Suppose your dog doesn’t chew its food; it would help to make the food moist and palatable for it to savour and chew. You must have noticed your dog gulping dry food down without chewing it. Doing this can harm your pup and sometimes irritate your dog’s stomach, causing it to vomit whole food pieces.
Reducing stress factors in your pet, employing positive reinforcement tactics can help your pet to chew its food before swallowing.
Although dogs do not comprehend the concept of enjoying their food as we humans do. Instead of a desire to taste food, their impulses make them eat to fill their tummies. However, not all dogs rush and gulp down their food.
If you want your pet to chew its food, you can make it moister, so it is easy to chew. Furthermore, ensure a good feeding area for your pup and give it nutritious and healthy meals that it likes.
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5 Steps To Take When Your Dog Doesn’t Chew Its Food
1. Make Its Food Moist Is A Step To Take When Your Dog Doesn’t Chew Its Food
Suppose your pet eats quickly; it is more likely that whole kibble chunks will reach the stomach without being chewed. Because the kibble structure does not break down quickly, especially in large pieces, requires additional moisture.
Wet kibble has the extra benefit of slowing your dog’s feeding speed. Anytime you want to give your pet its food, adding water to the bowl will make it easier to chew its food and speed up digestion.
Commercial kibble sold in supermarkets is a food that does not break down quickly in the stomach, making adding water even more crucial.
2. Give It Food That It Likes
You are likely giving your pet a meal it does not enjoy. In some cases, the dog will not even eat the food. You must provide your pup with the meal they want, and this will allow them to savour the meal instead of gulping it all in one go.
Your pet may be a picky eater. In cases like this, it will select the kind of food it wants and the amount it wants. Some dogs like to eat, whereas some eat to survive. If your dog eats to survive, it will gulp its food without chewing most of it.
When your dog selects its food, instead of appreciating meals, they gulp them down rapidly to finish them. They are undoubtedly hungry, and to satisfy that desire, they swallow rather than chew.
3. Make Its Feeding Area Calm And Serene
Likely, your pet’s surroundings could also determine whether it chews its food or swallow it rapidly. An environment where your pup has to be alert will not make your pet comfortable taking its tike and savouring its meal.
Suppose you feed your pet in the yard, or if you have many dogs or pets. Your dog will get fearful and hastily gulp its food, and he will always be worried about who might eat his dinner if it takes time to chew its food.
4. Ensure That Your Dog Is Not Stressed Out
Stress is another reason why your dog is not chewing its food. Just as humans stress-eat, they do not eat to savour the meal, and they rather gobble down the food hastily. It is also true for dogs that are stressed.
Suppose you have a stressed dog; it will be anxious or nervous. Due to its stress, it will swallow most of its food whole rather than chew. Furthermore, it could be that your pet is a shy dog and dislikes anyone watching when it is eating.
5. Positive Reinforcement Is Another Step To Take When Your Dog Doesn’t Chew Its Food
You must endeavour to praise and reward your dog whenever it chews its food, which will make it associate chewing its food with a reward. You can reward your pet with toys, games, or petting and scratching its sweet spot when it chews its food.
Reasons Why Your Dog Doesn’t Chew Its Food
1. Dental Issues
In dogs, periodontal disease is the most frequent dental problem. Periodontitis occurs because the collection of dental plaque and tartar on the teeth will irritate the dental structure of your pet, leading to gum disease.
Periodontal disease affects our pet’s teeth and gums. Periodontitis can lead to gum infections, bone loss, tooth loss, and other major health issues if left untreated. It also results in pain, making it challenging to chew its food.
2. Illness And Injury
Several illnesses or infections can affect your dog’s ability to chew food. Inflammation in the throat or digestive tract diseases can affect your pet’s ability to chew. You may see your dog exhibiting symptoms of gulpies when it finds it difficult to chew its food.
Also, physical trauma to your pet’s jaw can result in pain. The pain will make it challenging for your pet to chew its food. Rather, it will gulp its meal when it is hungry.
3. Congenital Factors
There are dog breeds predisposed to swallowing their food, likely due to an inherited factor that makes them unable to chew their food. Suppose your pet has an underbite; it will be challenging to chew its food.
Similarly, it might have inherited a pack mentality that eschews survival of the fittest. Dogs rush to swallow food that they scavenged, and this is because any dog that delays may have nothing left to eat.
4. Behavioral Issues
Behavioural issues that can make your pet not chew its food can be either shy or a picky eater. Additionally, your dog may be under a lot of stress or uncomfortable in its environment.
Are There Side Effects If My Dog Doesn’t Chew Its Food
There are several side effects if your dog does not chew its food. Firstly, your pet could choke or gag on its food. The pieces get stuck in its throat if it swallows food without chewing.
It can cause your dog to vomit or regurgitate and lead to gastric dilatation-volvulus or bloating.
Furthermore, the food your pet swallows wholly will not be easily digested, resulting in acid reflux or gastrointestinal disorders. Digestive disorders could lead to more serious medical conditions in your pet.
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