# Eating too fast



## boomana (Jul 9, 2015)

I've got me a happy, healthy pork pie puppy that is a scary little monster when it comes to food. At 12 weeks, she'll eat a Stella and Chewy's patty in two fast bites and try to move in on my other dog's food and then the cat's at lightning speed. Both Watson and Ivan (other dog and cat) are slow, leave-some-for-later animals, and have never really gone after each other's food. I've negotiated the logistics of feeding time, but I've never had a critter so crazed. I've gotten her to sit before I put the bowl down, and I've tried hand feeding her to slow it down, but I don't want to get into that habit. She spends a lot of her time out of her ex pen scrounging for crumbs or the mere possibility of crumbs. She checks out fine with the vet, so this isn't a health issue. I'm just concerned as this is new to me, and I'm not even sure if I should be concerned. I'm looking for knowledgeable opinions and/or advice. Thanks!


----------



## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

it's usually not a problem so long as she isn't hacking or choking. It's best if dogs can eat separately to avoid any anxiety or guarding behavior. Dogs don't chew so it seems fast to us. Some are slow. Just try to avoid any encroachment of their space by one another.


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Yup. She's acting like a pretty normal dog. Mine eat in separate areas. (Kodi in the kitchen, Pixel in her ex-pen) they both have to wait politely for their food... But once they are released to their dishes, ... That food is gone in a snap! It takes me longer to get it ready than it takes them to eat it!


----------



## boomana (Jul 9, 2015)

Thanks for your responses. I feel better. My only dog experience prior to Lola is my two-year-old Coton/Cavalier mix, who is a very picky grazer. Before I switched over to Stella and Chewy's, he'd take one piece of kibble out at a time, walk it to his dog bed to maybe eat it, maybe save it. I'd even end up throwing a lot of Stella and Chewy's away because he'd just leave it some days. Other than chicken necks, which he'd gobble right up, he's not interested in food, even treats. The good news is that after watching Lola, he's now eating everything. I do feed them all in separate places, but she's a speedy little demon so he's no longer waiting all day to finish. Fortunately, neither Watson or Ivan (the cat) is possessive with their food.


----------



## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

Scout always waits for Truffles to eat before he touches his food. They are fed at opposite ends of the kitchen. I put their dishes down at the same time. Scout will lay down with his dish in front of him not touching it and watch Truffles. She will sniff hers and then goes over to check out Scout's.  She will try to eat his food and we say "no" then move her back to her dish. Scout just watches her eat. Sometimes we have to start him eating by hand feeding him. I would love to know what Scout is thinking.


----------



## littlebuddy (May 30, 2007)

Try putting her food in a ball. When I switched Django to his new food he loved it so much he would inhale every piece of kibble. I now put a few in his bowl and the rest in the kong/ball. It takes him a little longer now to eat breakfast now and he doesn't appear to be starving after having just eaten. Plus, it's good mental stimulation.


----------



## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

Do you mean putting food in a Kong?


----------



## Naturelover (Nov 30, 2013)

I actually found that the Stella & Chewy's patties are quite nice to put into a Kong- I would often do that before I left to keep Archer occupied a little and he always cleaned them right out. In fact now that he is on frozen raw, if the time I'm leaving him coincides with dinner, I am able to stuff his dinner portion into two kongs and leave him with those. He always cleans them out and then I run the kongs through the dishwasher.


----------



## littlebuddy (May 30, 2007)

Yes, they sell these round rubber balls with a hole in the middle. You put your dogs kibble in the ball and they have to roll the ball around with their paws and nose to get the food out. it's the best! They sell them next to the snowman looking type kongs


----------



## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

It sounds like a great idea. Think I will give it a try.


----------



## Molly120213 (Jan 22, 2014)

Molly loves to eat her kibble when it dispenses out of something. We have a ball and also the Treat Tower that was recommended on this forum. It is a great interactive toy and you can adjust the size of the holes to make it more challenging if you want to.


----------



## boomana (Jul 9, 2015)

I like the Kong idea. I'd tried it out with my other dog and he just sniffed at it and walked away. I totally forgot about them. Thanks!


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Heather Glen said:


> Scout always waits for Truffles to eat before he touches his food. They are fed at opposite ends of the kitchen. I put their dishes down at the same time. Scout will lay down with his dish in front of him not touching it and watch Truffles. She will sniff hers and then goes over to check out Scout's.  She will try to eat his food and we say "no" then move her back to her dish. Scout just watches her eat. Sometimes we have to start him eating by hand feeding him. I would love to know what Scout is thinking.


It could be that he is a little intimidated by her, even though their dishes are not near each other. While in other instances, Kodi lets Pixel run roughshod over him, when it comes to the food dish, she seems to believe he MEANS it when he tells her to stay away. Kodi eats in the kitchen, and Pixel eats in her ex-pen in the dining room. Just the way the kitchen is set up, I put Kodi's food down first, and then release him to eat. Pixel doesn't need to walk NEAR him to get to her ex-pen, but, even though he has NEVER said anything to her about it, she doesn't want to walk past him. She just lies down in the middle of the kitchen floor. I have to pick her up and carry her and her bowl over to her ex-pen. Then she tucks right in!


----------



## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

Truffles is the more dominant one which I find surprising. Scout's food can be right in front of his face and he will just lay on the floor watching and waiting to see if she might want his food. It is just so funny to watch.  If Truffles wants something she goes for it! :biggrin1:


----------

