Is Your Bulldog Eating Too Fast?

Is Your Bulldog Eating Too Fast?

Who we are and why we are the authority on bulldog health issues

We have devoted the last 15 years to improving the health of the English Bulldog breed in the United States. Instead of following the current unhealthy breed standards, we set out to change the breed for the better, focusing on lighter wrinkles, slightly longer snouts and extensive health testing. Through years of dedication we have been able to significantly improve the health characteristics within our bloodlines and give hope to the breed that health improvements are possible. Along the way, we have also become thought leaders in proper bulldog training, care and behavioral studies.

Few things are more adorable than watching your bulldog come in from running around outside and lap the water up like they are running a marathon. And the same can be said true for when they chow down their food faster than you can say their name. Despite the fact we might think it’s “cute” it actually is not, and can be very harmful.

Dangers of Bulldogs Eating Too Fast

Bulldogs love to eat and can do so extremely fast. According to the American Kennel Club, “eating so quickly can be quite dangerous for our dogs.” Some of these dangers include health issues such as the following:

Aspirated pneumonia (This occurs when a dog inhales a piece of food or a food particle into their lungs.)
Choking (If they start to make an “ack ack” sound while eating, rush over to help them because this means they are choking on their food.)
Vomiting (They are not taking the time to chew the food, and are just inhaling and swallowing it.)
Bloating (This can cause even more serious conditions known as gastric dilation.)

Eating too quickly is certainly not ideal and can even be life-threatening for bulldogs as we can see from the above examples. Of course, we want to research ways to ensure our bulldogs are not eating too quickly. So the question is…how do I slow down my bulldog from eating too quickly?

How to Slow Your Bulldog’s Eating Down

1. Feeding times

While there are many solutions to slow a bulldogs eating down one of the most important is how many times a day they are being offered food.

According to the National Library of Medicine results from the Dog Aging Project found that Once-daily feeding is associated with better health in companion dogs. Unfortunately this idea of once-daily feeding can be extremely risky and result in devastating complications for bulldogs who by nature love to eat, and eat FAST.

We recommend 3 times daily (7am, 11am & 4pm) for puppies under 6 months. In general puppies eat their food fairly fast and offering smaller water soaked (we will touch on this father into the article) meals evenly spread out helps to curb their hunger.

After a bulldog hits the 6 month mark we encourage a transition to twice daily meals (morning and early evening).

2. Ensure Your Bulldog Is Eating At the Right Height

This might seem like a humorous point because after all, bulldogs are already low to the ground. However, we want to always make sure that our bulldogs have ease of access while eating, according to their correct height.

If it is too high or too low for them and they are struggling, they could feel like it is a fight to eat which can cause fast eating.

So, if your bulldog bowls are too low, that is easily solvable by elevating their food and water bowls. And vice versa, if it is too high, simply lower them to the floor level to make it easier for your bulldog while eating.

3. Find Your Bulldog the Right Bowl To Eat From

There are many different type of bowls you can find for your bulldog. So, which is the right one to get? One great bowl to get to slow feeding down is what’s called a maze bowl, or slow-feeding bowl. These bowls have various designs that spread the food out so that your dog won’t wolf the food down all at once.

Unfortunately, depending on the personality of your bulldog they will sometimes get frustrated and flip the bowl on purpose to eat faster. This is where the raised eating area comes in handy. The raised frame should fit your bowls tight enough to discourage your bulldog from being able to move or flip their dishes.

A great alternative to the maze or slow feeding bowl is to add a large, yes I mean LARGE rock (atleast fist size or larger) to the bowl. Your bulldog will have to push the rock around to get their food resulting in slower eating.

A great reminder here is to use a stainless steel or ceramic bowl. This helps to keep out harmful bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli. which can cause bulldog acne.

4. Feed Your Bulldog the Correct Amount of Food

Lastly, be sure that you are feeding your bulldog the correct amount of food. This might seem like a no-brainer. But, just as we as humans don’t eat the same as babies, neither do pets of various sizes.

We need to ensure our bulldogs aren’t eating quickly simply because they are being underfed. And while this typically is never a huge problem in the bulldog world, it is something to think about.

How much your bulldog should eat is really dependent on how big they are. A good average to go by is about two to three cups a day for an average adult, most will be at their best weight at 2 cups. Puppies going home will be eating roughly 1/2 cup three times daily and increase as they grow.

*We recommend puppies 6 months and younger be fed softened food. The best way to soak food is to add hot water to just cover their food and let sit for 10-15 minutes. The food will expand and become soft, note do not use cold water… it will take much too long and will not soften entirely.

Additional Solutions To Helping Your Bulldog Slow Down While Eating

The above ideas are the four most common ways to ensure that your bulldog isn’t eating too fast. But, those are by no means an exhaustive list of what is possible. Here are four fun DIY (do it yourself) ways you can help your bulldog slow their eating down.

Get yourself a large rock to put in your bulldog’s food dish. We do mean a LARGE rock, so as not to worry about your bulldog accidentally eating it. This will do the trick of slowing their eating down significantly as they will have to push the rock around to get to their food.
Grab a large cookie sheet and shake the kibble throughout the entire pan. This will naturally slow your bulldog down as the food is spread out rather than in one bowl.

Add about an inch of water to your bulldog’s food bowl with their kibble. Floating their kibble in water is a great way to slow down their eating while hydrating them at the same time! (And who doesn’t love an additional benefit?)
For the pups who are in training, you can also feed them handfuls of kibble during training sessions or use a puzzle toy/food dispenser. These are fun ways for you and the bulldog to bond during training, while guaranteeing they aren’t eating too much at once.

