Puppy Training Tips for Gulping Food

Puppies are little bundles of energy and their antics are sure to bring a smile to your face. But a puppy that gulps her food is nothing to smile about. In fact, she may develop health problems later on. One immediate concern is a condition called bloat, which can be fatal. When puppies eat too fast they swallow air, which leads to vomiting. It is important to curb this behavior early on, and there are a number of things you can do about it.

  1. Eliminate the Bowl

    • Pour your puppy's food on the floor rather than putting it in a dish. Spread the food around so your puppy will not be able to grab and gulp. You can also place the food on a large cookie sheet or tray, but the idea is the same. Your puppy will have to move around in order to get each piece of food and this will slow him down. This technique works best with dry food.

    Get a Special Dish

    • Purchase a specially made dish that will keep the puppy from eating too fast. There are several types of bowls to choose from, but the principle is the same. The raised columns in the bowl will prevent the puppy from reaching all the food at once. Also, the bowls are designed to slide a little, which further slows down the puppy's eating. Each of the four sections holds approximately 1/2 cup of food.

    Smooth Rocks

    • Get one or two large, smooth rocks and place them in the puppy's bowl. River rocks work well. Make certain the rocks are large enough so that your puppy won't be able to get them inside her mouth or try to swallow them. They should be smooth to avoid the possibility of chipping teeth. The rocks will serve the same function as the special bowl, because she will have to move the rocks around to get at the food.

    Moisten the Food

    • Moisten the food with a little water and place it in the puppy's bowl. The idea is to make it harder for the puppy to reach all of the food quickly. He will have to work harder for it and eat slower. One word of caution: Remember that wet food tends to spoil much faster than dry food. You will need to dispose of any leftovers as soon as your puppy is finished with his meal.

    Hand Feed

    • Place some dry food in your hand and sit down on the floor with your puppy. Offer it to her one kibble at a time. Do not hurry the process. If your puppy becomes anxious, reassure her, but do not feed her any faster. By making her take each bite slowly, as it is offered, she will soon learn the food will come no faster, no matter how quickly she might want to eat the kibble.

    Stress-Free Location

    • Provide a stress-free location for your puppy. Sometimes puppies eat too fast because of the high level of activity in their area, such as children playing or family members moving coming and going. This environment causes the puppy anxiety, and she may gulp her food in order to get done eating and move away from all the excitement. Too much activity in the feeding place may also cause an upset stomach and vomiting.

    Frequent Smaller Meals

    • Divide the day's food into smaller meals and feed your puppy more frequently throughout the day. This will accomplish two things. The puppy will eat less with each meal, and there will be less chance of stomach upset and vomiting even if she still gulps her food. The frequent feedings will also help establish the idea that food is available throughout the day and there is no need for a feeding frenzy at mealtime.

    Treat Balls

    • Use a treat ball to feed your puppy. These are much like the popular dog toys made of durable hard rubber that can be stuffed with treats. Treat balls come in a number of different sizes and configurations. Choose one that will suit your needs based on the size and breed of your puppy. Fill it with food and let your pup find creative ways to extract her supper. The device will force her to eat slower.