Marky Boy

Hi everybody,

Baxter our puppy is now just under six months old and is going great. One thing that I have noticed is how greedy he is

When I feed him I have him sit and wait in front of his bowl before being given permission to eat his food. But when I say ok it is as if has never been fed before. This puppy can finish his dinner in well less than a minute at times and bit shocked to be honest. I have tried putting tennis balls into his bowl with his food to slow him down which it does, but he still goes at some pace.

Also if there is ever any food on the counters he tries to jump up and grab at it with his amazing extendable neck It is as if he just wants to eat all the time. He is not vicious or possessive with his food as I take it from him regularly to let him know I’m in charge.

Is this normal behaviour for these dogs at this age, and if so will he grow out of it?? I'm just a bit concerned that this may not be very good for his health.

Many thanks

Mark

shallhb

Hi Mark,
In answer to your questions, yes your puppy's healthy appetite is quite normal, and yes, they do counter surf (love the phrase, 'amazing extendable neck'). Mine are 7 and 3, down their dinners in less than a minute, and one almost counter leaps, not to mention counter surfs. I have bowls that are supposed to slow their eating down--they have plastic posts in the center, and it slow them down to finishing dinner in 60 seconds, rather than 30. Great that you've trained your boy to let you take his food away from him, and to wait until you tell him is ok to eat.

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Sharon Hall

Grace (puppy in training)
Bella, UD, VER, TD, RE, CGC
Pearl,UD, TDX, RE, CGC (Waiting at the Bridge)
Samantha, Theodore, CGC, Louella, Zeke and Arty, Bassets All; (All Waiting at the Bridge)

Dozer-Digger

Bassets normal???
Sorry, but I can't help you. I don't have quick eaters. I have two that take 6-8 hours to eat. I feed once in the morning, and sometimes they don't touch their food all day. Usually it's gone and I feed again in the evening, which takes until bedtime to eat. What's the chance of having two that eat this way?
My other "normal" thing is they won't eat in the kitchen. They carry them all over to eat. Scattered bowls in the yard and around the house. I have 10 bowls on hand just because I can never find a bowl.
One more "normal" thing. Mine will pee on the bowls when they're done, at least just the ones outside.

Digger taking his meal to go.


Dozer using his bowl for a pillow.

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Darrell and the Boys. Dozer, Digger, & Dudley.

Mikey T

In general slow eating hounds are either over fed or from a single dog household. There is only one possible heath consequence from eating fast that I know of, it a risk factor for bloat. The only thing that I have seen that works fairly consistently at slowing a fast eater is canned pumpkin. If add to the bowl first it tends to stick to the bowl and the kibble. even mor so if the kibble is mixed in. It is kind of sticky, sorta like trying to eat peanut butter fast it is hard to do.

Marky Boy

Hi there,

Thanks for your comments. I like the term counter surfing, it is very apt

I was just wanting to make sure that this was normal and that he wasn't going to cause himself any harm. See the attached video of the wee trooper having lunch.

murraysmom

I watched the video- he's so handsome! And what a good boy!

Mahna

I agree with what Mikey said. I usually mix up a bit of canned pumpkin (or occasionally squash if i've just made some for the people) or a spoonful of wet dog food or a couple of chunks of something from leftovers. I also put in some warm water with the food. It forces them to eat a bit slower because of the consistency. My dog usually laps up the now flavored "broth" in the bowl first and then goes digging for the parts that taste best before he even starts to shovel food into his mouth.

Marcia

What an adorable puppy! All three of mine are quick eaters. I have found that smooth rocks in the bowl tend to slow them down pretty well.

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Loving Slave to Sally, Bliss, Waldo & Chloe kitties, and watched over by Daisy Mae and Rocky ATB

2hounds

My 2 have different eating speeds depending on the time of day/day of the week. M-F they usually take all day to eat their breakfast. On the weekends they eat it in about 1/2 a day. As for dinner they eat it immediatly (and quickly) every day of the week. When I first got both of my dogs they both ate extremely fast, they haven't fully grown out of it (they're 3 and 5). Sorry for not being much help, wanted to just add another experience.

~Heather

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Mommy to Gibbs and kitty kitty Eva

Dear sweet Lily (ATB ) you will never be forgotten.

LouieDog

Baxter sounds and looks exactly like Louie with his eating and counter surfing...He's become a bit slower as he's gotten a bit older (he's now 9months old) but he still eats like he's starving!
As for the counter surfing, one good thing is that it makes us keep a very clean house!! lol