Not only is slow eating safer and healthier, but these above solutions can also allow your bulldog to use some brain power while eating their meal! And we all know that bulldogs are the smartest dogs out there. (Well, at least we think so. And if you’re on this post you probably agree with us.)

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Bruiser Bulldog’s Reviews

I've grown up with english bulldogs my whole life. I am familiar with common and uncommon health problems they may face so when my boyfriend and I decided we were ready to adopt our own english puppy finding a reputable breeder that prioritizes health was most important to us. Erica and Mitch of Bruiser Bulldogs are just that. They are experienced, ethical and quality breeders. I was referred to them by my friend that I trust after I saw their gorgeous healthy puppy. Our Puppy Primrose is the light of our lives! Bruisers was there to assist us every step of the way. We would highly recommend Bruisers Bulldogs to anyone looking for their own happy, healthy pup!

Leah H.
4/08/2021
We, like many of the other people who found Bruisers, did a lot of research to find a responsible breeder, especially since English Bulldogs can have health issues and because there is a trend now for "trendy" bulldogs (blue, etc.) which have even more health issues. We were lucky to have come across Bruiser Bulldogs and even more so the fact that they were near our family and hometown made it even better. We have had Clementine (Callie) for four months now, and she is a wonderful dog. Her personality is amazing, and I think part of it is breeding and the other part is Erika and her family lovingly raising the puppies in their home with plenty of attention and snuggles. I also was impressed that, rather than send the puppies out right at 8 weeks, Erika kept ours for a few extra weeks because she was tiny and not read to leave her mom yet. It's that care that differentiates Bruisers from other breeders.

Emily R.
4/08/2021
We found Bruiser Bulldogs after researching healthy breeding line for bulldog puppies. Erica was easy to work with thru the entire process from application to adopting and now beyond as we host our new family member, Chief. Her on-call support and willingness to provide open, honest advice to all of our questions and concerns continues to be appreciated. We would highly recommend Bruiser Bulldogs to anyone looking for an English Bulldog to join their family.

Elizabeth W.
4/01/2021
Lady L.
3/25/2021
Bruiser Bulldogs are 5-star breeders! They are experienced, responsive and knowledgeable about all things bulldog related. They went above and beyond for us and are truly dedicated to all of their pups! We love our little girl so much and would recommend Bruiser to anyone looking for a healthy beautiful bully.

Jonathan E.
3/22/2021
Bruiser Bulldogs is a 5-star breeder in every way. Erica and Mitch are trustworthy, excellent communicators, fair, passionate, and produce the best bulldogs.We were at the top of the waiting list for months and Erica reached out every litter to see if we were finally ready for a bulldog. When we were, she was very easy to work with. Her knowledge on bulldogs is outstanding. We had many questions on the process and she always knew what was best for the puppy.We've had Penny (formerly Blair) for two months and she is very healthy, energetic, playful, and sweet. She is great with other people and dogs. We are so happy with our pup.When we are ready for bulldog #2, we will only consider Bruiser Bulldogs.

Mitch C.
2/22/2021
We waited a while to write this review so that we had a better sense for the overall health of our Bruiser Bulldog “Bowser”. Bowser was born April 2020 and is an integral part of our family. When we were first exploring English Bulldog breeders our biggest concern was the overall health of the dogs. We decided to work with Erica at Bruiser Bulldogs because we liked their focus on improving the breeds breathing abilities and the fact that the puppies are raised within her family environment before coming home with their new owners.As for Bowsers health, he’s a health energetic English Bulldog that has no problem keeping up with the kids, going on 2 mi walks and camping with us on a regular basis. Bowser also breaths clearly and our vet was impressed with his overall health from the moment we brought him home. All that said we know English Bulldogs have a predisposition to many health issues and that his current health can not predict the future. With that In mind its important to start with a breeder that open to answer any of your questions as Erica has ours, and that strongly believes in improving the breeds overall health profile.

Adam B.
2/22/2021
After the loss of our first English Bulldog due to health issues it was very important for us to find a breeder who did not breed only for aesthetic but more importantly for health. My sister ended up finding Bruiser Bulldogs and we knew right away that they were the breeder for us.In September we ended up driving 9 hours to pick up two Bruiser bulldog puppies- one for my husband and I and one for my mom. Jackson and Penelope have been nothing but a joy. They are very social and very friendly to everyone they meet including kids and other dogs/animals. They are both very athletic and healthy. They are also HUGE snugglers and always want to be with you. It is an absolute pleasure having these two bullies in our lives! My sister and her fiancé also fell in love with them and now are on the waitlist themselves for a Bruiser bulldog!Erica is very knowledgeable about the breed. She is very hands on throughout the process and is just overall a kind and honest person to work with.With all that being said I cannot recommend Bruiser Bulldogs enough!

Collyn C.
2/22/2021
We fell in love with our puppy the moment we saw him. One of the reasons we chose Bruiser Bulldogs was due to the claims about breeding for health. During our first visit at our vet's office, he told us that our pup was one of the healthiest English bulldogs he had ever seen. He is healthy, happy and social. Would recommend to anyone.

Christina S.
2/22/2021
What an awesome experience! We seen our dog on their website and sent them an Email. Mitch called us and personally walked us through the process and made sure we had the right dog for our family. We couldn't be happier when we picked up our dog Ramsey, Erica made sure we had everything we needed and then some. They are truly amazing people who breed truly amazing dogs!

Jim T.
2/22/2021