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Old February 28th, 2008, 02:21 PM
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OxyMK OxyMK is offline
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Tips on slowing down eating?

My younger dog, Ten Bears, has a big problem with eating fast. Too fast! A few nights ago, I gave him a beef short rib and he scarfed it down so fast, without even chewing it and started to choke! We had to basically give him the heimlich maneuver, but were we FREAKED! I used to give them ground up meat, until I read this forum, and realized that I was depriving my dogs from so many added benefits. My older dog takes bone-in meat great. She takes her time, but Ten Bears eats, its like he's never going to eat again ever. I got some advice to give him bigger pieces of meat, which I did this morning. A pretty large chicen thigh, but when I looked down at him, he had half the thigh down his throat and I know he didnt even chew up the bones. When I grabbed it from his mouth, I was right. He was practically trying to swollow it whole! So I basically had to sit there holding half of it in my hand while he gnawed away at it. Can someone PLEASE give me tips on how to teach this boy to slow down when he eats? I think he's paranoid that my older dog will take it, but i've taught her not to go near him when he eats.
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Old February 28th, 2008, 03:01 PM
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want4rain want4rain is offline
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kennel him and nail it down??? heh, sorry, no real advice here. you said itw as because he felt your other dog might take it right?? even though your other dog doesnt bother him at all (silly creatures!!). can you kennel and feed a whole frozen chicken??

-ashley
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Old February 28th, 2008, 03:08 PM
MerlinsHope MerlinsHope is offline
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Serve larger pieces. No dog ever choked on a side of beef.
If he's choking on a siderib, then simply give him larger pieces that he has to rip apart.
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Old February 28th, 2008, 03:37 PM
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I used to put a large Kong in the middle of Amber's dish and that worked very well. She doesn't need it any more but it did do the trick!
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Old February 28th, 2008, 07:23 PM
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want4rain-I havent tried to kennel him, but I will. I still fear he's going to still eat fast. This morning, with the chicken thigh incident, Oxford wasnt even in the same room as him, when he was trying to eat the thing whole. Actually Oxford was upstairs, gnawing away at a chicken leg. He's always been like this, ever since we took him home, he's like a little piggy. Maybe he was the runt? Im going to keep working with him though. I got some big turkey legs, maybe this will help slow him down??!!
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Old February 28th, 2008, 10:58 PM
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Chicklet Chicklet is offline
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Thats one reason I always preferred getting a big dog as a puppy,
easier to train not to scarf their food,.

When I got Ody my black lab, she told me he'd gobble food like there was no tomorrow.
I spent 2 weeks working with him before he was safe to give anything too,
All his food was given from my hand, if he was not very gentle in taking it,
I always pulled it back, (sometimes those teeth hurt, thats why I prefer younger) But anyways I'd continue by re offering the food, kinda cover it with your hand so he can't just grab it, Always remind him before offering the food, Gentle now" If he starts to lunge for it, just pull back your hand and say nope (If your quick enough at it you can avoid the teeth scraps,) after a few tries for the food and he doesn't get it, he'll learn to slow down when taking the food, (if he does manage to steal the food from your hand Be sure to take it back) Teaching this with tidbits to start with is better, once he's learned that he has to be very gentle or he don't get the food, Start doing the same with bones, Make him take it gently,
If he starts to gobble after he took it gently from your hand, Take it back from him. and start it again, he'll learn.

When you've got the food in your hand and he knows its there, Always start by reminding him by saying "gentle" say it a few times while offering it, When he does good tell him he did good, usually I always saw good results within days, But I always like to refresh them even after they seem to have it down pat, Ody now gets all my bones, big , small whatever s going, I watch him and he nibbles at everything and goes amazingly slow, Just not the same dog as when I first got him....

I am no good at explaining this, but I've done this with a number of large dogs, and it has worked with all of them for me..
Never had one yet to fail

If you can it's also a good idea to have no other dogs or cats anywhere close enough for him to feel threatened that they may try take it from him, as he gets better than start with other animals around,
But even with the best of dogs, I've seen them chewing on smaller bones only to have another dog come close enough they try to give a warning that the bones theirs and in the process gulp air in quick and suck a small bone down by accident .

Last edited by Chicklet; February 28th, 2008 at 11:23 PM.
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Old February 28th, 2008, 11:35 PM
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Wow! Thanks, Chicklet. I'll start that tomorrow. This evening, when I fed Ten Bears, I...um.... *cough* held the chicken drumstick with some tongs...and held on tight as he tried to grab and eat fast. At least he didnt scarf it all down. But I like your plan way better. I will do that tomorrow. Also, can anyone tell me at what age can I start feeding only once a day? Ten Bears is 8 months old and giving him two meals.
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Old February 29th, 2008, 09:42 AM
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Chicklet Chicklet is offline
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If you find you are just not quick enough to avoid the sharp teeth,
& is to much on your hands as he is older,

Then Start by making sure the dog's tummy is full first,
Then start offering those tasty morsels he just can't resist,
He'll be less aggressive on a full tummy in trying to get those treats and more apt to listen to you.
Once he has this down pat, Then slowly work towards the empty tummy training, not to scarf

Last edited by Chicklet; February 29th, 2008 at 09:45 AM.
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Old April 1st, 2008, 04:55 AM
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cassblonde cassblonde is offline
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I've read giving frozen to a dog will slow them down as well because they have to work harder to get meat off.

Cass
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Old April 1st, 2008, 09:01 PM
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Ten Bears doesnt like his meat freezing cold. Its actually the only time he'll wait to eat something . But after waiting a few minutes he still goes at it. We've actually taken the advice of Merlin and Chicklet. Bigger pieces of meat on bone and I spent a week and a half holding the meat with tongs and would only let him chew on it with if he didnt attack it. Once he started to eat too fast, I would take it away. It really helped. He's still a fast eater, but no where near as bad as he used to be. I dont worry that he'll choke anymore becuase he'll gnaw at the meat and bone to break it up and then swollow, unlike before when he would try to swallow it whole.
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Old April 2nd, 2008, 05:14 AM
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cassblonde cassblonde is offline
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Wonderful! I'm so glad to hear that Ten Bears is eating slower. Also if Susie ever shows a tendency to gulp I'll know what to do!

Cass

Last edited by cassblonde; April 6th, 2008 at 02:07 PM.
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