Pug eating too fast!? If you own a pug then you are already aware that these wrinkly-faced dogs love food just as much as we humans do. One important thing to note is that they might start eating too fast under certain circumstances and this habit can lead to serious health problems. This article will outline the main reasons why your pug eats too fast and some practices you can follow in order to get your pug to slow down when eating.
Why does your Pug eat too fast?
Before looking into the reasons why a pug may eat too fast, you need to know what symptoms your dog may experience as a result of this particular behavior. The most common ones are:
- Bloat
- Constipation
- Regurgitation shortly after eating
- Flatulence
- Bad breath
- Gain in weight
All these symptoms cause pain and discomfort, resulting in severe conditions later on. As stated in the beginning, if your pug eats too quickly, it is due to various reasons and the list below comprises the most frequently encountered.
Competitive eating
Owning more than one dog or other pet in your household, for your pug the presence of another pet in their area can have an impact on their competitive instincts even during mealtime and it can determine them to eat their food faster, to make sure that others won’t steal their food. As they are the ancestors of the wolves, they feel like they need to care for their survival.
Low-quality food
A pug’s meal needs to contain high-value nutrients in order to satisfy its hunger and appetite. The low quality of their food will make them gulp the next meal in just seconds if the last one was not fulfilling. Make sure to pay close attention to the ingredients and nutritional values on the dog’s food labels before you buy it.
Pug Medication
Just like for humans, certain types of medication may imply increased appetite or continuous hunger sensation and this can be the case for your pug as well. Consult your vet in order to check what side effects the prescribed medication can have on your pug and adjust his meals.
Intestinal Parasites
The presence of intestinal parasites may provoke not only hunger since they consume the nutrients from the body, but also other disorders like diarrhea, weight loss even if eating, dehydration, vomiting, etc. In case you notice any of these symptoms in your pug, go see a vet to have his blood tested.
Not enough food
The same as low-quality food, not feeding your pug enough food will make him eat faster and gulp it all down when he receives the next meal.
Why does your pug gulp his food?
Usually, this kind of behavior is encountered when your pug is not relaxed and feels stressed about having to eat next to another pet or there is high traffic around the eating area. This is associated with eating too fast and basically gulping down the food without chewing it.
Consequently, he swallows air when gulping and this produces gassiness, upset stomach, and aches. In addition, as he doesn’t reach the satiety feeling, it leaves him with the impression that he needs more food.
How to get your Pug to slow down when eating
There are some tips you can try to get your pug to slow down your pug when eating and if you persist in applying them, you’ll notice that your pug’s eating behavior is not that hard to fix, but it requires time and patience.
- Fix a schedule – set more mealtimes per day and feed him smaller portions to get him used to a regular schedule
- Distract attention – buy some toys that can move around him and distract his attention from gulping his food
- If you have multiple pets in your household, feed them in separate rooms so that they don’t intersect with each other and will no longer feel competitive when eating
- Put his food in a slow feeder (select a container that presents some elements that won’t allow him to eat the entire food at once – it may look like a maze or puzzle
- Use smaller bowls or tins that you can place in different places across the room – this will make mealtime look like a treasure hunt and will also encourage exercise
Ask your Vet about your Pug
Pugs are brachycephalic breed dogs (short and compact skulls) and this implies a predisposition to a series of health problems. Besides the issues they can get if they eat too fast, they can also suffer from the following diseases during their lifetime.
- Overweight and obesity
- Dental disease
- Ear infections
- Eye diseases (cataracts, keratoconjunctivitis)
- Respiratory ( Brachycephalic Airway Obstruction Syndrome (BAOS), asthma
- Allergies
- Viral and bacterial infections
When you take your pug to a veterinary clinic for a routine check it is very important to address any symptoms you may have noticed lately. The aspects you may touch on can relate to:
Overweight or predisposition to obesity – recommendations for a balanced diet and exercise plan
- Hygiene of teeth, ears, nails, eyes
- Check if everything is alright with their teeth
- Check if the nails are at a good length to not get his paws sore
- Check if there are any ear infections
- Risk of allergies and their consequences on his health
These are just some general questions you can ask your veterinarian, but it is extremely important to give as many details as possible about his eating behavior or if he experiences any difficulty when breathing.
