Reddit mentions: The best dog slow feeders

FEEDING

>Every time I've fed him, he's thrown up.

How long has this been going on? If it has happened for more than a couple days you REALLY need to get to the bottom of this. A vet check would be prudent to rule out worms or any other gastric issues. What food are you feeding? How much? How often?

Puppies should be getting 3 meals a day. Free feeding should be avoided. If your puppy is eating too quickly consider getting a puzzle toy, making him earn most of his food through training or hand feeding or getting a special feeder (you can also use a muffin tray as a cheap remedy)

Check out the food you are feeding on Dog Food Advisor. Then compare it to the 4 star and 5 star food lists.

WHEN you feed is also an important consideration. Wait at least 30-60 minutes to feed after heavy activity.


HOUSE TRAINING

>I've been making sure to punish him accordingly (push his nose into the pee/poo, yelling at him, and taking him outside)

You should NOT be doing this! You are not teaching him that going to the bathroom in the house is bad - you are ONLY teaching him that going to the bathroom IN FRONT OF YOU IS DANGEROUS. If he has an accident in the house it is YOUR fault for not being around to let him out or watching him closely enough. Push your own nose in it as you are the only one who is failing.

A puppy is a baby - at 12 weeks they can only hold it for a maximum of 3 hours when they are inactive and usually only 30mins-1hour when they are active. They need to be supervised AT ALL TIMES or left in a puppy safe area (but not for any longer than they can physically hold it).

You do not need any "homemade tech" - you just need to manage his environment more! Look into Crate Training, clean up pet messes immediately with an enzymatic cleaner, and get him on a schedule (which is sounds like you are sort of doing - but if he is still having accidents he may need to go out more frequently or you need to do a better part of watching him/being around on time). Rewarding him with a high value treat when he goes outside IS correct - but stop punishing him when he makes a mistake!

See: Errorless House Training, House Training a Puppy and ASPCA House Training your Dog (this one covers the 'why' behind the effectiveness or lack-there-of for certain 'old school' methods - like paper training and rubbing your dogs nose in waste).


BITING/CHEWING
> He does seem pretty obedient when I catch him trying to chew, as he will stop when I yell at him and he will leave it alone.

You are focusing waaay too much on punishment. Again, your dog is a baby - he does not KNOW that your flip flops are valuable to you. He just knows he is a puppy and he is teething and this weird piece of foam and plastic feels good to chew on. Yelling at him just makes you scary and dangerous and is not actually TEACHING him what he SHOULD be doing. Look for opportunities to teach, not to punish.

Pick up and store everything that you do not want your pup to chew on - this includes making sure shoes are put away, paper is out of reach and any other 'favorite' non-appropriate chews are stored in a drawer, closet or on a high shelf (this is basic puppy proofing). If there is a room with a lot of items you cannot store that he tends to chew on - block access to that room with gates or doors (or ensure he is on leash and closely supervised when in these areas).

If you catch him chewing on something he should not - use a positive interrupter and replace the object with something he SHOULD be chewing on. Play with him a bit with the new object and encourage him to seek these items out. Reward him with small treats whenever you catch him 'being good' (playing with appropriate toys instead of your shoes) and take breaks to play with him when you see him doing these things as often as you can. You want to teach him that playing with these objects is rewarding and gets him attention. Some dogs will seek out 'off limits' items just because it gets your attention so effectively. Try to ignore him or use a positive interrupter and redirect to a new object. Going into a different room, waiting a few seconds and calling the puppy to you is a good way to redirect him away from the object without giving him direct attention. NEVER chase a dog with an object in their mouth the should not have - that just makes it a game for them! Unless the object is immediately dangerous, try to convince them to drop it on their own and make a big deal about them choosing a better chew.

Make sure there are several toys that he enjoys chewing on available at all times. You may also want to use natural chews like Bully Sticks or Trachea to help encourage positive chewing habits. Things like ice cubes or damp, frozen rags are great chews for pups with sore mouths from teething.

