Your Dog's Obsessive Eating Behavior: How to Control It
You’ve most likely have seen your dog gulp down his food more than once. Once you lay his food bowl down, he will indulge his food as if it were his last meal. You probably don’t understand why he behaves in this manner. If you wish to control this obsessive eating, then continue reading this article to find out about some tips and guidelines.
Why dogs eat obsessively
Just as we mentioned on several occasions, dogs are descendants of wolves. That means some behaviors are in their DNA and they aren’t easy to get rid of. Obsession with food is one of them. Wolves are wild animals and they obsessed with food due to the natural law of “survival of the fittest”.
Wolves ate their prey quickly so other predators or sometimes even other wolves couldn’t steal their food. They did this because they didn’t know when they would have a chance to eat again. This gave them an obsession for eating that unfortunately dogs still have today.
Although it’s doesn’t really make any sense because you feed your dog at the same time every day. It seems like this behavior is so deeply rooted within them that they have never been able to get rid of it.
Other causes of your dog’s obsessive eating behavior
If your dog has never been obsessive about food and then suddenly is, then you can find out why below:
- Stress. A stressed dog will eat. His stress could originate from trauma, an accident, a move, or the arrival of a new pet in the home.
- Medications. Some medicines with corticoids that your dog is taking can provoke a state of nervousness that will show in the way he eats.
- Illness. Diabetes and other diseases can cause your dog to eat.
What you can do about your dog’s obsessive eating behavior
Once you know that your dog’s obsessive eating behavior is normal and that it affects many dogs, then you should figure out what steps to take in order to help him out. This is very important because obsessive eating can cause serious problems such as obesity, diarrhea, and stomach bloating.
These are the simple steps you can take:
- Exercise. If your dog is in shape, it will help calm his obsession for food. Exercise is healthy and it will help him stay in shape and eat more calmly.
- Divide his food. Your dog might believe that eating once per day isn’t enough, and he might feel unsure about the next time he’ll eat. One of the best ways to solve this problem is by dividing his food into portions and feeding him several times a day. Don’t give him more than what he needs; give it to him in several portions.
- Change his dish. If his dish is very large, he can gulp everything down easily. You might find dishes in stores that will make it hard for him to eat everything at once.
- Feed him. If you’ve tried these methods, and nothing works, feed your dog yourself by hand. Grab two or three pieces of food and feed him slowly. After several weeks he’ll be used to eating slowly.
Changing any behavior requires patience and effort. So, since you are a dedicated pet owner and you care about your dog, then most likely this won’t be a problem for you.