When it comes to eating, food guarding isn't the only behavioral problem dogs can have. Dog eating problems range from gorging and sneaking food to eating non-food items and refusing to eat altogether. This article introduces some common eating problems and then explains what to do about them.

Fast Eating

Some dogs eat so fast, they neglect to fully chew their food and end up choking as a result. Allowed to continue, this behavior can lead to bloat. To slow down a fast eater, you can:

1. Feed your dog a moist food. Soak kibble in water or broth to make it less of a hazard should the dog proceed to do more swallowing than chewing.

2. Pour the food around a large, smooth and round rock placed inside the dog's bowl. The rock will restrict how wide the dog can open its mouth and fill it with food.

3. Instead of feeding the dog once a day, feed it much smaller portions multiple times a day.

4. Put the dog's food into a food dispensing puzzle toy. Puzzle toys are designed to make whatever is inside of them much more difficult to reach than plain old dog food bowls.

Low to No Eating

Since almost all dogs eat in a hearty fashion, it's a real concern to see a dog hardly eat at all. If you notice that your dog's appetite decreases, you should suspect a health problem and consult your vet. Once health is ruled out as a cause, you'll need to change the way you give your dog access to food.

Removing uneaten food and skipping the occasional meal (or reducing the amount of food that you feed you dog) will help curb the demands of the picky eater who refuses to eat non-gourmet servings. So will removing alternative sources of food. Sometimes dogs would rather eat from the garbage can, compost bin, or the next door neighbor than from its own food bowl! If the latter is the case, ask your neighbors to refrain from feeding your dog. Then rinse, dry, and sprinkle all empty food containers with a bit of cayenne pepper before throwing them away. Dog's don't merely sniff the way they do, dogs **inhale**. One whiff of cayenne pepper should be all it takes to stop a dog from rummaging through the trash. Just be sure to cover all the trash cans in the home -- not just the kitchen trash. And continue this strategy for at least three months.

Counter Surfing

Counter surfing is when a dog finds food sources atop kitchen counters and eats whatever it can find. Our article about human foods that are dangerous foods for dogs describes the dangers of dogs eating people food, so this is a must-break habit for sure. Change your regular kitchen habits and keep all food not only off of your counters, but also off of your tables as well. If you can, gate the kitchen area so the dog can’t enter it at all.

More Food

Is your dog getting enough food? This is a question you can ask if you find your dog counter surfing, rummaging through the trash for goodies, or consuming non-food items. Dogs will eat dirt, grass, hair, paper, rocks, or wood because they're bored or malnutritioned (or even ill). Such behaviors might stop if you feed the dog a little more at each meal or break its meals into more frequent servings. If not, we refer you to your vet for specific solutions to your pet’s dog eating problems.