CRATE TRAINING/SLEEPING

This is totally normal for puppies. They are alone for the first time in their lives and that is really scary to them!

A properly sized crate should be just big enough for puppy to stand, sit, lay down and turn around in. Any bigger and they have the opportunity to use a corner for a bathroom and sleep on the other side. The purpose of the smaller crate size is to discourage them from having accidents and to learn to hold their bladder.

That being said, remember a puppy of this age can only hold it for a few hours! You will likely need to take him out at least once in the night until he is old enough to hold it longer.

You need to ensure that NO attention is given to the puppy while he is in the crate and crying. This becomes a bit of a trick as you need to be SURE he isn't crying to go out to the bathroom. The general rule is:

• If the pup has been out in the last 30-60 minutes, ignore
  
• If the pup has NOT been out, take him DIRECTLY outside on leash, give him 5-10minutes to do his business. If he does, you can give him a small treat then RIGHT back inside in his crate to sleep. No pets, not excessive attention, no play time. Potty. Crate. That is all fussing gets.
  
• If the pup carries on for more than 10 minutes or so, it may be worth taking them outside (see bullet #2) to make sure they are 'empty'. Again, they have 5-10 minutes to go. If they do, treat, inside. If they dont? They go back in the crate. No treat.
  
• If you are 100% sure the pup does not need to go to the bathroom, you MUST absolutely ignore the pup. No yelling ("QUIET!" "SHUT UP!"), No hitting the crate, no eye contact, try not to walk by the crate, etc. Pretend like you absolutely cannot hear him. It is hard the first few nights, but if you are absolutely consistent, the behavior WILL stop.
  
• If he is quiet in his crate (and people are awake) give him some small treats and attention to reinforce that behavior.
  
  It can help if you have his crate in the same room while you sleep so he doesn't feel so alone. Blankets also help if he is being over stimulated by the environment.
  
  GENERAL
  
  Be sure the puppy is getting plenty of exercise, training and attention. If you are working 8 hours every single night and sleeping during the day - puppy can be left with a lot of 'free time' which can lead to behavior issues. Puppies DO sleep a lot, but they should be getting at least 30-60 minutes of activity every 2 hours or so (between naps) and (ideally) have a max of 8 hours 'quiet time' during traditional sleeping hours.
  
  Here is a list of resources I would strongly encourage you look at - in addition to getting him into a puppy kindergarten class:
  
  
• /r/puppy101 (read the lessons on the sidebar)
  
  
• /r/dogtraining Wiki
  
  
• /r/dogtraining Book List
  
  
• /r/dogtraining Online Resources
  
  
• Dog training wiki - nipping
  
  
• Dog training wiki - house training
  
  
• The Digital Dog Training Textbook
  
  
• Ian Dunbar - Training Bite Inhibition
  
  
• Kikopup Training Videos
  
  
• Kikopup - Clicker Training
  
  
• Kikopup - Puppy Playlist
  
  
• Dont Shoot the Dog (book)
  
  
• The Culture Clash (book)
  
  
• The Power of Positive Dog Training (book)

Getting her to leave things you don't want hear near or don't want her eating: teach her "leave it:"

• Make sure you have two different types of treats. One type can be fairly boring to the dog, but the other type should be a high-value treat that he finds pretty delicious. You will also want to make sure that the treats are broken up into pea-sized pieces so it won’t take him too long to eat them.
  
• Put one type of treat in each hand. If you like to train with a clicker as your marker, you can also hold a clicker in the same hand that holds the high-value treat. Then, place both of your hands behind your back.
  
• Make a fist with the hand that is holding the treat of lower value and present your fist to your dog, letting him sniff.
  
• Say “leave it” when he finishes sniffing your fist. Make sure to say it only once.
  
• As soon as your dog is done sniffing, you can either click with the clicker or say “yes.” Then offer him the higher-value treat in your other hand.
  
• Repeat until your dog immediately stops sniffing your hand when you say “leave it.”
  
