Do dogs grow slower on raw diet

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated September 16, 2024

Contributions sourced from

7 Dog Slow Feeders To Help Your Raw-Fed Dog Eat Slower

Dog slow feeders have helped me slow my pup Wallys eating down.

Over the years, Ive tried a few different ones, and in todays blog post, Ill share my seven favorites!

In case youre new to the blog, Wallys raw-fed and eats about 70% homemade raw dog food and 30% pre-made raw meals.

I buy the latter whenever I can get a deal on them.

Now heres the thing Wally takes his time whenever hes eating my own meals because they feature larger cuts of meat as well as raw meaty bones.

But his eating speed increases drastically when his bowl features ground cuts of meat.

Whenever thats the case, he inhales his food like he hasnt eaten in days!

How To Make Your Raw-Fed Dog Eat Slower: Dog Slow Feeders

Disclaimer: This blog post was originally published in 2019 and has been updated in 2023. It contains affiliate links I may earn compensation through at no additional cost to you.

What Happens If A Dog Eats Too Fast? Bloat Explained

Before I go into detail about the slow feeders, I want to talk about why it can be problematic when dogs eat too fast.

First of all, they can throw up their food.

While thats mostly gross, it can also cause bloat.

Bloat is a serious condition where the stomach fills with gas.

Unfortunately, its usually fatal if the dogs stomach ends up twisting on itself and doesnt get treated by a vet right away.

According to integrative veterinarian Dr. Becker, bloat has a 30% mortality rate.

So when you notice any of the symptoms listed below in your pooch, its better to be safe than sorry and head to your vet or closest emergency vet.

Signs of Bloat

Bloated belly
Abdominal pain
Unproductive retching
Pale gums
State of shock
Shallow rapid breathing
Lethargy

Keeping that in mind, the following breeds are particularly prone to bloat:

Great Danes
Saint Bernards
Boxers
Weimaraners
Irish Setters
Gordon Setters
Standard Poodles
Basset Hounds
Dobermans
Mastiffs
Old English Sheephounds
German Shorthaired Pointers
Newfoundlands
German Shepherds

But any dog regardless of their breed can get bloat.

Did you know? Most kibble can contribute to bloat!

Thats because its high in carbs which are fermentable and cause gas.

If the gas gets trapped within the body, the risk of bloat occurs.

How Do Dog Slow Feeders Work at Slowing Down a Dogs Eating?

Dog food puzzles are designed specifically to slow down a dogs eating pace by engaging a dogs natural foraging instincts.

How so?

Well, the dog has to figure out how to maneuver their snout and tongue around obstacles to access their food.

These obstacles can be ridges, circles and bumps that are built into the slow feeder.

They make it more challenging for them to access their food by:

Spacing it out
Making access to it trickier

My Favorite 7 Dog Slow Feeders

Ok, now on to the fun part!

Im happy to report that Ive managed to find 7 slow feeders for dogs that make Wally eat his raw dog food -well, more slowly!

First, a simple ice cube tray.
Next, a stuffable KONG toy.
Followed by 4 slow feeder bowls.
Also, LickiMats!

Tip: They also work for kibble and wet dog food, but I obviously only use them for raw dog food.

Check out my dog slow feeder playlist on YouTube to see them in action!

Dog Slow Feeder #1:Ice Cube Trays

I found these particularice cube trayson Amazon, priced at around $10.00 for a set of two.

Features of the ice cube trays:

BPA-free
Made of food-grade silicone
They come with lids

Tip: They also work great to store ground secreting organs in the freezer.

Secreting organs are an essential part of raw dog food, but some dogs are super picky and wont eat them whole.

So what you can do is simply pop one or two out come feeding time and add them to your dogs raw meal.

Dog Slow Feeder #2: KONG Toys

These are the slow feeders Ive been familiar with the longest!

I got them for my pups Missy and Buzz mostly for entertainment purposes during the hot summer months back in 2012.

Theyre thick rubber dog toys that can be filled with food, and Missy and Buzz loved going to town on them.

Especially when I popped them into the freezer overnight. That makes them last extra long.

Of course I also bought Wally a few Kongs.

A set of largeKONG toysretails on Amazon for around $25.00, but any good pet retail store carries them.

Features of the KONGs:

Made of natural, non-toxic rubber
Stuffable
Also work as bouncy fetch toys!

Dog Slow Feeder #3: Outward Hound Fun Feeder Slo Bowl

I can also fill a regular raw dog food meal into slow feeder dog bowls.

The bowl itself is large enough for me to put some smaller raw meaty bones and whole fish in there.

For example, duck wings or feet, thread herring, as well as smaller cuts of raw meat and/or pured veggies.

The Fun Feeder is available on Amazon and retails for $14.99. Thats for the medium size. Its also available in small and large.

Features of the Fun Feeder:

Lead-free
Non-slip base
Food-safe materials

I found the Allygoods slow feeder when I was browsing Amazon for more slow feeders. It comes in small ($22) and large ($39).

