[jollygoo]

My 3 month old cairn terrier literally wolfs down her food without chewing it - is this bad for her and how can I encourage her to chew her food properly?

[labman]

The dogs seem to be to digest the food chewed or unchewed. There are problems with them throwing up and worse yet even choking to death. It is a big problem with Labs. The most common solution is to spread it out so they can't get as big of a mouthful. I still don't know if they chew it or not, but they throw up less and don't choke. Some people use a cookie sheet. Many of my friends simply throw it in the bottom of the crate. That works very well with several dogs in the house. Another technique is to put large rocks in the food dish. Same effect, the dog must work at getting the food rather than inhale it.

I met my old friend Hoover last Saturday. He is retired as a dog guide stud. I first met him as a puppy at the state fair in 1992. He was named for his eating habits and passed them on for several generations.

[jollygoo]

Thanks for your help - I think I will have to rename my puppy Dyson!