• When you say “leave it” and he stops sniffing right away, leash your dog and then toss a low-value treat outside of his reach.
  
• Wait until he stops sniffing and pulling toward the treat. As soon as he does, either say “yes” or click and then give him a high-value treat from your hand. Practice this exercise a number of times.
  
  The key with this is to work up to items/food that your dog will consider "high-reward," but you need to start with baby steps.
  
  >Openly begs for food and will not leave your side if you have some
  
  Literally force her out of the room. You might have to do it a hundred times, but eventually she will get the message. Do this for every single meal, any time you have food.
  
  >Gorges herself
  
  I don't understand how she's allowed to gorge herself? Keep her food in a place she cannot get to it by herself. If you mean that she's eating too fast, consider buying her one of these bowls. It will force her to eat slower.
  
  >Cannot go to the bathroom outside by herself
  
  You need to go outside with her on a leash every 3-4 hours. If you notice she's still having accidents, you need to go out with her more frequently. Tell her the command "do business" or "go potty" or whatever you'd like to name the command when she finally goes potty outside. Treat her and make it very exciting when she goes potty outside--this gives her a positive experience for going potty outside. Don't punish her for having accidents unless she is specifically marking (peeing only a little bit and not the full amount).
  
  >Tears apart the garbage
  
  Why is she allowed to get into the garbage can?
  
  > 9/10 times, she will not come if called
  
  You need to teach recall with her.
  

I would say this is actually a great thing! Food driven dogs are easier to train because they are always excited about a treat. Use it to your advantage!

As far as stealing food- especially if its from counters- that's on you to keep the counters clean so she never gets anything. If she gets something off the counter then she will continue to steal. If she doesn't, that should eventually go away. if you catch her eyeing a counter and looking like she is about to jump- get her attention and give her a treat for looking at you instead of jumping. Rewarding right before the unwanted behavior occurs, rather than correcting it as it happens usually has more impact on the dog.

Teaching a strong leave it is also going to be key. Take some kibble or something that the dog really likes and have her lay down or sit. Place the food out of her reach and if she tries to get it- pick it up. As she backs off, put it back down. When she eventually stops trying- reward right there in that moment with something even better from behind your back. Dog will learn, if i don't try to eat that, I might get something better. My puppy class teacher told us to never let them get something themselves that they have been told to leave but you can pick it up and hand it to them. You have to practice this a lot in varied situations. For example- my pup is so good at this when you ask her to lay down, you can place treats on her paws and she won't take them; but, if you drop hot dog from the counter to the floor that is much harder so we have been working on that.


For slowing her down during meal time

1. try a puzzle bowl or slow feeder like this
   
   
2. wet her kibble and let it get a little mushy, stuff it in a kong and freeze then give it to her
   
   
3. get a kong wobbler or similar toy and feed from that
   
   
4. make her work for 1/2 her meal as training using kibble as the reward
   
   all of these things will help wear her out as well as play into her strong desire to eat!

I love Kong brand. Kong has toys that are really tough to chew through, not to mention the original Kong you can stuff treats into is pretty much indestructible. My puppy had an abscessed tooth and she couldn't chew anything for a few weeks so Kongs saved our sanity, not to mention this licky mat. You can smear peanut butter on it, soft dog food, spray cheese etc. It was a lifesaver. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GJWCJST/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_j7WWDbZV9ASNZ

We got the Amazon basics crate and it works well. We also got an Amazon basics play pen that has worked wonders https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0758CTVVR/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_j3WWDbSB2W7AJ

I don't have a brand name, but make sure you get dog beds where the cover zips off for easy cleaning. I did not do that, and it has been interesting trying to potty train with a bed you can't easily clean.

