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If you own a Frenchie, there is a tendency to be worried about the way your dog seems to finish his food before you bat an eyelid.
Frenchies are known for their fast eating habit, which is higher than that of other breeds.
The reason for this is tied to their genetic makeup. The body structure of a French bulldog made it so that they eat fast and suffer negative consequences for their eating habits.
The first reason French bulldogs eat fast is their flat faces which make it difficult for them to take food from the bowl.
However, as different species evolved, French bulldogs have adapted to eating as much as possible within the shortest time.
Frenchies’ short necks also require them to eat with their food bowl placed in an elevated position.
When they eat in an uncomfortable position, these dogs try to gobble as much as possible and get back to a comfortable form.
Of course, you already know that your French bulldog eats fast, but you may also want to know how his eating habits compare to other breeds.
We’ll get to that now.
Do French Bulldogs Eat Fast?
The short plain answer is that French bulldogs eat fast.
In fact, they are one of the fastest gobblers out there.
All it takes is for you to pour some dog food in your Frenchie’s bowl, and before you turn to return the food bag, the bowl is empty.
This makes it seem like your dog is in a perpetual state of hunger.
If you own a French bulldog or any other breed of dog that eats fast, you need to find a way to slow down your dog’s eating habits.
The need for this action is because there are several risks attached to eating too fast in dogs. We will explain some of these risks below.
Why Do French Bulldogs Eat Fast?
We have mentioned that French bulldogs eat fast because of their genetic makeup.
That makes it a natural habit, albeit one you can work on.
However, there are instances whereby the increased appetite of your dog may be unrelated to its breed.
We have highlighted some of the causes of fast eating in French bulldogs unrelated to their biological structure :
- Medications
- Competition
- Irregular meal timings
- Malnutrition
Medications
When your dog is on medications, you may notice an increased appetite.
Some medications have side effects in the form of increased appetite or, in some instances, lack of appetite.
You should confirm from the veterinarian if the treatment is why your Frenchie is eating more than usual.
Competition
If you have more than one dog, especially of different breeds, you may notice some of them start eating faster than they normally do.
This may be due to the fear of being sidelined by their littermates.
Therefore, the more conservative ones may develop a fast-eating habit to get enough food before their more dominant mates take over the bowl.
Irregular meal timings
When your dog has been exposed to irregular meals over time, it eats faster to be able to eat as much as it can every time a meal is placed before it.
This is because it does not know when the next meal will be served. You may notice this sign if you are adopting a dog from a shelter.
Malnutrition
Suppose you are not knowledgeable about keeping a dog. In that case, you may need to consult a veterinarian to get the right food prescription for your dog.
When French bulldogs do not get the nutrients they require in their meals, they tend to gulp whatever is placed before them in large quantities.
This can be harmful to your dog in the long run.
When you notice any of these signs, you should find a suitable way to make your Frenchie slow down when eating.
But, it can be easy to miss any of these signs, so you need to be observant during your dog’s meals.
What are the Risks of Eating Too Fast In French Bulldogs
Many dog owners tend to ignore the fast eating habits of their dogs, especially if they own Frenchies, but this is not a good habit.
When your dog eats too fast, it can pose some risks to the dog, including indigestion, bad chewing habits, gassiness, bloating, etc.
We have explained a little about some of these risks fast eating can pose to your French bulldog.
- Indigestion
- Bad Chewing Habits
- Other health issues
Indigestion
When Frenchies eat too fast, the first risk they are exposed to is indigestion. This is the reason your dog throws up after eating or rolls around restlessly. Indigestion can then trigger other issues such as gastric dilatation-volvulus (DVG), farting, and others.
Bad chewing habits
You also have to train your dog to develop good chewing habits. When your Frenchie eats too fast, he gobbles up food without chewing.
The effect of this is that your dog fails to develop a proper chewing habit which may cause health and dental problems along the way.
Other health issues
Frenchies are known for a host of health challenges such as gassiness, bloating, and so on.
The reason for these problems can be traced to their fast eating habit. Since Frenchies rarely bother to chew before swallowing their food, they tend to take in a lot of air during their meals.
This, in turn, causes them to fart and release bad odors within your home.
How to Stop Your Frenchie From Eating Too Fast?
Frenchies eat fast, but there are ways to slow them down and make them eat more healthily. You can try out any of these methods and see which works best for your dog.
1.Serve with flat bowls
Because of their short necks, it is uncomfortable for Frenchies to eat in deep bowls. When they have to do this, they try to eat as fast as possible to relieve the strain on their body.
To prevent this, serve your Frenchie with a flat bowl, and he will be able to eat with less trouble.
Serving your Frenchie with flat bowls also has the additional benefit of providing your dog with a limited amount of food at a time.
2.Get an anti-choke feeding bowl
Anti-choke feeding bowls and slow feeders are the raves among dog owners now, and you should get one for your Frenchie.
Since it is a given that your Frenchie will always attempt to eat too fast, you can help him by slowing him down physically.
These bowls are made with obstacles that make it physically impossible for a dog to eat in large gulps.
Working around the obstacles to get to the food slows the feeding process, and your dog learns to eat better.
3.Put a ball in the feeding bowl
If you cannot get one of the fancy slow feeders available in the market, you can make one by yourself. One way is to put a ball in your dog’s feeding bowl.
This ball will slow him down as he works around it to get to the food. Just ensure that the ball is too big for your dog to swallow.
4.Use food puzzles
Eating can be fun for your French bulldog too. Frenchie owners now use food puzzles to slow their dogs down when eating.
The cool thing about this method is that it also provides a way to train your do mentally.
These food puzzles can be in the form of your dog rotating a ball to unlock more food to eat. They also train dogs to be patient, resilient, and creative.
5.Feed him bit by bit
You can help your French bulldog slow his eating habits by feeding him in bits. Serve him his food in short bits over a period with breaks in between.
For example, you can pour some food, wait a minute or two, and pour more.
Do that over five to ten minutes, and your Frenchie will have the time to chew properly before the next bite of food arrives.
6.Hand-feed
Frenchies are affectionate dogs and love to bond with their owners. You can improve the eating habits of your French bulldog by hand-feeding it.
This will also help you build a stronger bond with your dog. That way, you can also control how much food your dog eats at a time.
7.Buy large grain food
Large grain dog food is more difficult to swallow whole than small grains. Therefore, your dog is forced to chew his food before he can swallow it.
Therefore, when you buy this type of food, your dog will spend more time chewing than he spends gobbling down his food.
This will help prevent indigestion, bloating, and other eating disorders Frenchies traditionally suffer from.
8.Feed occasionally throughout the day
French bulldogs are always hungry, and you can help your dog improve his eating habits by feeding it occasionally throughout the day.
For example, rather than give your Frenchie a large meal once a day, split his meals into small amounts across three to five meal times.
Bottom Line
You need to know that Frenchies naturally eat fast because of the way their genetics are designed.
Yet, this eating habit is bad and can cause a lot of harm to your dog.
Therefore, you should help your dog cultivate healthy eating habits, mainly by slowing him down when eating.