Greedy Cocker

[annie1]

I've just taken on a four month old working cocker bitch, it's fair to say that she loves her food and eats it so quick it's unbelievable to watch. She just swallows it down, no chewing at all. When she's finishes she always has one or two really good burps!

She was the runt of the litter and looks more like a 8 week old. She has always been well fed, never skinny, is still being fed four times a day. Up to date with worming and everything and has been checked by my vet.

Has anyone had a similar problem? I' running out of ideas to try and slow her down, I've thought about chunkier foods but am worried about it getting stuck and choking her

[williamsmum]

William is much the same - he goes at his food like a bull at a gate. 

[Neon]

Toby's got one of those bowls with the bumps at the bottom that is supposed to slow them down but he still sucks it up in 10 seconds.  He almost choked himself at 5 months old while eating too fast.

In the mornings, I give him his kibble in a large Kong Wobbler.  This really slows him down and he has to work a bit to get the food out too.  I got it from Amazon for £9.99 a year ago and he's used it every day since.

[Sasha B]

Kong Wobbler here too. Makes a big difference.

[elaine.e]

You could try one of these http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=252siGmHaHs or a Kong Wobbler.

[lesley3165]

We hid Meg's kibble in an old towel, put some in a kong and scattered the rest around the kitchen. Slowed her down perfectly

[annie1]

Thanks for that

I like the idea of the kong, not sure how it would work with the other two dogs though, my other two dogs have adult food and I can see them all swapping and changing if they had one each.

[MUDDYBOOTS]

Gabby our working cocker pup (8 months old now ) was the same,she almost sucked the kibble down, unbelievable to watch gone in about 10 seconds.If any spilt onto the floor she would panic  shooting about like a lunatic till she got them all and stamping her paws on them in case anyone pinched them  .She was the smallest in a litter of seven so I put it down to having to fight hard for her food with her litter mates.
I found soaking her kibble slowed her down just a little bit,but anyway it hasn't done her any harm and at seven months she started slowing down a bit so I wouldn't worry.
Gabby was only small when she was four months (4.5 KILOS)and only weighs 9.5 kilos now but she is fit and healthy and when she goes to gundog training a few of the other working cockers are about the same size,so I wouldn't worry about her size.

[maddy74]

Another greedy working cocker here. When we had willow at 8 weeks she would practically inhale her food in 2 seconds and her tummy would make noises that I was really concerned about. If the wobbler isn't an option due to your other dogs deffo buy a bowl to slow her down. Wetting the food is a fab idea too and even with the wet food in the special bowl give her it in two halves giving her a break in the middle. 

[jonnytrabant]

Another greedy Working Cocker here and Harry uses the Green Feeder which has been great but hes really fast now, last night at the pub I gave him his food in a little collapsible bowl and timed him at 11 secs to eat 100gr of kibble, no chewing just swallowed the lot. Greedy little sod.