bolting food

[SCHUMI]

Does anyone have any suggestions how to stop my 22mth BC from bolting his food.he is on a complete meal having changed from meat but that makes no difference.He is so greedy.For the past few months I have fed him seperately from the other dogs who don't bolt and have held his bowl for him and if he goes for a snatch I take the bowl away and make him wait.
As he is the smartest I had thought he'd get the idea but if left to it himself he bolts it faster than ever.
Things I have tries without success are...
1.the dong toy-useless.
2.was suggested to always make sure he had food in a bowl and when I did that he was sick as he bolted four days food in 5mins!!!!!
3.taking a biscuit out and giving him it in individual pieces.a 5min mealtime ended up beind a 25min. hassle.
4.putting a large object in his bowl to make him work his way around it.he lifts it out or gets his nose under it and gulps.
5.liquidized the biscuit ( tried this 3 days ago) he lapped half of it up then refused to eat the rest as it was disgusting and his stomach appeared bloated.He also wouldn't take a breath.
Now he has been like this since we got him at 10wks old and I do know he had to fight for his food so I know why he did it then but for it to be going on as long I am worried he is going to do himself an injury.He also does it with treats and has choked before trying to gulp treats down as fast as he can.
Please,please any advice?

[kita1]

If you are feeding dry food I would definately make sure you soak it well first, otherwise he could choke on the food if it ends up stuck in his throat. (This actually happened to a Rottie puppy recently and it died before the owner could get the food out of its throat).

NEVER feed a dog that eats like this dry food.

I would try feeding a bit at a time (not one biscuit), I would tend to go back to a meat (or tinned) diet that I could put into the bowl a handful at a time.

I would also continue feeding on his own so that he does not feel he has competition and has to fight for the food. Taking the food away if he tries to snatch it would be counter productive (he will try to snatch it even faster next time) and he could start getting aggressive with you (imagine someone taking your dinner off you just as you sat down to it when you were starving!).

If however you are adding food to his bowl he will see that as something good and welcome you approaching the bowl.

I would also try and keep things calm when you feed him (eg don't leave him until last for feeding). Try and cut the expectation time (have the food ready, don't let him see you opening tins etc). The more you hype him up the faster he is going to try and eat.

[SCHUMI]

Thanx for your reply.I should have said I don't take his bowl off him I use voice command and tell him to leave it.He gets huge praise when I hear him crunch and he would never get aggressive towards me.He does gets nibbles through the day which he does bolt unless closely monitored and when he had meat it was actually a worse ordeal i.e one tin two mouthfulls! No joke.They all get fed at the same time but in different rooms and they have a set time and we do it calmly.The dogs are put outside whilst their meals are prepared and when the door opens he comes straight to me as he won't take his food from anyone else and when I tried to put it on the floor or in his bowl holder he won't take it. He is a problem child but I love him loads and he is perfect in every other way.Thanx again for your advice.

[kita1]

You might find more help on a forum dedicated to dog training/behaviour a good one is http://ttlntl.co.uk/forum

they have lots of helpful people who are trainers/behaviourists (many have helped retrain/rehabilitate rescue dogs).

As he will only accept food off you I would say you have more of a deep rooted problem than one of a greedy dog who bolts his food.

You could have problems if for some reason you cannot be there to feed him, what if you have to put him in kennels for some reason? Or he has to have a prolonged stay at the vets?

The above site is very friendly and you will find caring help and advice with any problems you have.

[Bellringer]

I shouldn't worry too much. Most proper dogs tend to bolt their food. It comes from the wild; "get it down your neck before some one else gets it."
Watch his diet, don't give him too much at once & I am sure he will be OK. But, if he has had to fight for his food in the past you may never break him of the habit.
I know of a rescue dog who has the same tendency. A lovely dog but will do anything for food. Good luck.