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How To Keep Your Dog From Throwing Up After Eating
from: Kyle BesserThe passion that some dogs put into eating can be a little off-putting to the people who feed them and who see their terrible manners. Some dogs drool and whine. Some dogs snort as they bury their faces in their food. Worst of all, some dogs gulp their food down quickly and then regurgitate shortly afterward.
This is all part of nature's plan. Dogs evolved from wolves. When wolves had the opportunity to eat, they would stuff themselves with 40 pounds of meat. Since their bodies couldn't actually process that much meat at once, they would waddle away and throw up a little. Then they would eat the throwup to get the nutrients.
Dogs are a lot smaller than wolves, so it doesn't take 40 pounds of meat to fill their stomachs. That's why the food you put in the bowl occasionally gets deposited a few minutes later. Many dogs eat all their food, often very fast. This has nothing to do with physical health or social graces. Their brains and stomachs are telling them that dogs who waste not, want not, and so they follow their natural instinct.
Even when they don't eat a lot, they do eat fast, and eating fast means that what goes in is going to try to come back out. Given a chance to raid the food bag, most dogs will overeat and then throwup part of it.
There are a few things you can try to help keep their stomachs calm and help with these dog behavior issues when it comes to eating.
1. Give them more time to eat. Dogs learn from experience. If you always pick up the food bowl the minute they are done, they will think that they better eat faster just in case you pick it up earlier. If you leave the bowl on the floor for 10 to 15 minutes after it is empty, it will help them understand that they don't have to rush.
2. Wet the food. Most dogs like a little gravy with their meals. Moistening dry food with warm water makes it more appealing, and, more important, it makes it easier to digest. Dogs are less likely to toss up their food when it's not in hard chunks.
3. Give them a smaller quantity of food, more often. Even though a dog's body is designed to handle large meals, it is better for their digestion to eat smaller amounts, more often. Veterinarians often recommend feeding dogs at least twice a day. Some veterinarians think it is better to feed them three, four, or even five times a day. The total amount of food will be the same, but the leisurely pace will help ensure that it stays where it's supposed to.
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