I got a pack of bully sticks on Amazon recently that have been wonderful. Bully sticks are a lifesaver when you just need your pup to sit down and stop bugging you for 15 mins so you can fold a load of laundry. Bully sticks are very expressive so these were a good deal https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07M93Q3CP/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_B-WWDb43SZH8P

I also recommend a martingale collar. My puppy was terrified of going outside when we first got her so she would pull out of her collar and run away. If was stressful. Martingale collars tighten as the dog pulls so they can't pull out of them

I hesitate to recommend a camera, because after the second week of using it, it was really more trouble than it was worth. Yeah, you can check on your puppy while you're at work, but if he's crying or whining you can't do anything about it but feel upset.. If you're interested, we used Wyze cams. You can get them on Amazon, they are super cheap and easy to use. I just recommend using them for the first few weeks only, otherwise your work will suffer like mine did.


Edit: I almost forgot to mention Nature's Miracle, the patron saint of carpet and floors! It eliminates the enzymes in urine so your dog doesn't keep peeing in a particular place in your house because it smells like pee. Buy stock in this company. It is that important.

Good luck!

> However, he's intelligent enough to know that when I'm not at home, he can do whatever he wants.



This is a common concept throughout the animal kingdom. Humans, too. It's why corrections are ineffective for this type of situation, because he does these things when you're not home, therefore negating the ability for anyone to correct the behavior. Management, daily mental/physical stimulation, and short, fun training sessions are the top ways to address it.



Have you tried a slow feeder bowl for water?


How do you feel about crate training for when you are gone?


> I have tried pretending to leave and catching him in the act.


It sounds like this has exacerbated the problem. I would stop doing this if you are. He is learning how to test whether or not you are home, as you've discovered.


I would absolutely try fun, positive vibe-feeling crate training for this sort of stuff. If you play lots of games with the crate (many on Youtube), make it very fun and all about good things, give him food, treats, bones, etc. in there, he will learn that it's a fun and safe space where good things happen.


However, if he is only doing these things when you're not home, it could be that he is exhibiting separation anxiety. If you find that crate training or placing him in a safe room/bathroom is unsuccessful, I would recommend contacting a veterinary behaviorist or extremely competent behaviorist or certified trainer. I say vet behaviorist first because if it is true sep anx, and it is severe enough objectively, pharmalogical intervention can help training sessions actually sink in, because anxious brains can't learn.

I have a mini Aussie so I feel you. I try to be as inventive as possible with my budget but I suggest most interactive/treat dispensing toys. I make large ice cubes that are half chicken/beef broth with a jerky or bone sticking out only a little. Then because it’s a mini and she’s not a huge chewer I can make these inside a talenti gelato container. So basically inside a Tupperware (which plastic isn’t ideal because they can swallow it but mine doesn’t and focuses on the bone) there is the half and half broth with a bone and an easy treat to get. She also doesn’t eat paper/cardboard so I can put a bone or treat inside a tissue box or empty pasta box or whatever and she’ll rip it apart to get to it. Once again, I can only do it because I’m watching and I know she does not ingest this.

Here are some toys I suggest that are proven safer:

Lumo Ball

Snuffle Mat I really like the snuffle mat because you can feed all your meals in this and bring it with you if you want to keep your dog busy wherever you are.

OSPet Interactive Feeder
Trixie Puzzle

Ottosson Puzzle I really like most toys Outward Hound makes.

My dog’s favorite kong I find I can put just a biscuit or fill it full of kibble and pb and she’ll spend quite a bit of time getting it out.

I think Kongs are a good start.

I think with young puppies though, depending on their food drive and motivations, they may or may not take to puzzle toys early, so don't feel badly if it's too much for them.

We actually didn't start our dog on puzzle feeders for any "intelligence" benefit - she had super high food drive and kept eating quickly without chewing, vomiting out her meal, then eating her vomit, so we bought a slow feeder bowl which was perfect for her at 4 months old. We fed her out of frozen-solid Kongs in the morning starting when she was 5 months old to help curb her separation anxiety, and then eventually bought a Busy Buddy Kibble Nibble. Even on the easiest settings, she struggled quite a bit as a puppy so we cut down the stoppers to make the flow easier. When she got better at the game, we re-bought the toy and made it substantially more difficult.

