Slow feeder bowl

bluejelly

Hi, anyone know of a good slow feeder bowl, suitable for labs? I have a 4 yr old lab who is like a super suction hoover! Thanks

VonVix

You can DIY one yourself if you don't want to buy one. For example putting a ball in the middle of their food dish.

Or if you have a food dish that is shaped like this: http://stock-image.mediafocus.com/images/previews/empty-dog-food-bowl-clipart-50031001.jpg - You can turn it upside down and put the food in it like this, http://www.dailydogtag.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Hills-Metabolic-Diet-Food-For-Dogs-Theo0036.jpg makes for a good quicky slow feeder!

bluejelly

VonVix wrote: »

You can DIY one yourself if you don't want to buy one. For example putting a ball in the middle of their food dish.

Or if you have a food dish that is shaped like this: http://stock-image.mediafocus.com/images/previews/empty-dog-food-bowl-clipart-50031001.jpg - You can turn it upside down and put the food in it like this, http://www.dailydogtag.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Hills-Metabolic-Diet-Food-For-Dogs-Theo0036.jpg makes for a good quicky slow feeder!

Great idea! I'll try that in the morning, thanks!!

VonVix

bluejelly wrote: »

Great idea! I'll try that in the morning, thanks!!

No problem.

There are also some good feeders you can get if you wanna explore your options, I really like the Kong wobbler, I'd use it but my boy's kibble is too large for the hole! http://www.petmountain.com/photos/product/giant/114420S526475/-/small-wobbler-dogs-under-25-lbs-.jpg I prefer this to slow feeders personally, because it's a bit more entertaining for them and keeps them busy.

If you're feeling extra adventurous with how to feed your dog, you could chuck his kibble out in the grass, get your doggie to use his nose to sniff it all out all the while slowing him down... I'm assuming your lab is male here!

bluejelly

I have the kong wobbler & use it for treats when I go to work but as I have 2 dogs I can't use it for all her nuts incase my 2nd dog gets them all

She is female by the way!

You got me thinking now tho so maybe I'll just give her small portions at a time and slow her down that way to break her current routine.Thanks again.

Latatian

My labrador bitch used to eat it so fast she'd choke herself. I put it into a rubber toy called a 'busy buddy squirrel dude', not shilling for them just the kong didn't work as well because the opening was larger so she could get the food out faster. You can also take the really easy-if-messy route- sometimes I would just scatter it across the floor, hide little caches of it around the floor and get her to go find it by following my pointing finger, or get her to do tricks for small portions of kibble so she couldn't eat it all in one go. It's a good way to keep her brain exercised and spend some bonding time, too.

Jude13

We have a similar issue with our GSD pup. We got a new bowl when we were home, it has a mould in the centre of it. It really slowed her down and we were delighted. Then three days later she just gets a paw under the bowl and flip its, clever girl.

TG1

Jude13 wrote: »

We have a similar issue with our GSD pup. We got a new bowl when we were home, it has a mould in the centre of it. It really slowed her down and we were delighted. Then three days later she just gets a paw under the bowl and flip its, clever girl.

Yes, clever dogs are an issue. We put a ball in our collies dish and he just picked it out and looked at us like we were idiots. We tried the special bowls, but the one we had had a gap for a handle that he could get his nose into and flip.

We eventually resorted to what has been suggested above, just spreading it out on the floor...

He's fourteen now and in the last year has started to eat like a normal dog again (I think his teeth struggle with the food a bit) so we have gone back to a bowl!

muddypaws

I've made a snuffle mat this week for one of my dogs to eat from. They take a while to make, but you can do it while you're sat watching TV. He has used it for the last two days and has great fun finding the kibble hidden in it. I used a shower mat as the base, and old t-shirts instead of fleece as it was my first one, going to use fleece for the next one, see what that is like.

http://www.allpetseducationandtraining.com.au/snuffle-mat-mayhem.html

kylith

I use a wide, shallow dish to feed Finn. The thin layer of food means he can't get too much into his mouth at once.

hardCopy

We use an empty coke or fanta bottle. Our kibbles are just the right size that the nozzle stops them pouring freely out but they don't block up either. It takes Mo about 20 minutes to eat a cup of kibbles this way. Feeding time is noisy though.

spur

I have a dog that inhales his food. I discovered that by putting a little water in bottom of his bowl it slows him right down. I tried various things in his bowl and he's either pick them out or nose them out of way! He gets very little food, one mean wouldn't cover bottom of his bowl and I put about an eggcup of water into that - but I have tipped more in by accident.

I don't know why it works, but I know it works for more than just him - in fact my mother discovered it by accident with one of their dogs when she didn't notice some rainwater collected in a bowl and tipped the food in on top and realised the hoover was eating more slowly.

tk123

I used the two when Lucy was a pup :

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Animal-Instincts-Anti-Skid-Slow/dp/B003YH0TV6/ref=pd_bxgy_201_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1FX40X45R5HKRRT08CBJ

and then her snout got too big lol so we got this one :

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003TOQ0CG/ref=twister_B00GJR2IM6?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Jude13

Our feeder bowl, which we brought over from Ireland, was broken by someone dropping it. shipping them out here is a pain in the neck.

bluejelly

Thanks everyone for taking the time to reply. The snuffle mat looks cool, I think it would stress her out knowing she couldn't wolf her food down but I might give it a go! I'll try some of the other home made options now though, will let ye know how it goes, thanks again.