My Dog Eats Too Fast — How Do I Stop It?

Anxiety is a problem that triggers dangerous behaviours in dogs; among them, one of the most common is eating too fast. There are various factors triggering this, along with multiple consequences it can have, such as vomiting, choking risk and/or gastric torsion.

So, what should you do if your dog eats too fast? Eliminating this habit and teaching your dog to eat calmly takes patience and a few important steps. Let's look in detail at how to fix this dangerous behaviour.

Why Does My Dog Eat So Fast?

One of the traits of a dog's eating behaviour is their relatively high eating speed, which contrasts with that of cats.

The dog, as a descendant of the wolf, keeps the instinct to eat large amounts of food in a short time, to avoid having to share it with the rest of the pack or lose it. Even so, there are cases where this can become pathological.

Pay special attention, since in plenty of cases your pet's behaviour has a lot to do with your own behaviour towards them in certain routines and situations.

Stress

Stressed dogs develop every kind of negative behaviour, such as eating ravenously, as a way of releasing a bit of energy and calming the anxiety they feel.

Among the triggers for your pet's anxiety, we can mention separation from their attachment figure (that is, you) when your furry friend is left alone for a while, whether because you need to work, travel and so on.

Avoid reinforcing leaving rituals with explanations, strokes and rewards to calm them down, as well as reinforcing arrival rituals with a long greeting or punishment for any damage found, since this only generates more anxiety.

Another important factor is early separation from the mother through premature weaning, abandonment, or the mother's death.

Bad Habits or Competition

Some dogs get used to eating fast from puppyhood, especially when growing up with their littermates. Even during the nursing stage, you'll notice they "fight" to eat first, so this behaviour can carry on into adulthood.

This can also happen if the puppy is raised in a home with adult dogs, especially if at mealtime the bigger dogs stop the small one from eating, or push them to eat last.

Gluttony

Just as happens with humans, some dogs love eating! This can lead them to rush too much when their food is served.

Food Quality

Serotonin is an important neurotransmitter that acts as an appetite stimulant and stabiliser. Check whether your pet's food is low in protein, since this can raise serotonin levels in the brain, and with it, greater voracity at mealtimes.

Health Problems

Dogs suffering from digestive problems, such as IBD, don't metabolise food properly. This makes their body intensify the hunger signal in search of more nutrients.

These dogs with digestive problems usually literally "devour" any kind of food, which is dangerous for their health.

What Happens if a Dog Eats Too Fast?

Even in dogs who are simply gluttons, eating on the run can be highly dangerous, since it causes:

• Vomiting. If your dog eats without chewing, it's common for them to then vomit up the food. The result? They'll still be hungry and want to eat again, falling into a vicious cycle.
• Gastric torsion. This happens when the stomach expands to the point the ligaments can't hold it, and it ends up twisting on its axis. The mortality rate from gastric torsion is high, and it needs emergency treatment.
• Choking. Even if the food's size is suitable for the dog, they can choke from eating too fast.

What to Do to Get a Dog to Eat More Slowly?

Instilling better eating habits in your dog isn't an easy task, which is why we suggest putting the following measures into place:

Eliminate Stress

Look at whether there's any irregularity in your habits that could be influencing their behaviour — remember that, for them, you're the pack leader, the dominant one, whose behaviour pattern they'll follow.

If the problem is triggered by stress, you need to eliminate the stimulus causing it. Perhaps your dog needs more walks or play, or their nervousness has been triggered by a change in routine. Either way, you need to find the root of the problem to tackle it.

Use Slow-Feeder Bowls

Have you ever seen a bowl with little mounds inside it? Or a kind of maze? These are special bowls that make it harder for the dog to eat fast, forcing them to eat slowly.

Buy a Kong for Dogs

The Kong works in a similar way to slow feeders. You can fill it with different foods, such as dry kibble, cooked ham, peanut butter, among others (depending on your dog's diet).

Thanks to the Kong, the dog will take longer to reach each bit of food, while discovering new flavours.

Serve Smaller Portions

Measure the portion of food you offer your dog daily and split it into three or four smaller portions. This way, your dog won't eat as much each time, and the risk of them developing health problems is reduced.

What's more, some dogs may feel hungry during the day if you've got them used to eating only once. With this measure, you offer them spaced-out meals that help them stay full.

Although this technique has worked for plenty of dogs, it's had the opposite effect on others (mainly ones coming from large litters, or from rescue centres), so it's necessary, when applying this measure, to watch your pet, since it's sometimes had a reversed effect, with less food available increasing their voracity.

Stimulate Their Instinct

Games are an excellent way of helping your dog eat more calmly. If they enjoy digging things up or looking for toys, hide portions of food around the house so they entertain themselves searching for it. This method is called scatter feeding.

Just as with the first solution, make sure to split the recommended daily portion (based on your dog's age, weight and physical activity) into small mouthfuls before hiding it.

See the Vet

If your dog's anxiety persists and they frequently show discomfort from their bad eating habits, see the vet. Only this way can you determine whether their eating anxiety stems from some illness.