Dog Eats Too Fast? 5 Ways To Get A Dog To Eat Slower

Since Diesel was a puppy, he has always been a super chill, slow eating dog. There were some nights that he would even take bites at a time and graze throughout the evening. Then, when we adopted our chow hound, I mean Annie (ha!), he changed and would eat all of his meal because he realized if he didn’t, she would. She’s such a stinker, ha! 

If your dog eats too fast, they could actually be at risk of a few different dangers:

• Choking
• Bloat
• Vomiting

If you’re wondering how to get my dog to eat slower, I can help! In this post you will get 5 ideas to slow down your fast eating dog, and, they double as dog enrichment activities! Talk about a win win! Let’s get started! 

Does your dog eat too fast? Want to learn how to get your dog to eat slower? Here are five ways to slow down fast eating dogs that double as dog enrichment activities including dog slow feeder bowls, DIY puzzle toys for dogs, snuffle mats for dogs and more!

1. Dog Slow Feeder Bowls

The first way to help your dog to eat slower is to try a dog slow feeder bowl! There are many kinds of slow feed bowls for dogs out there, including the most common design having a maze pattern within the bowl. My top two slow feed bowls for dogs are the TRIXIE Slow Feeding Rocking Bowl and the YOMP FunFeeder. Let’s start with the TRIXIE one first!

What’s cool about the TRIXIE slow feed bowl for dogs, is that with this dog enrichment activity, you can actually adjust how challenging it is and essentially control the amount of food that comes out at a time. Not only does this help your dog to eat slower, but it also creates a fun dog puzzle enrichment game for your dog to solve in order to get their reward!

P.S. I personally think this dog slow feeder bowl is best for small to medium/large breeds. Featured here is my girl Annie who is 67 pounds and a pointer/cattle dog mix. I personally wouldn’t use this for any dog bigger than her or that has a bigger face because they need to be able to get their face in the whole, which with bigger dogs, I personally think can be a bit challenging. Plus, the bigger the dog, the bigger the kibble and you can only adjust so far with big kibble before you reach a point where it won’t come out at all.

Next is the YOMP FunFeeder! I discovered YOMP at the 2023 Global Pet Expo and loved that their products were made from sustainable materials, which is something I’m seeing more and more pet brands do and it’s great to see! The YOMP FunFeeder is made of sustainable, diswasher-friendly, food grade silicone and it’s BPA and phthalate free.

If you’re looking for a slow feeder dog bowl for wet food, I think this is a fantastic option since it can be washed so easily (I’ve washed it numerous times in the dishwasher without any problem!), and with the high grooves, the wet (and dry) food can really get in there, helping to slow your dog down when eating!

I would recommend this slow feeder for any medium to XL breeds for sure and some small breeds. If you have a small breed dog that’s on the smaller scale of the small breed list, the main thing I think you have to consider if they can reach down into the bowl since the ridges are a little taller and the bowl is 2.5″ high. 

2. Dog Enrichment Busy Box Dog Toy

The second way to help fast eating dogs is to create your own busy box dog toy! I make these dog enrichment boxes for Diesel and Annie all the time and they get SO excited every time I finish the box and start walking towards them with it. They just know they’re about to have a blast!

A busy box dog toy is essentially a giant DIY slow feeder. To make your own dog enrichment box, all you need is:

• 1 cardboard box (ex: old chewy box from their food delivery)
  • Just make sure it’s not too tall. We don’t want them trying to reach in and straining themselves.
• Dog Enrichment Toys (snuffle mats, dog puzzles, etc.)
  • Here are links to some of my favorites:
    • ZMUBB Snuffle Mat For Dogs
    • Spanomic Snail Snuffle Mat Dog Toy
    • TRIXIE Poker Box 
    • TRIXIE Flower Tower 
    • Outward Hound Tornado Dog Puzzle
    • Outward Hound Brick Puzzle 
• DIY Slow Feeder Dog Toys
  • Here are links to many that I’ve made and shared on my blog:
    • 3 DIY Dog Enrichment Ideas Using Tennis Balls 
    • 4 DIY Enrichment Activities For Dogs Using Egg Cartons 
    • 3 DIY Dog Treat Dispensers 
• Dog Plush Toys & any paper (like from your chewy box packaging), toilet paper rolls, egg cartons, etc. (to top off the box with)

Here’s how I make the ultimate busy box dog toy:

Step 1: Create the first layer of your busy box dog toy by adding either a snuffle mat, or 1-2 dog puzzles at the bottom, filled with some of your dog’s food.

Step 2: Grab some of your dog enrichment toys and DIY slow feeder dog toys and fill with some of your dog’s food and add them on top of your base layer.

Step 3: Throw in a bunch of plush toys, any extra paper, toilet paper rolls, egg cartons, essentially any other dog safe fillers on top of your second layer.

