Puppy doesn't chew his food!

My 8 months old shihtzu still doesn't chew his food.

I give him his food twice a day and he just gobbles everything up within 3 minutes and I am sure he doesn't chew it. His teeth are all grown already and if i give him a treat he will chew it. Why is he not chewing his food?

It makes him make the choking noise and it is very scary. Please help! Thank you.





Hi
Some puppies are just chow hounds and always want to guzzle down their food without chewing (or even breathing!), some grow out of this - others continue right into adulthood.

Eating this way can cause all sorts of problems from choking (as you've noticed) or regurgitating/vomiting. Dogs who eat this way also swallow a LOT of air, which can lead to excess gas and flatulence and even bloat (canine bloat is more common in the larger, deep-chested breeds, but it can happen to any breed).

The best way to slow down a guzzler is to buy one of the special 'go slow' type dog bowls (the Dogit Go Slow Anti-Gulping Dog Bowl for example). These type of bowls have raised nodules in the bottom and the dog has to eat around these and it forces him to take more time.

Hand feeding, or using a very wide shallow dish (you can even try a baking tray that has a rim) instead of a regular dog bowl can also slow them down.

Hope this helps, best of luck!