Is it normal for my poodle to swallow her food whole without chewing?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is important to avoid this as much as possible as this can predispose dogs to things like aspiration pneumonia for example. One thing that has worked for me great in the past for patients that do not eat more slowly with the slow feeder is actually throwing the kibble in a small room like the bathroom for example so that they end up spread out in the room as that will force Millie to eat more slowly as it will take her longer to find them to eat it. While it sounds messy, this has actually worked very well for some of my patients. Good luck and have a great day!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Haley. This can be a problem with dogs, and there are a few things you can do about it. You can buy a dog food that has tiny bites, such as Hill's Science Diet Small Bites adult dog food. You can soak her food in water before giving it to her, making it mushy and easier for her to swallow in one bite. Finally, you could considered breaking down the kibble yourself, but that's a lot of work. I'd think about trying the two things I suggested above. I hope this helps!

A dog may vomit if food is swallowed without being chewed adequately or if the meal is eaten quickly. You can try using a slow feed bowl to control Mini's eating. Dividing the meal into smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day may also decrease vomiting. If the vomiting persists, consider an exam with your veterinarian.

Thanks for using PetCoach! It is definitely common for puppies especially to eat like it’s a race! There isn’t generally any problem with it except that Brixy may be more likely to regurgitate that meal right back up (looking almost the same!) If you’d like to try and slow her down, consider a puzzle bowl like this, or a slow feeding toy like this https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/kong-wobbler-food-dispensing-dog-toy Hope this helps and best of luck to you and Brixy!

You can feed her smaller amounts more frequently or consider using a slow feed bowl. AN example is shown at the link below.

Many dogs don’t chew treats or kibble. As long as she’s not having a problem then it’s nothing to be overly concerned about. I would try a variety of tiny treats, soft and hard to see if one works better so she doesn’t do this. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Stella.

As long as she eats and is not losing weight, don't stress out over it. It is true that smaller breeds can be a bit more finicky. Switching foods would not be recommended as it can lead to gastrointestinal upset and reinforce her finicky nature. Instead, try mixing in a bit of warm water or a teaspoon of baby food to stimulate the appetite.