How to slow feed and get your dog chewing
Updated
Challenging your dog to get its food through chewing, searching or puzzle-solving has multiple benefits. It stops boredom, exercises their jaws and rids the dog of stored energy.
After a challenging period of chewing/problem solving most dogs will be tired and satisfied and happier to relax and snooze. Chewing is also believed to relieve stress so if your dog is more anxious then providing an outlet for this will be beneficial.
Puppies in particular enjoy chewing and it is believed to provide relief for sore gums when teething. It also directs the chewing activity away from house hold objects and keeps teeth clean.
Your dog's meal times do not have to be basic bowl feeding every time. Read below to learn how to use their daily allocation of Wolfworthy in more creative ways.
Rubber dental toys
These come in different shapes and sizes. This video shows how to pack a round one using Wolfworthy. The size of our food fits perfectly into these kinds of chew toys.
Apple and carrot chew ball video
Kongs
Kongs come in four sizes so pick the correct size for your dog. Fill it with a portion of your dog's Wolfworthy then create a 'plug' to stop the food spilling out. Healthy ideas for plugs are mashed carrot, squash, sweet potato, banana, parsnip. Other things like cream cheese and peanut butter do work but are higher in calories and fat and may take your dog over its daily allowance easily so should only be used sparingly, if at all. For a greater challeng pop your kong in a ziplock bag and freeze. This freezes the food together and will take much longer to release.
Puzzle toys
Most dogs love a puzzle and will remain highly motivated to reach the food. They are an excellent way to channel your puppies attention away from things they shouldn't be doing. This tornado feeder was a fun challenge for Mylo the puppy and much more interesting than a bowl of food...
Snuffle mats
A snuffle mat challenges your dog's sense of smell. It is long established that the dog's sense of smell is highly developed; they are even being used to detact cancer in humans. Allowing your pet dog to exercise its talent harnesses their natural instinct. Hide individual peices of Wolfworthy between the cushion.
Hand feed
Don't underestimate your dogs desire to please you. If your dog is a gobbler and finishes their bowl in seconds take a handful of their daily allocation and use it for training. Great for puppies but also important for re-affirming the bond with your adult dog. Feed individual pieces when the desired behaviour is displayed and be careful not to feed when pawing or barking. Sometimes unwanted behaviours are rewarded by mistake so pay attention to when you should give the food.
Slow feeder bowl
Widley available, from maze mats to bowls with spirals or humps . The overall aim is the same - to stop your dog eating too quickly. If your dog gobbles then vomits or is a breed prone to bloat this kind of bowl is a must. Getting the right one for your dog is important. The size of your dog's muzzle will need to be considered when selecting the design.
Further reading
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1558787808002633
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.577100/full
https://europepmc.org/article/med/31808627
Do you love the idea of feeding raw but hate the mess, fuss or your dog just won't eat it? Wolfworthy is the dry food alternative to feeding raw. It has the same health benefits but is easy to store, handle and travel with. So you can relax knowing your dog is satisfied, healthy and well-cared for but without all the hassle.
