Young English pointer gulps and gobbles his food

Dear Dog Talk: I have a problem with one of my dogs, and I hope you can help. We have three male English pointers that get along great. The oldest dog is almost 7, the middle dog is 5, and the youngest is 3.

We feed them twice a day at 8 a.m. and again around 6 p.m. They get a cup of dry kibble at each meal. All three of the dogs are vigorous eaters, but they respect each other's food bowls. They stay away from other bowls until each dog has finished eating. At that point they run to each bowl and lick it dry. There is never even a growl over this.

The problem is with the youngest dog. He gulps his food down so quickly that sometimes he chokes on it. Several times a week he actually vomits his food immediately after finishing it. We have tried feeding him while baby-gated in the kitchen, but it does not help. I have tried hand feeding him, but he still gobbles his food. Besides, I don't have time to hand feed a 65-pound dog twice a day!

If we tell him 'No' when he eats too quickly, he just acts nervous and afraid to go near his bowl while we stand there. Why do our dogs eat as though they are starving• They have never missed a meal.

I have been reading your column with great interest for some time now, but I have never seen this problem addressed. You seem to have many good common-sense solutions to lot of different dog problems. I hope you have a good idea for this one.

Dear Hungry Household: Wild canines, such as wolves, hunt for their food and gorge themselves after a kill. They instinctively eat as much as they can because they do not know when their next meal will be. They also eat as quickly as possible to get their share, because they have to compete with the rest of the pack.

This instinctive behavior trait has carried over to many domestic dogs. I have found this trait to be particularly strong in the hunting and herding breeds. It is also more common when dogs live with other dogs. During puppyhood, your youngest dog may have developed some nervousness about getting his share around the adult dogs. Or he may be highly stimulated by the sounds and smells of three hungry dogs in the same room busily eating at the same time.

In my experience with this problem, hand feeding does not work. Also, growling 'Nhaa' or saying 'No' while the dog is eating only seems to confuse the dog, as you have observed.

Many years ago an old Beagle trainer taught me a technique that is a little messy but works great. Block your young pointer in the kitchen (or anywhere that you prefer) away from the other dogs.

Dump his bowl of dry kibble onto the floor. This will force your dog to take his time vacuuming up one or two pieces of food at a time. I do not know if this technique will condition your dog to slow down his eating pace, but it will stop him from choking and vomiting up his food.

Interestingly, I read an article not too long ago about animal handlers at zoos using a similar technique. They hide food around the habitat so that the animals can search for it. Doing so helps fulfill some of the animal's hunting instinct and makes the mundane life of a zoo resident more interesting.

In good weather you can take this technique one step further by spilling your pointer's dry kibble on the lawn. Picking through the grass for his food will slow him down even more. And who knows• Hunting for food through the grass may be fun for a bird dog!

Dear Dog Talk: My wife and I are planning a cross-country trip from New Hampshire to Washington state. We are going to take our very well-behaved 5-year-old golden retriever with us. We are concerned about lodging and wondered if you knew of a book or guide that could help us.

Dear Travelers: Yes, there is an informative Web site that I've seen: www.petswelcome.com . Also, Howell Book House has published a new book, 'The Portable Petswelcome.com - The Complete Guide to Traveling with your Pet' by Fred N. Grayson and Chris Kingsley. This book lists pet-friendly hotels with addresses and phone numbers. It also includes pet policies, room rates, local points of interest, and even pet sitters and kennels in the vicinity of your travels. Happy trails!

John Ross writes the Dog Talk column for the Tribune-Review. He has been training dogs professionally for more than 25 years. He is the author of 'Puppy Preschool: Raising Your Puppy Right - Right from the Start!,' 'Dog Talk: Training Your Dog Through a Canine Point of View,' and 'Why Does My Dog Drink Out of the Toilet• - Answers and Advice for All Kinds of Dog Dilemmas,' all published by St. Martin's Press. The books are available in all major bookstores. You can mail your questions to John Ross at P.O. Box 1062, Norwich, VT 05055 or e-mail Ross at dogtalk@nantucket.net .