Kong obstacle in (elevated) dish to stop a food gulper

[mydannyboy]

Join our free community today.

Connect with other like-minded dog lovers!

Login or Register

My youngest whippet still gulps food like there's no tomorrow. He's fed 3 times a day still as too much food causes him an upset stomach. (Linked to previous old threads on campylobacter / coccidiosis)

The whippets all have elevated food and water dishes. I was searching the web for ideas to slow him down. Some say try a ball or rocks. So I put his kong in his dish. It seemed to work as he ate around it and nudged it around. Plus it's washable.

But whilst I was searching the web some now seem to be saying not to elevate dishes.

In my opinion he gulped whether the dish was on the floor or elevated but its the bloat issue that concerned me.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[bertha]

You can get anti-gulp bowls, I have two for my whippet dogs as they gulp their food too fast, I don't elevate the bowls. My greyhound has her bowl in a stand with three tennis sized hard rubber balls, so she has to eat slower. If the kong works keep it up.

Some dogs just have to rush their food, I keep telling mine they will get fed again!

 

[mydannyboy]

Thanks

Yes I've seen the bowls. The kong worked until today then he took it out of his dish!! It's washed and back in so we will see how it goes tomorrow

 

[MissYeh]

What about letting your dog work for part of his food. This way he gets good mental stimulation, it's a good bonding exercise and it doesn't make him gulp food 15 min per day is plenty.

 

[eingana]

How about putting his food IN his Kong? That will slow him down a bit, particularly if it's all gummed up with something to make it stay inside there (cream cheese, natural yoghurt, tinned dog food all work well).

The evidence for raised bowls is really lacking. It was going to be the thing that saved all of the dogs from bloat, but then unfortunately it didn't work out that way and the expected gains just didn't happen. I don't think that there's any extra risks from having the bowls raised (please correct me if I'm wrong- I haven't seen any) but it just doesn't seem to be worth putting in place because the bloat seems to be far more to do with the dog, and less to do with how the dog is fed.

 

[mydannyboy]

Thanks for your replies

Yes I have considered getting him to work for his food - and yes he enjoys food in his kong - but there are also the other 2 dogs to consider. If they think he's getting something special they will rush their food to get to him!!

With regard to the elevated dishes, I ensure they don't eat too soon after exercise or exercise too soon after eating