My younger dog, a Samoyed, actually doesn't eat out of toys. He has a lesser food drive and while he'll occasionally eat out of a toy, he prefers to just eat his food and work for better snacks (i.e. training for high value treats), so figuring out what your future dog's preferences are is definitely going to be something you'll have to do as your dog grows up. This dog did not eat out of Kongs until he was about 6 months old, either. He's just as smart, just not as insanely food driven as my first dog!

I agree with /u/pug_mom about keeping the weight down. Also pasting my comment from another recent post for a new puggy owner:

Some notes/suggestions:

• Dog Food Advisor for reviews of food brands.
  
• I personally found this book to be pretty helpful.
  
• Food bowl recommendation: slow feed bowl like this. Pugs love food. LOVE IT. Can't get enough. Will eat as if they are starving and will never get a meal ever again. That means they make a mess and that they can eat too fast which can cause them to vomit. This sad post from a couple of weeks ago is also a warning about pugs eating too fast.
  
• The great thing about pugs being so food motivated is that training is really easy. Low cal snacks, like green beans, peas or carrots are good things to use as treats/rewards. They will pick up commands pretty quickly when they understand they will get a yummy snack as a reward!
  
• Fold cleaning: I use unscented baby wipes. Clean the fold out regularly. I use those for the visible part of the ear, too. To get in the canal, flush with a saline solution. Play with ears, legs, feet regularly, so she is used to you doing it and won't be as fussy when you need to do routine cleaning/clipping.
  
  One general suggestion: don't use negative reinforcement for training or when she does something wrong. Puppies are babies, so they don't understand why they did something wrong. She will pee and poop in the house. She will bite you with those razor sharp puppy teeth. She will chew on things that she shouldn't chew on. These are inevitable and can get frustrating, but I recommend redirection and positive reinforcement.
  
  That's all I can think of for now. If I have any other suggestions, I'll edit.
  Also, there's a minimum tax of one puggy picture for advice, so be sure to post when she arrives! :)
  
  

Other than the unmentionable toy, I want this slow-feeder for Sage, and we can test how indestructible it is! xD

I recommend a Chuck-it if you can find more indestructible tennis-size balls, or don't mind going through lots of them! Missy loves hers! (She came with that name.)

Flying squirrels are awesome if he's a water dog at all.

Of course, there's always sticks -- or in this case, old fence rails! =P

It could be that your kitten needs to slow down how it's eating...you could try feeding smaller amounts more frequently throughout the day, or a slow feeder bowl. If it continues it could be a diet incompatibility and you may have to discuss what other diets to transition to with your vet. You can also see if your vet can recommend any probiotics that may help as well, those are typically not prescription (where I live they aren't) and they may have some on hand to sell you. Best of luck.

UPSKY Slow Feeder Dog Bowl Fun Feeder No Chocking Slow Feeder Bloat Stop Dog Cat Food Water Bowl with Funny Pattern https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07HVS95GR/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_7thmDbBRVSJRQ

Just to add the the good advice here, we found that a slow eating bowl worked quite well after advice from our Vet.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Simply-Pets-Online-Eco-friendly-Terracotta/dp/B00S3SPAQU

Also with the broth idea, remember that lots of broths have a high sodium count so we made our own big batch in the slow cooker and then froze it into ice-cube trays. So when we wanted a small amount of broth we placed the frozen cube in a jug and covered in boiling water . After a minute, fresh broth at a safe temperature to eat.

Hopefully just a phase though. Good luck.

Have you tried a slow-feed bowl? I have two rescue dogs, littermates, abandoned at very young age and lucky to be alive. However when they were in the rescue centre they had to fight to eat and drink against other, bigger dogs so continued this behaviour after I took them in. Slow-feed bowls got them to slow down and eat/drink at a better pace and help reduce the amount of air the dog intakes when swallowing, meaning less burping. Something like this is what I mean: https://www.amazon.co.uk/JasGood-Eco-friendly-Durable-Non-Toxic-Preventing/dp/B01F8L63ZG/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_199_lp_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=0A7T83D1NQB5VVKQS511

I'm not a cat owner, but have had experience with a chonker foster dog. This mat helped her eat wet food much slower and I have a friend who found it useful for her cat. It can make mealtimes last quite a while and it's not the nicest of clean ups, but it does go in the dishwasher!

