# Question about Spoos's eating habits



## Lou (Sep 22, 2012)

Question about Spoos eating habits 

I've been reading about bloat again, because it was mentioned on a thread, and I got all worried all over again. my poodles are totally fine, but I wanna make sure I'm doing everything correctly when it comes to taking care of them and making sure they are safe healthy and happy.

How long does it take your Spoo to eat and finish a meal? 

I know it's a silly question but I wanna know what is common to know if my poodles eat too fast. I feed once a day and I timed them: it takes Apollo 11 minutes to eat his meal and Lou 13 to eat hers (without stops/pauses About 2.5 cups of kibble plus 2 tbl spoons of yogurt , 1tbl spoon of unseasoned canned pumpkin and 1/6 of can of dog food. (5-star dog food) I mix it all with a little water and it's not too creamy and not too watery. I've been trying for months to find the perfect "meal" that they would like and would be healthy.

But now I am concerned about risks of bloat and if I'm doing something wrong.

Their bowls are raised a bit and I truly believe it's better for them instead of the bowl on the floor but now some articles say yes some articles say don't. 

And they don't exercise before of after eating but I will make sure now that it's exactly 2 hours minimum. 

So there's a lot of controversy on this bloat topic. But I at least want to know if my dogs are eating too fast so I can buy a different bowl if that's the case.

So ... How long does it take your Spoo to eat and finish a meal? 

Thanks!




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## Petitpie'sDH (Mar 22, 2013)

I feed mine twice a day (there seems to be some information that this is better than one big meal), and never really timed them, but they eat slowly, don't gobble down their food, so it takes a few minutes. I don't elevate their bowls (I have read that it is worse to elevate their bowls), and they usually will lie down with their paws on each side of their bowl. I do restrict exercise for about an hour before and after they eat. Like you, I am fearful of bloat, but there doesn't seem to be any 100% "right" way to prevent it, so we do the best we can.


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## atticusmom (Dec 4, 2013)

I feed twice a day also in a bowl designed to slow dogs down. He gets 1 1/2 cups in the morning and 1 1/2 cups in the evening. I try keep the same time 6am/6pm. He also gets peanut butter or apple sauce in his Kong throughout the day.

I'm new to the spoo world so I was worried about bloating too. I agree with the commenter above that there is no sure fire method for preventing it 100%.


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## 24953 (Oct 27, 2013)

Petitpie'sDH said:


> I feed mine twice a day (there seems to be some information that this is better than one big meal), and never really timed them, but they eat slowly, don't gobble down their food, so it takes a few minutes. I don't elevate their bowls (I have read that it is worse to elevate their bowls), and they usually will lie down with their paws on each side of their bowl. I do restrict exercise for about an hour before and after they eat. Like you, I am fearful of bloat, but there doesn't seem to be any 100% "right" way to prevent it, so we do the best we can.


Yep that's exactly what I read and do, twice a day, don't time it, but I don't see her gobble or be really slow she just eats normally and goes off when she's full if shes had snacks and goes back to it again, don't elevate bowls - never read anything about that helping, she stands though to eat, i don't let her exercise for 1hour before and after - never seen about 2 hours, and it is a worry , and the worry is made worse as there is conflicting information on it.

Didn't even know about the bloat with a large border collie at my parents - she is 21" & a big stocky girl & we never knew about the bloat in big dogs and she was wild and wired and would have ran around before and after food as she did it all day long. It's only when I was researching getting my standard that I came across bloat but it's apparently common in any large dog. I still do the routine with it, and my mother is now applying the rules to the collie in her old age too. Just in case. And my father had a great dane years ago and apparently they are very bad for bloat and he never came across it about them.


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## elem8886 (Sep 19, 2012)

Tika was having some stomach troubles about a year ago and when I described her symptoms to the vet she tried to convince me that it could be bloat - it wasn't (basically Tika has acid reflux when her stomach is empty and she would pace and cough, sometimes throwing up some bile) but I switched from 1 cup twice a day to 2/3 of a cup three times a day. Smaller portions seem to be an agreed upon measure to try to prevent bloat (and as a bonus, three meals a day stopped her acid reflux symptoms ).

Tika gets her kibble (which contains probiotics) softened with hot water and sometimes I put some plain yogurt or pumpkin in as well. She actually chews the kibbles and she does eat fairly slowly but I have never timed it, maybe 5-8 minutes? Her bowl is just on the floor but there does seem to be controversy over bowl height. I don't know what the latest thoughts are but I think there's a difference between raising a bowl a few inches and putting the bowl at the dog's chest level.  Some dogs do eat laying down though so who knows? 

Like the other replies I restrict activity, for 30 minutes to an hour before and after each meal depending on the intensity of exercise. If we're talking a leisurely walk with Tika on leash I might wait 30 minutes but chasing a ball at the park means a full hour before and after. I also don't let her gulp down large amounts of water super fast - she can have as much water as she wants but I make her slow down/take breaks.

There is so much conflicting information and advice out there about preventing bloat but I just do what seems logical to me and I try to keep her healthy overall.


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## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

Just in case any missed seeing it, there's a wonderful forum "sticky" post on bloat that's worth a read. It offers lots of good sources, too. :eating:
http://www.poodleforum.com/29-poodle-health/11388-gastric-dilatation-volvulus-bloat.html#post143668


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## MrsKaia (Dec 3, 2011)

Mine gets raw with some veggies, yogurt, pumpkin puree, etc. mixed in. He gets 2 meals a day of about 14 to 16 ounces per meal. I never timed it, but I estimate it takes him around 5 minutes to finish his meal. In any case, he's not a slow eater, but he is also not sharking down his food. In the morning there is about an hour between eating and his usual morning walk, but that is just walking. Every once in a while there is a little bit of play biting and dancing with another dog. Not any wild play and chaces or anything. In any case, it doesn't really worry me. In the evening there is usually an hour, sometimes longer, between exercise and a meal. He gets an hour of flying after a toy in the dog park. When he's home I always wait until he's stopped panting, and is relaxed and lying down. His food bowl is raised a little. It's just your average bowl stand, where the bottom of the bowls (2 qts, I think) is about 2.5 inch or so above the ground. And then in the evening he gets another walk, but that is way after his dinner.

In the morning, after his breakfast, he likes to shake around his octopus toy for a while. It always surprises me that he isn't black and blue all over :beat-up:


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

I have a food wolfer and to slow her down I either feed raw or, when feeding dry food, I always add some canned food (Tripett) or yogurt and mix it with the kibble. It really does work for her. Still, all of my dogs eat with a purpose. They finish their meals in a couple of minutes.


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