it learns to slow down while it eats.
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Expert Q&A

  • Question
    How do I stop my dog from gulping its food?
    Dominik Feichtner
    Dominik Feichtner
    Dog Trainer & Behaviorist
    Dominik Feichtner is a Professional Dog Trainer and Behaviorist and the Owner of The Dog Behaviorist NYC out of New York, New York. With over eight years of experience working with dogs, Dominik specializes in general obedience, behavior modification, and puppy training. His commitment to a balanced, common-sense approach led to his recognition as one of the “Best Dog Trainers in Brooklyn” and one of the “Best Dog Trainers in NYC” by Pooch and Harmony in 2020.
    Dominik Feichtner
    Dog Trainer & Behaviorist
    Expert Answer
    You can either try feeding your dog by hand or by putting the food into a slow feeder bowl.
  • Question
    Why is my dog always looking for food?
    Pippa Elliott, MRCVS Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
    Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
    Veterinarian
    Expert Answer
    Many dogs don't have an "on-off" switch when it comes to appetite (Labradors spring to mind!). These dogs will act as if they are starving hungry, even though they've just eaten. If your dog has always been greedy, then it's likely that's just part of who they are. To be on the safe side, check the dog isn't under weight (a vet tech will happily weigh the dog and advise you), and deworm them.
  • Question
    Even when I give my dog a single piece of food she swallows it whole. What should I do?
    Pippa Elliott, MRCVS Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
    Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
    Veterinarian
    Expert Answer
    If you are worried about her choking, then consider using a puzzle feeder such as a Kong. Put her wet food inside the Kong, so she has to lick the food out rather than swallow it in one lump. For extra effect, freeze the Kong so it takes longer for her to lick. You can also feed a combination of kibble and wet food this way, by mixing the kibble with the wet food.
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About This Article

Dominik Feichtner
Co-authored by:
Dog Trainer & Behaviorist
This article was co-authored by Dominik Feichtner and by wikiHow staff writer, Hunter Rising. Dominik Feichtner is a Professional Dog Trainer and Behaviorist and the Owner of The Dog Behaviorist NYC out of New York, New York. With over eight years of experience working with dogs, Dominik specializes in general obedience, behavior modification, and puppy training. His commitment to a balanced, common-sense approach led to his recognition as one of the “Best Dog Trainers in Brooklyn” and one of the “Best Dog Trainers in NYC” by Pooch and Harmony in 2020. This article has been viewed 403,335 times.
5 votes - 100%
Co-authors: 15
Updated: November 19, 2022
Views: 403,335
Categories: Feeding Dogs
Article SummaryX

To keep a dog from eating too fast, put a large rock or an upside down bowl in the middle of its food dish and pour the food around it so the dog has to work around it to get food. Alternatively, put the food in several small dishes around the room to make the dog stop eating and move somewhere else after it finishes each bowl. If that doesn’t work, try putting the food in a muffin tin so the dog will have to pause between eating the food in each section. For tips from our Veterinary reviewer on how to tell if your dog is eating too fast, read on!

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