Hacking Up His Kibble?

[Guest kirstenbergren]

We recently adopted our first greyhound. He's 90 lbs. Our adoption group suggested we start feeding him 2 1/2 - 3 cups of food twice a day. We have been feeding him science diet adult small bites. He eats pretty well, but while he's eating he'll hack up a pile of partially chewed/eaten food and then eat it back up. Is this normal?? It's so messy! Should we feed him something different? Or maybe larger kibble? I think he stops eating early because of the hacking. We've only had him for about 10 days. Am I getting worried over nothing?? Thanks for the advice!

[greysmom]

Sounds like he's just eating too fast. This happens a lot with dogs newly in their homes and is a normal thing. Try putting a smallish rubber ball or a bowl or glass (turned upside down) in his food bowl. It will help slow him down some. You can also put water in his kibble to help things go down easier. None of mine actually "chew" their food. It's over the teeth and down the gullet! Small pieces of kibble make this easier.

 

Is he a "fit" 90 lbs? Nice tuck up at the waist? You can see a couple of back ribs? Has good energy and stamina? 90 lbs is a big boy! Some people like Science Diet and some don't. If he's doing well on it and you can afford it longterm, then he should be fine.

[4My2Greys]

Congratulations on your new boy and welcome to GT .

Try adding a little water to his kibble if you aren't already. That usually helps.

[Guest 4dogscrazy]

Mine will hack and hork all over the place if I don't put some water in with their kibble! Congratulations on your new boy and welcome!

[TheFullHouse]

They aren't used to chewing kibble. Their food in the kennel is moist. Like others said, add some water to it and let it sit for a few minutes and then give it to him.

[Guest Greytluv]

I soak my Danger's food till it's really soft. Otherwise he'll hack it up.

[tydyelady]

We have a big boy too, 92-95#, He's very fit, just a big boy, all the pups from his litter were big, but I think he is the biggest. We feed him 3 cups a day total (1 in AM, 2 in PM) but he also gets add ins - good quality canned food, home made meatloaf, and a turkey neck when we get home from work. We put warm water in the kibble, plus the add ins. As someone mentioned, they are not used to just dry kibble. And hopefully as your boy gets used to a home will not feel the need to eat so fast - maybe!

[Guest kirstenbergren]

Thanks for all the advice! He's a pretty lean 90#, I asked the question cause I can tell he's lost a little weight since we got him. I think he could use a few more pounds on him. He's got a few more ribs showing than necessary. Watering down his food a bit will more than likely help him eat better. I'll try it in the morning. Thanks everyone!

[Guest kirstenbergren]

The water definitely helped! He didn't hack any up and he ate all his food and more! Thanks so much everyone!

[Guest badderh]

Rocky did this for the first month that we had him and still occasionally does it but not nearly as much. We were told that part of it was probably the stress of transitioning into a new home, mainly because they aren't quite sure when their next meal will be. We ended up putting a bowl upside down inside of his bowl to slow his eating and make him take smaller bites. After a couple of months of this we took the bowl out and he ate at a normal pace and only hacks up a piece every now and then when he's a little too excited about his food.

[Guest snakes]

I still to thsi day after 4 years have to make sure to add enough water so mine don't do the same thing.....Watch out, one of mine if really thirsty will just drink and drink and then end up puking some of it up. I regulate him by distracting after a bit of drinking then let him go back. Seems like similar behavior to when he eats....

[Guest greygirls2]

My new boy does this too so I just add a little warm water to the kibble and it goes down fine. He just puts too much in his mouth and if it's dry it sticks and he hacks it all up.

[Guest CharlEYp]

This is really useful, our boy was slowing down with his food but this morning he wolfed it down and then proceeded to hack up a few bits.

It's nice to know this is normal for a new adoptee, i add warm water to his meals anyway, as my prevous dogs couldn't eat dry kibble but will try the upturned glass idea too.

 

We feed our boy 2 1/2 cups kibble with water in the morning (06:30) and 2 1/2 cups with a raw egg in the evening (17:30). He also gets dentastix, chicken and other meaty treats during the day as treats when we're training him.

