Labs and their voracious appetite

[Mgue]

Ozzy is a lab/cocker spaniel but he has a lot of lab traits. For one, he wolfs down his food in seconds!

Right now, we're hand-feeding him - we make him sit or down in between each handful of food we give him. Hand-feeding is supposed to establish leadership position.

I've noticed that in between handfuls - Ozzy sits anxiously waiting the next handful and his mouth/jaws do this interesting quivering. It's like a non-stop vibration, like when you're cold and your teeth chatter! It's the oddest thing.

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this with their dogs?

[TeriM]

It's usually just huge piles of drool with our labs . I have one lab that is food obsessed and the other has a healthy appetite but is not obsessed .

You can try putting a kong in his bowl to try to slow down the eating.

[rainbow]

I second the kong (or tennis ball, etc.) in the food bowl

It's the only thing that worked for our lab. Never could figure out why he didn't take it out before he started eating but it's always the last thing to remain in his dish.

If that doesn't work, try spreading his kibble out in a large cookie pan so he can't inhale so fast.

Good luck.

[flipgirl4]

My brother's 2 labs used to inhale their food. One time, my brother had left a rump roast to thaw on the kitchen counter and in the morning, it was gone. We tried to figure out if both labs got some or if Tyko, the voracious one, got it all. A couple of days later, we knew the answer. He puked and puked (out came a sock!).

Anyway, you can drill a hole in the bottom of the bowl and screw in a block to help slow down the eating. Or a big rock would do the same thing. They also sell bowls with raised 'knobs' (I don't know what to call them) so they have to slow down.

[Mgue]

Since we're hand-feeding Ozzy right now, it's easy to control how much he eats in each mouthful.

When we feed him by bowl, we did put the Kong in it and it definitely slowed him down. Not quite enough for my liking, but it worked. It is funny how he never thought to just take it out.

This jaw-quivering thing while he waits for the next handful just kills me. It's so funny to see!!

[rainbow]

Originally Posted by Mgue

Since we're hand-feeding Ozzy right now, it's easy to control how much he eats in each mouthful.

When we feed him by bowl, we did put the Kong in it and it definitely slowed him down. Not quite enough for my liking, but it worked. It is funny how he never thought to just take it out.

This jaw-quivering thing while he waits for the next handful just kills me. It's so funny to see!!

I think it's because labs are so eager to eat their food that they "forget" that the kong is something to play with so just want to get at the food.

If you still think Ozzy is eating too fast you can always put his food in a Kong or one of those treat dispensing balls. Good luck.

[preemie peppie]

I'm a new member with a new lab...Duke is only 8 weeks old and I'm already amazed by his appetite! It's not that he "inhales" his dog food, but that he already knows how to beg for people food! It's amazing. Now I have to train my husband to stop sharing!

I have had dogs my whole life, but this is the first one that has truely captured my heart!

[Bina]

Yes, feeding from the table will turn your puppy into a chronic "begger" and "drooler", which is not always appreciated.
I feed dogs first, then they can lie down while we eat. Good manners are important for dogs too.

[SkyWarnWinona]

Lola is the same way. She will sit next to me while I prepare her food, drooling.
I like the idea of the koong. I will try that tonight with her evening meal.
Thaks
Bill

[Dog Dancer]

My Lab Halo is food obsessive also. She was a food hog as a puppy but has slowed down some now as she's older. But drool is a huge thing with her. It starts as soon as we come through the door after a walk and she's waiting for her cookie. At dinner my husband feeds her from the table and she sits and drools all through dinner. I have to mop the floor after. I have told my husband it's his fault as she never used to beg. I have to enforce her manners and put her in a down stay during dinner to stop the drooling. When we're done each of the dogs gets a human treat. My problem is training hubby more than the dogs. I used a cookie sheet to feed Halo when she was younger so she couldn't gobble up huge mouthfuls of food. I can't imagine hand feeding forever. Good luck to you.

[Longblades]

Obviously problem husbands is a common theme. I have seen my OH take food out of his mouth and give it to the dog, Lab in our case as well. Yech. When he would be away for meals I noticed I ate all by my lonesome, no dog or cats hanging around, because they knew I wouldn't feed them when I was eating.

My Lab Halo

Oh, I love that name. Taking a bit of chance though, weren't you? That she'd live up to it?