Just search slow feed bowl and there are quite a few options!

Edit: they’re like this

AOLOVE Slow Feeder Bowl Healthy Food Fun Anti-Choke Pet Bowls for Dog (One Size, Pink) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XJY363T/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_3hiZDbP4AD3WB

The stuff in the way forces them to slow down because they can’t get a huge mouthful at once.

Most Labs do tend to eat with gusto. Make sure he's getting enough food. They do make some different food bowls to supposedly slow dogs down.

Interactive slow pet feeder

Skidstop slow feeder bowl

Gobble stopper bowl addition

Buster dog maze

I personally have had success with the treat type balls.

Kong wobbler

Kibble Nibbler

I also have an enthusiastic lil buddy. The rocks are pretty clever, but there are special bowls that slow them down.

This one from Amazon is the one I have and works for our fast eater.

I'm sure your puppers is fine, most dog enjoy or need a trick to be granted their meals but they are making these dishes now that are stimulating for them. Like this:
JASGOOD Dog Feeder Slow Eating Pet Bowl Eco-Friendly Durable Non-Toxic Preventing Choking Healthy Design Bowl for Dog Pet Stop Bloat Bowl https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01F8L63ZG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ctHXBbYS06AYM

It's just like losing weight for a human - eat less, move more. Keep the foods she likes, just give her less of them. Talk with the vet about 1) what is her healthy weight, 2) how many calories should she eat to maintain that weight. Then do some research on the foods she's getting to figure out their calorie content.
 
While there are other cats around, it's going to be difficult to control fatcat's intake. So maybe focus on playing with her more? Chase the laser pointer for a couple minutes, feather on a string, etc. Remember that any activity is more calories she's expending, so it doesn't have to be the kitty equivalent of a marathon!
 
Once she's by herself, try feeding several small portions of regular cat food per day, so she's not actually hungry in between. Basically, snacking all day. Some days it's only going to work out that she gets fed at breakfast, when you come home from work, and at bedtime, but that's OK.
 
For canned food (which has fewer calories per weight than kibble, so use more of it), take that spoonful and s-p-r-e-a-d it around her bowl, smush it down a bit so she has to take more time working to eat. It will at least occupy her longer.
For kibble, how about a slow-eating bowl or mat? They have ridges which contain the kibble and prevent scarfing... again requiring more time and attention from kitty. She's eating longer, maybe she thinks she's eating more?
Here's an example; there are many different designs: https://www.amazon.com/JASGOOD-Eco-Friendly-Durable-Non-Toxic-Preventing/dp/B01F8L63ZG/ref

P.S. (It didn't fit in the other post!) I've now tried the second feeding device that I got, the Company of Animals Interactive Feeder, and I am very happy with it; Indra seems to be too! I am alternating between feeding him in this and the Kong Wobbler. It definitely slows the process down and he has to work at getting his food, which is apparently the "mental stimulation" thing. :~)

She's all about it, it's insane. It's definitely worth a shot!

I just looked and it's still on sale on Amazon It's actually $1 cheaper now than when I bought it....perfect time for a second one I suppose. I feel like I've got two bratty kids haha

Sometimes cats will regurgitate food if they eat too much and/or too quickly. You might try getting him a bowl that forces him to eat more slowly, such as this one.

As always, giving your veterinarian a call and asking his/her advice is the best thing you can do. Your vet is a person who already knows your pet and can give you individualized advice.

So my best advice for dogs who are not enjoying being left alone is to fill a kong with kibble, run water through for about 5 seconds, seal the top with peanut butter and then freeze. Give that to the dog when you're about to leave.

This concerns me with tiny puppies though. They are too little for frozen, and if they aren't fully weaned, it might be too much kibble for them, too.

