I took in a puppy that had worms, straving, and having to fight for what food she did get. I have got her wormed but she is use to fighting for food and she eats so fast that she chokes. Her name is Lucy and she is a beagle and basset hound mix. I am hand feeding her now and there has to be an easier way to get her to stop. I have a older dog and another puppy in the house with her and i keep them apart when i feed them but when she smells food she goes nuts trying to get to it. Also what is a good can puppy food that want give her the runs. The other puppy is very pickey about what she eats. They do not fight but this is hard at feeding time. Thanks ahead of time for what ever help you send my way. I have 6 dogs and this is a first for me. I have never had one that ate so fast that she chokes. Dry dog food is out for sure. She does not chew food.
First of all, feed her by herself. Either put her in another room, or put the other dogs out while she eats, so she won't feel that they are going to take the food from her.
Moisten dry food with some broth, that will help a bit. Give her 6 small meals a day. It's quite normal for starved dogs to get the runs when they first start eating good food. That should clear up within a few days. No doubt she needs to be wormed too.
Gobbling is a learning behaviour because she has had to compete for food. Once she learns that she will never go hungry again, she won't be as bad, but starved dogs often eat faster than the others regardless. A big heavy rock on top of her food will help to slow her down.
Raise her dish on a stand, so she is less likely to swallow air as she eats, which can cause bloat. It took one cocker I rescued, a year to finally learn that he would always be fed.
My latest Great Dane rescue learned that within two weeks, so I have been able to switch her over to free feeding.
Only feed her a small amount at a time, and when she finishes a small handful of food then give her another. After a while she will get used to the fact that food is going to be coming to her regularly, and she will calm down. You just have to give her lots of love and give her puppy treats occasionally to prove to her that you plan on feeding her regularly
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I just set a small bowl upside down in the middle of their food dish. (a big rock will do the same thing.)
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I have heard that if you put a golf ball in with the food, they have to slow down to eat around it. Don't know if it works or not.
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My dog does the same thing. Someone on here told me to get rocks that are to big for your dog to eat and clean them well and then stick them around in the food bowl, that way they will have to slow down to dig around the rocks. I tried it and it worked really well!
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Use a big plate or even a cookie sheet and smear her food around on it in a thin layer so she has to take her time. Slowly make the area smaller as she slows down. Gradually introduce dry food on the pan.
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feed the dog small portions several times per day…….. Its appetite will soon subside and then u can feed twice to three small meals per day. The dog will be okay. A malnourished anything will do this which is not good for their digestive system. A vet will tell you small portions several times daily also, Never feed full meals when they are extremely malnourished.
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have rescued pets for 30 years
Make the pup sit whilst the other's eat then allow her to have her food (small meals to start with) with plenty of reassurance & praise, always trying to calm and slow her down. If she gulps the food take it away until she calms down again. She'll soon realise that her good behaviour will bring rewards and wont feel under pressure to grab her food.
I had the same problem with a German Sheperd, took months to sort her out.
The main difference between normal and puppy food is generally a higher fat content in puppy food.
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you need to be very careful of "bloat" with a dog that eats too fast……you can buy a raised dog food stand so your pup is not chowing downward rather the elevation of the food makes them slow down…or you can put a tennis ball or something in the bowl to slow them down as they need to eat around it…..no commercially bought food is better than any of the all natural/holistic food availasble….try wysong's"growth"
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kennel/daycare owner
Hi there,
I think that this gulping food down is a learned behaviour due to her circumstances. Your comment that she had to fight for food tells me that she was in a situation that if she did not eat it quickly, it would be eaten by other dogs. It's possible that the last owner had the habit of taking food away before she had finished and this gives the impression she has to wolf it down. It is true that dogs tend to eat relatively quickly without a break, as that is natural dog behaviour. Dogs never know when they are next going to be fed or have food, particularly in the wild. She has obviously learned that she has to have food quickly, or she might not get any, or that it will be taken away. So she is anxious, hence the eating so fast she chokes. (Particularly if you have resolved the worm problem.)
You will need to teach her that when food it given to her, it is hers. It will not be taken away and she will have time to eat it. She has to learn to feel secure in the home, build up trust with you and the other dogs. With good training and good socialising that will come with time.
If you want more advice, email me.
Eli.
ecommoford@yahoo.co.uk
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Vet told my friend to water the food down into a soup, then they have to drink it that they can't do so fast.
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First of all, feed her by herself. Either put her in another room, or put the other dogs out while she eats, so she won't feel that they are going to take the food from her.
Moisten dry food with some broth, that will help a bit. Give her 6 small meals a day. It's quite normal for starved dogs to get the runs when they first start eating good food. That should clear up within a few days. No doubt she needs to be wormed too.
Gobbling is a learning behaviour because she has had to compete for food. Once she learns that she will never go hungry again, she won't be as bad, but starved dogs often eat faster than the others regardless. A big heavy rock on top of her food will help to slow her down.
Raise her dish on a stand, so she is less likely to swallow air as she eats, which can cause bloat. It took one cocker I rescued, a year to finally learn that he would always be fed.
My latest Great Dane rescue learned that within two weeks, so I have been able to switch her over to free feeding.
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