[a_daerr]

Mine do the same thing with the small kibble. I switched to a large breed formula, which has bigger pieces. We do Iams green bag, but whatever you use is fine as long as he's eating it and his poops are firm. I like doing this rather than mixing it with water, because chewing the larger pieces helps clean their teeth.

[Guest CharlEYp]

we feed arkhwright chicken &rice food. the upturned glassworked a treat! he rarely hacks up his food anymore.

[Guest LindsaySF]

I always add water to their kibble. Most dogs don't chew their food anyway.

[Guest kirstenbergren]

I recently had to stop adding water to PJ's kibble because he's a "grazer" and the soaked kibble wasn't appealing to him after an hour or so. I switched him to a large breed formula and he chews that up real good. By the end of the day he's eaten 6 cups of food. He still hacks up a little bit, but not nearly as much as when he was eating smaller kibble. Thanks for all the advice everyone!

[TheFullHouse]

He's eating 6 cups of food? That's quite a bit of food. My big boys who weigh almost 100 lbs. only eat 4 cups. I might suggest instead of letting him graze all day, you can try a twice a day feeding schedule. Put his food down for 15 minutes. If he doesn't eat, pick it up and put it in the fridge. Offer him it again for dinner, again for 15 minutes and pull up what he doesn't eat. He will soon catch on to the new eating schedule and should eat both meals with gusto because he knows there will be no food in between. If he continues to graze all day on 6 cups he could become over weight and that's not good for a greyhound.

[Guest driser]

The only thing that slows our guy's eating down even a little is feeding him off of a large cookie sheet. We wet it so it's a little slick and then spread it out all over. But even then ... he often hacks some up. and then seems to celebrate the pieces he finds on the floor around him when he thought he was done.

[Guest kirstenbergren]

He's eating 6 cups of food? That's quite a bit of food. My big boys who weigh almost 100 lbs. only eat 4 cups. I might suggest instead of letting him graze all day, you can try a twice a day feeding schedule. Put his food down for 15 minutes. If he doesn't eat, pick it up and put it in the fridge. Offer him it again for dinner, again for 15 minutes and pull up what he doesn't eat. He will soon catch on to the new eating schedule and should eat both meals with gusto because he knows there will be no food in between. If he continues to graze all day on 6 cups he could become over weight and that's not good for a greyhound.

I'll have to try that. He tends to want to eat when I'm in the same room with him and his food. I've been feeding him 6 cups cause I'm seeing too many of his ribs. I bet he needs about 5 more pounds on him. I'll start cutting down his food once he gains a few pounds. My wallet would really like 4 cups more than 6 cups.

[sobesmom]

If he's doing well with water on the food (which I always do for all greys, and it always mostly cures the "hacking" thing, because I've never seen a grey that chews, they swallow whole.) I'd personally stick with 2 feedings per day. It's what they're used to. Some people and greys do fabulous with grazing - but at my house, we've always had straight-off-the-track greys, and it's put the food down, eat, done. Twice a day, every day. After a couple weeks, they all go from inhale in 3 seconds, to inhale in 90 seconds. It's partially a comfort/acclimation thing that does slow them down a bit. But I don't leave food lying around - work schedules, and having a lot of fosters - and all 15 or dogs through this house have figured out just fine that you eat at meal times. If you don't, you'll eat next time.

 

As far as the amount of food that others have expressed concern about, it does seem like a lot to me, too. But - if your group suggested that amount, I'd stick with it for a while. Just keep int the back of your head that his exercise level is going to drop DRAMATICALLY now that he's retired - so his calorie needs will drop also. Sometime a few months from now, it'll probably catch up with him, and you'll probably need to start slowly decreasing the calories so he doesn't pudge out. Not a worry today.

 

You may also want to check out other brands of food - you can get equal or better nutrients in a different food for a lesser price - and this boy is gonna eat a LOT.

 

Was he in foster with the group? Or straight off the track? I'm guessing the group (like many) gets free food, and their sponsor is S.D., so that's what they're sugguesting.