I've been wracking my brain trying to figure out what else you could do. You can put their wet food on a lickimat-- it's basically a silicone pot holder that is extra durable with a bunch of bumps on it. You spread the food out on it, freeze if desired (you'll have to judge how much cold they can take), and then give it to them. They can all pile around it and lick on it if they aren't aggressive.

Get the baby used to having you disappear while he eats. Time how long it takes for him to cry for you. That's your time limit.

SO then begins a game of "distract the baby, leave and come back before baby cries." Get the puppy distracted with the lickimat, go do load of laundry and then come back a minute or two before your time limit is up. Try to make it so that you always come back before he cries.

The other you can do is teach them to sit before they get to come out of their crate. 4 weeks is still tiny, but you can probably begin training that reflex into them by making them sit for everything. Sit for pets. Sit for food. Sit by the door. Sit just for fun. Then, if you're able to, you can try having the puppy sit while you walk into another room and back into the same room as the puppy.

He might need some one-on-one time. Also, try calling around your town for animal behaviorists. They could probably give you some quick and easy tips and probably would be willing to spend 5-10 minutes on the phone with you without charging you.

LInk:
https://www.amazon.com/LM9002-Industripet-LickiMat-Soother/dp/B072C643XV/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1524887030&sr=8-2&keywords=lickimat

If the problem is him eating too fast (which many dogs "vacuum" food when eating too fast!), try one of those bowls that forces the dog to hunt down the food and make them eat slower. Something similar to this.

A friend of mine had pretty good luck with something similar to help her dogs slow down when eating, but I haven't tried any personally.

Edit: formatting

My lab inhales her food insanely fast, so we use something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MV4TPQR

She still gets it down pretty fast but it helps.

Same with my rescue the first few weeks. We got her a slow feeder bowl and added a probiotics supplement. She's doing much better now.

I got a raised dish that looks like a maze to slow them down when they eat. It helps a ton. Not this one, but one like it:

Raised Maze Bowl

What do you use to feed her meals? Would something like this slow feeder work for her? I've heard it keeps dogs occupied for a long time, and it's good mental stimulation which can be just as tiring as physical activity.

We tried so many and found none that he went crazy for. So we went back to cheap nature's domain from Costco. He ate it about as well as he ate anything.


I guess poodles are so smart that if things aren't a challenge, it's not worth it to him. It was really frustrating for a long, long time. It still is, but we found a system that worked. Kong stuffed with kibble and a tiny bit of Kong stuffin spray peanut butter for breakfast. Dinner in a slow feeder or that treat ball linked earlier, or as "treats" for training. My vet tells me he is the absolute perfect body type, and he can hike 20km with a pack no problem. So I guess he's just a princess.


My wheaten isn't a chow hound either. But I mean, he didn't cause himself to throw up multiple times a day for months because he refused to eat. So that was a win.

Adding to the snuffle mat suggestions - you can get all sorts of puzzles feeders too. Or for wet food use a Kong - freeze it for extra difficulty!

We use these:

GREEN Interactive Feeder, Large https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B009CKHXYU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_ih.YCb8E5RS2S

Nina Ottosson Dog Tornado Treat Puzzle Dog Toy by Outward Hound https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07239T47Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Ih.YCbFX6XDKA

The second looks harder but the first actually takes him long and is easier for us to set up! But we try to use both to change things up.

Got it on Amazon in size Large. Here is the link: Mr. Peanut's Stainless Steel Interactive Slow Feed Dog Bowl with a Silicone Base, Fun Healthy Bloat Stop Feeder (Large) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073NH96JC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_8CP6Cb4N86V59

Yep, my dog would do the inhale-barf-repeat cycle with a regular bowl. Got one of these slow feeder bowls, and it's made a night and day difference - not only does she eat slower, but her overall digestion is actually doing better.

