Is it normal for dogs to swallow food whole

Your Dog Doesnt Chew Food? He Just Swallows? [Heres What You Need To know]

Like me, Im sure you love your dog

Your dog is your fur baby, and just like with children, its only natural to feel concerned when you notice him or her doing something that you dont quite understand

Youve probably asked yourself many times: Is this behavior normal or should I be worried about it?

And if youre concerned that your dog doesnt chew food and just swallows it then youre in the right place because this article will cover the following information

• My Dog Doesnt Chew Food Is That Normal?
• Can My Dog Eat Too Fast?
• Ways To Get Your Dog To Eat Slower
• Is Your Dog Afraid While He Eats?

In the end, you should have a good understanding of why dogs dont chew their food and if its normal behavior

And youll also have a few tricks you can use to slow down the pace at which your dog eats if you feel he (or she) is wolfing down his kibble just a little too fast

Lets get started!

My Dog Doesnt Chew Anything Is That Normal?

Dogs lack the ability to chew food in the same way that we humans do. They do chew on things like bones, toys, and on themselves as a way of scratching when they have an itch

And if their kibble is just too big, they do crunch it down to size before swallowing it

But they dont mash up their meals into a paste before swallowing like us humans do, and the reason why is because they dont need to

You see, a dogs esophagus can expand up to five times the size it regularly is in order to swallow food safely

And they use their sharp teeth to grab their meal, yank it up into their mouths with an upward motion, and then they swallow it in hopefully in just one bite

From there, the food travels down into their stomach where stomach acid, which is incredibly strong in dogs, breaks it down pretty efficiently

So if your dog swallows kibble without chewing, dont panic because thats the normal way a dog eats his or her food.

Can My Dog Eat Too Fast?

Although it is normal for a dog to swallow his or her food with minimal or no chewing, there are problems that can arise if your dog is eating too fast

Frequent hiccups and bad breath aside, theres always a chance of gagging and choking

Your dog can also upset his stomach which could lead to vomiting or a condition called gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV), which can be life-threatening

GDV is a condition that can arise if your dog is eating too quickly and gulping down air in the process

This can cause the stomach cavity to swell or bloat, which can lead to the stomach rotating and blocking off the intestines

If not caught quickly this condition can lead to death. So youll want to keep a close eye on your pup if your dog inhales food without chewing

And be sure to contact a veterinarian is you suspect that something just isnt right

Ways To Get Your Dog To Eat Slower

There are many ways to help slow your pooch down while hes eating if you suspect hes vacuuming up the kibble too quickly

Here are few common methods that you can use to get your dog to eat slower

Use A Slow Feeder Bowl

Using a slow feeder bowl is a great way to get your dog to slow down while eating. These are found all over the internet in a ton of different styles, colors, and sizes

They work by utilizing raised areas built into the bowl that your dog has to navigate with his snout in order to get his meal

You can even create an impromptu slow-feeding bowl by simply spreading out your dogs food in a muffin tin (it works great!)

Hand Feeding

Hand feeding is another way to get your dog to slow down if hes a speed demon eater

Its great because you get the added benefit of helping to build a bond between you and your pet

And you can even take that opportunity to work on some dog training, which will come in handy as you train your dog to do other things like go potty in the right place or not to jump up on visitors

Feeder Puzzles

Another great way to slow your dog down is to use feeder puzzles

Places like Amazon or Chewy have a large assortment of feeder puzzles that require your pet to navigate doors, switches, or vials in order to find their food

This stimulates your dogs mind and rewards them for successfully navigating the puzzle in the end

Another version of this is a snuffle mat, which is a great option for older pets or dogs that rely on their nose for work.

Is Your Dog Afraid While He Eats?

If your dog is a rescue or came from a large litter of siblings there is a chance that they could have developed a food guarding habit which causes them to eat and swallow too fast

This habit rarely forms around puppies because they typically sort out a pecking order with help from their mother, who acts as a sort of mediator when things get out of hand

However rescue dogs, especially dogs who spent their formidable years either in a shelter or in a bad home, have a bigger tendency to develop food or resource guarding problems

Keep in mind that food guarding might look cute at first, but it can be a ticking bomb waiting to explode if your dog shares space with other animals or children

And you should contact a veterinarian if you suspect that your dog does have a food guard problem

Why Do Some Dogs Start Guarding Their Food

There are many reasons why a dog can start to become protective over their food in this way

Its possible that they arent used to getting enough food to eat, and what happens is that the dog inhales food without chewing too quickly

Its also possible that theyve experienced another dog who would regularly take their food, and you can imagine how that might make a dog nervous about taking his time and eating slowly

Whatever the reason may be, the good news is that there are many ways to help ease those fears and help return your dog to a safer state of mind

Some of the things you can do to help ease the nerves of your dog while eating are

• to feed him out of your hand
• to feed him while staying nearby
• to feed him while inside a crate (with or without the door closed)
• to give him plenty of exercise to help ease the anxiety before feeding

Its also important to note that if your dog does have a food guarding behavior that it can lead to aggression overtime

So you definitely want to work with your dog to make him or her feel safer while eating

A couple of basic things you should do are to keep your hands away from his (or her) bowl while hes eating and make sure to teach small children to do the same

And you should try to avoid overstimulation and fights with other pets which can happen when food is dropped on the ground either accidentally or on purpose.

Final Thoughts

If your dog isnt chewing his food its likely that hes just eating in the normal way dogs tend to eat

But if you do have concerns about the way your dog eats or how quickly he is eating, its always a good idea to discuss it with your veterinarian

Remember, a slow-feeding bowl, puzzle or snuffle mat is great for any dog regardless of how they eat because mental stimulation is just as important as physical exercise

And for help with aggression which can result from food guarding, its generally recommended to consult a professional

Just keep in mind that there are plenty of things you can do with enough one on one time and dedication to help your dog work through those ingrained behaviors

Every dog is unique, just like we are, but they are designed to eat with little to no chewing

So unless you suspect that something just isnt right while theyre eating, there really isnt too much to worry about.