Step 4: Grab the remainder of your dog’s food and sprinkle it over top, allowing it to fall throughout the box.

Step 5: Give to your dog and watch them have the time of their life!

3. DIY Puzzle Toys For Dogs & Store Bought Dog Puzzles

The third way for how to get a dog to eat slower, is to use DIY puzzle toys for dogs or store bought dog puzzles! If you’re new here, I love making tons of homemade dog puzzles. Dog enrichment activities are a top priority in my house and I’ve got the best product testers, ha! I also love finding the latest and greatest store bought dog enrichment puzzles and have a ton of favorites. 

Below is a list with links to some of my favorite and most popular DIY dog puzzles blog posts that I’ve made and my favorite store bought puzzles so you can find what works best for you and your pup!

P.S. I’ve included photos below so you can see some examples from each!

DIY Puzzle Toys For Dogs:

• 3 Dog Enrichment Activities Using Toilet Paper Rolls 
• 3 DIY Puzzle Toys For Dogs 
• 3 DIY Dog Enrichment Ideas To Combat Dog Cabin Fever 
• DIY Snuffle Mat Ball: JW Holee Roller Ball Dog Toy Idea 

Store Bought Dog Puzzles:

• TRIXIE Dog Toys:
  • Blog Post: Dog Enrichment Activities: TRIXIE Dog Toys 
    • Favorites from the review: TRIXIE Snack Snake, TRIXIE Poker Box & TRIXIE Flower Tower
  • Review also includes a YouTube video sharing each puzzle one by one so you can see them even better!
• Outward Hound X Nina Ottosson Dog Puzzles:
  • Blog Post: Beginner Level 1 Outward Hound Puzzle Review 
  • Blog Post: Intermediate Level 2 Outward Hound Puzzle Review 

4. Snuffle Mat For Dogs (DIY Dog Snuffle Mat Included!)

The fourth way, and another one of my dog’s personal favorite dog enrichment activities that can help slow your fast eating dog down, is to use dog snuffle mats! A snuffle mat (or dog enrichment mat) is a fantastic way to help slow your dog down when eating because they have to use their nose and forage to uncover all of the hidden food that you stuff down into your dog snuffle mat. Since your dog is having to use their natural instincts to find their food, it instantly becomes a fantastic dog enrichment activity!

There are many great store bought snuffle mat options available on Amazon, Etsy and at your local pet retailers, but I also wanted to link my very own DIY Snuffle Mat For Dogs tutorial because after using so many different snuffle mats out there, I’m going to toot my horn a little bit and say that I think mine is the best snuffle mats for dogs! 

Mainly because I have found that some of the ones on Amazon for instance, are a bit thin in terms of material and don’t always hold up against extra excited dogs for too long. Now, if that’s not a concern you have, then you’re good! Mine have double the material which means double the stuffing for your dog’s food and double the amount they have to go through to pull it apart, ha! Also, if you love to craft like I do, making this present for your dog is such a fun activity in itself and they also make great gifts for other dog enrichment lovers! 

5. Scenting Games For Dogs

The fifth and final way to help slow down a fast eating dog is to incorporate scenting games for dogs! Check out this fun fact from AKC: “Dogs have a sense of smell that’s between 10,000 and 100,000 times more acute than ours!” If you have a dog that has one heck of a nose and loves to find things around your home or yard, you two are about to have so much fun together! 

There are many easy nose work games for dogs that you can make out of cardboard boxes, egg cartons, or with nothing but the food at all for your dog to enjoy and solve! I wrote a post sharing 3 Easy Scenting Games For Dogs that you can start right now! I’ve even included extra challenge tips throughout so you can level up your nose work games for your dogs whenever you want!

How are you feeling now? Do you feel much more confident that you can help slow down your dog when eating? I hope so! I always try to share a good mix of DIY and store bought dog enrichment ideas so that no matter what your preference is, you can provide great dog enrichment activities for your dogs, and in this case, slow them down too! 

Want more dog enrichment ideas? Check out some of my favorite posts featuring some more fun dog enrichment activities like DIY puzzle toys for dogs, Lickimat recipes, KONG filling ideas, and more:

• 3 Easy Dog Lick Mat Ideas 
• 3 DIY Dog Treat Dispensers 
• 3 DIY Dog Enrichment Ideas To Combat Dog Cabin Fever 
• 3 Dog Enrichment Activities Using Toilet Paper Rolls 
• 3 DIY Puzzle Toys For Dogs 
• 3 Easy Scenting Games For Dogs 
• 3 Ingredient Yogurt Dog Treat Recipe With Lickimat Soother  
• 3 Snuffle Toys For Dogs 
• DIY Snuffle Mat Ball: JW HOLEE Roller Ball Dog Toy Idea 

Plus, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter below to get more dog enrichment ideas delivered straight to your inbox.

Photography: Kate Kelley Collection