My dog was inhaling her food to the point of horking and gagging every time until I got her a slow feeder [similar to this one] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N2BEPD8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_yRb-Bb7Z93DRC) but it got too easy for her. Lately I've been feeding her food in [this puzzle] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0711Y9Y8W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_7Sb-BbY9PZQM1) where she has to remove the bones before getting a few pieces at a time.

My cat started puking after years of having him, took him to the vet and there was nothing wrong with him at all. The vet suggested one of those slow feeding bowls because he might be eating too fast.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HVS95GR/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_M3DJDb9J3ZG4V

It worked like a charm!

As for the peeing do you have one litter box or two? If you have one get a second and soak ALL your clothes in an enzyme remover.

Same here, I had to look it up to get some relief.

You could always just buy this to help the dog slow down when eating.

Yeah it's this one. It slows him down from about 15 to 90 seconds.

I recommend them. When we got our corgi he wolfed down food so fast we were scared he would get sick. Corgis tend to be pretty food focused. We use this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01F3AZ5PG/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_DfsKxbF90AV4C

For the option that won't kill your dog...
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01F8L63ZG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_k6pTBb2WASFR1

They sell food bowls for this.

JASGOOD Dog Feeder Slow Eating Pet Bowl Eco-Friendly Durable Non-Toxic Preventing Ch... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01F8L63ZG/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_srrTBb26W9GWP

Slow Feed Non-Skid Dog Bowl Large (Blue/White) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009O3CFES/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_gsrTBb2N5YDQZ

Outward Hound Slow Feeder Dog Bowl Fun Feeder Stop Bloat Bowl for Dogs, Large, Teal https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FPKNRF0/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_OqrTBb863HXHA

Try This Bowl, it's worked wonders for my adopted dog, who would wolf her food down so fast she'd sometimes get sick when I first got her. This bowl increased her eating time from about 10 seconds to about 3 minutes. Not a huge amount of time, you might think, but for my other dog (who has always eaten at a "normal" leisurely pace), his eating time increased from about 1 minute to 5-6 mins with the bowl.

They make special food bowls with large round "prongs" that stick up to slow down fast eating dogs.

My sister had a golden retriever that would eat so fast he almost choked, so she got one of these bowls and never had any problems.

Here... this is so much safer than rocks.

Have you tried one of these?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073NF681T/

It doesn't slow the dog down as much as a maze bowl but I think it does it enough. At least with our dog. I guess ymmv

I had to get something similar for my dogs. Otherwise they scarf down their food in under 10 seconds.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01F3AZ5PG

Edit: added a link

Slow feeders are an option too. This is the one we have, for example. Increases our dude's feeding time from about 45 seconds (standard bowl) to over 5 minutes.

I use a gobble stopper. Seems to work in slowing my dog down.

There's also this Northmate green feeder, but I have never used it.

You need one of these:

Slow food bowl: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01F8L63ZG

Get a slow-eat dog bowl

example

This one is made by Northmate and is called the "Interactive Slow Pet Feeder" -- dinner time went from less than a minute to about 15 minutes.

http://www.amazon.com/Northmate-101027-Interactive-Feeder/dp/B009CKHXYU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398011373&sr=8-1&keywords=northmate

Green feeder? http://www.amazon.com/Northmate-101027-Interactive-Feeder/dp/B009CKHXYU They really need to use their tongues on it.

Be aware that eating too much, too fast and exercising immediately after eating can potentially cause bloat. My vet recommended no exercise for 1 hour after eating - so I usually feed my pup post-walk.

Sudden changes to his diet can cause tummy upsets and diarrhoea. Not chewing isn't really an issue, just a side effect of how fast he eats.

If it's dry food, bear in mind it swells when damp, so a stomach packed full of dry food can become over-full and he'll puke to relieve pressure - if that sounds possible, you could reduce the portion size and increase number of meals per day so he can't overstuff himself in one sitting.

Check out Green Interactive Feeder - my pup takes around 20 minutes to clear his.

One of my shibas throws up sometimes after eating but that is because she is eating too fast. We got her one of those slow feeder bowls (like this), which solved the problem.