Why Do Some Dogs Swallow Their Food Whole?

We get it. You humans are curious about us. In your collective opinion we may even showcase strange behavior in comparison to what you all consider normal. Eating and the way we (dogs) eat is just another one of those cases. For instance, you may be wondering why some dogs have a tendency to swallow their food whole. Lets dive into that a bit deeper. Shall we?

Some dogs swallow their food whole due to an innate and intrinsic behavior attributed to survival. This is an evolutionary characteristic that some dogs may still exhibit. A dogs teeth arent necessarily designed to savor their food, but to instead shred and devour.

I personally chew my food, but my husky sister swallows hers whole. As Ive mentioned before, huskies are a breed on their own and are still aesthetically and mentally closely aligned with their animalistic wolf brethren. This is the most simplistic form of the answer to the why do some dogs swallow their food whole question youre searching for. In short, survival. Thats why.

But keep reading. Theres more.

Disclaimer: TheCan My Dogarticles contain information based on the individual research and opinions of the author of the site who just so happens to be a dog. How you utilize the information given is completely up to you. Proceed at your own risk.

Where the Behavior For Dogs to Swallow Their Food Whole Comes From

As I briefly alluded to in the introductory section of this article, some dogs swallow their food whole as an act of survival.

But why?

Lets think about this concept for a moment. Dogs, or canines by nature, are scavengers. They have historically had to scavenge and hunt for their food sources on a daily basis. Oftentimes, this means coming in contact with potential danger or other threats looking for the same food they have in their mouths in that very moment. Or even worse, larger game looking to feast on slightly smaller game currently feasting on another less fortunate animal.

I dont know about you, but that would make me swallow my food whole and get on about my business in a hurried manner as well.

Think survival of the fittest here. Wild animals eat to live, rather than living to eat. Pleasure isnt a top priority, but sustenance and survival is.

Oftentimes this means eating in a hurry and the fastest way to eat anything is to swallow it whole.

Is It Safe For a Dog to Swallow Their Food Whole?

Within reason, and assuming your dog isnt attempting to swallow massive amounts of raw meat at once swallowing their food whole poses no immediate threat to their health and well being.

Just observe them and watch them closely when they eat.

Dont leave food out for them at all times and especially when youre not there.

Its best to monitor a dog who swallows their food whole to be there to help mitigate the risk of your dog possibly choking.

A Dogs Teeth Arent Designed to Savor Food

Lets take a macro approach to observing teeth for a minute. I know Ive mentioned this before, but my human parents are vegan. As a matter of fact they feed us a vegan diet as well.

I bring this up not because all vegans brag about being vegan, but to highlight the argument on shredding meat with your teeth and chewing for pleasure versus demolishing for survival.

Lets take a closer look.

Here we have a set of human teeth. What do you see here? Flat, relatively all the same length, optimal for chewing, tasting, and savoring food. Food thats most likely not extremely tough or hard. You know, like cupcakes and stuff!

Now take a look at these pearly whites below.

I know what youre thinking. Dogs are carnivores like humans. This is one of the main reasons why you should never feed your dog cat food. But thats a topic for another day.

I want you to mainly focus on the K-9s right now. The long sharp vampire-like teeth on both sides of your dogs mouth. These bad boys are designed to tear, rip, and shred food if necessary.

The shape and function of your dogs mouth and teeth are not meant to smack gum and blow bubbles all day like your human mouth is. Ours just doesnt work this way.

We get in and we get out when it comes to food and nourishing our bodies with whatever we happen to find that day. Even if it is just the same old dry nuggets you feed your dog on a daily basis. The rules still remain. Get in and get out. Swallow the food whole to expedite the entire process.

Other Reasons Some Dogs Swallow Their Food Whole

Let us not rule out the possibility of a medical condition here.

While the predominance of this behavior can be chalked up to time constraints derived from evolutionary survival tactics, other times its important to consider dog dental issues.

Have you considered that your dog may be swallowing their food whole now because they have a massive tooth ache? This may especially be the case if this is a new trait youre beginning to observe in your dog.

Sudden changes in your dogs usual behavior (especially in the way they generally eat) are huge red flags as far as medical issues are concerned.

If you dog use to chew their food and now youve noticed them swallowing it whole, call your vet immediately. Its crucial to get the underlying reasoning sorted out sooner than later.

Gum, tooth, dental, oral, and all the above are health concerns that need to be taken seriously in your dog.

Ways to Stop Your Dog From Swallowing Their Food Whole

Altering an innate behavior such as survival traits in your dog can be quite difficult. But not impossible. With enough time, attention, and consistency, youll be able to essentially train the unwanted behavior out of your dog.

Start here and adjust accordingly. One or a combination of a couple of these should do the trick. Remember, consistence and routine will always be the key when it comes to training your dog to do anything!

Conclusion

I get it. Food is good and sometimes its hard to slow down long enough to chew.

Have patience with your dog if youre trying to discourage this behavior. If you dont care and you came to this post to make sure it was safe for your dog to swallow their food whole then rest assured. All is well, and not all that uncommon.

Onwards and upwards, humans. Just continue to Live, Love, Laugh, and Scratch our Bellies often.

Love you guys,

JTB

P.S.If youre new to this world, you may want to check out myUltimate Guide for First Time Dog Parents. Its a great reference to get you started on this journey.

This article has been reviewed by our Editorial Board and has been approved for publication in accordance with our Editorial Policies.