Features of the Slow Feeder:

Lead- and phthalte-free
Suction cup non-slip base
Food-safe materials

The Mighty Paw Slow feeder bowl is made of silicone and can either be inserted into an existing dog bowl or used on its own.

I was introduced to it back when I worked for the brand.

Since it fits perfectly into my medium size Yetis Boomer 4 dog bowl (I have the Nordic Blue), I like combining them!

Its available on Amazon for around $15, features 6 silicone waves and comes in one size.

Features of the Slow Feeder Dog Bowl:

BPA-free silicone
Quick pull paw tab
Food-safe materials
Enough space for RMBs like ribs, wings, feet and necks

Dog Slow Feeder #6: AIPERRO Stainless Steel Slow Feeder Dog Bowl

The AIPERRO slow feeder dog bowl is made of stainless steel and has 4 raised bumps to slow dogs down when theyre eating.

I found it while browsing Amazon for dog slow feeders, and really liked the simple look!

That said, its available in two different sizes and retails for around $25.

Features of the AIPERRO slow feeder:

Made of food-grade stainless steel
4 raised bumps
Non-slip base
Dishwasher safe

Dog Slow Feeder #7: LickiMat Buddy & LickiMat Slomo

The Licki Mats are my most recent find and retail for around $17.00 each.

They work great for Wallys ground raw meals, and the two I have are the:

Obviously, this only works for ground meats including ground bone and not really larger cuts of meat.

But it does work for whole pieces of fish since fish is so mushy.

Tip: I use a fork for the fish and a spoon for the ground meat.

Features of the LickiMat Buddy Tuff:

BPA-and silicone free, food-grade rubber
Non-slip rubber feet

Features of the LickiMat Slomo:

BPA-and silicone free, food-grade rubber
Pocket AND bump sections
Non-slip rubber feet

I think that the pockets were originally intended for kibble, but they actually work nicely for smaller chunks of meat as well (think 1/2 chicken heart size).

What Can I Put In A Licki Mat?

As far as what to put on a LickiMat, the sky is the limit!

You can put anything on there your pup likes and usually eats.

If youre not quite ready to feed raw dog food, here are some ideas of what you can put on a Licki Mat:

Baby food
Plain yogurt
Peanut butter
Pumpkin pure
Pured veggies
Canned sardines
Mashed plain sweet potato
Mashed banana or strawberry

The picture below features plain goat yogurt sprinkled with kelp, and this particular LickiMat went into the freezer for a refreshing doggie summer snack!

Raw feeders like myself can put any of the following on the LickiMat:

Premade raw dog food
Ground muscle meat
Ground raw meaty bone
Ground secreting organs
Pured plant matter
Mashed raw fish

The picture above features:

How to Use Dog Slow Feeders

All I have to do is scoop Wallys raw dog food into the ice cube trays, KONGs, slow feeder bowls or LickiMats and serve!

I can freeze the trays, KONGs and the LickiMats overnight or at least for a few hours.That way, theyll last even longer.

That said, the frozen KONGs last Wally about 10-15 minutes.

He empties the frozen ice cube trays in about 2-3 minutes and needs about 1.5 minutes if they didnt go into the freezer.

Thats the same amount of time he needs to empty the Slo Feeder.

For the LickiMats, it takes him about 3-5 minutes.

UNLESS I freeze the LickiMats at that point, he stays busy for about 15-20 minutes.

Overall a drastic difference in time needed to finish his raw dog food compared to when its simply served in a bowl!

How To Clean A KONG Dog Toy & Other Slow Feeders

Heres another awesome fact about KONGs and the other slow feeders I mentioned theyre all dishwasher-safe!

So once your pups done eating, you can just pop them into the dishwasher.

Easy peasy!

Do Dog Slow Feeders Also Provide Mental Stimulation?

When dogs navigate the obstacles, they turn their problem-solving skills on and improve their focus and concentration.

Thats particularly beneficial for dogs that are prone to boredom related behavior like destructive chewing.

Obviously, the level of mental stimulation provided by a slow feeder varies depending on the design and complexity of the specific feeder.

But either way, they all help alleviate boredom and provide a form of enrichment.

In a nutshell, dogs who have to figure out how to get to their food are challenged on a cognitive level which entertains them.

I love offering them as a distraction during thunderstorms, fireworks and when I need quiet time in my home office.

So yes, dog food puzzles like slow feeders provide mental stimulation!

Why My Dog Eats His Ground Raw Dog Food So Fast

I can only speculate as to why Wally inhales his ground raw dog food.

My guess is that it has to do with his opportunistic doggie nature.

Wild dogs and wolves have to hunt for their own meals and dont necessarily get lucky every single day.

So when they manage to capture their prey, they dig in since they cant be sure when the next meal will come their way.

Another reason that seems plausible to me is that the ground food simply enables fast eating.

I mean, it doesnt require him to chew, which he has to do when I put my own meals together.

Thats particularly true forraw meaty bones.

Wally Takes His Time Eating Raw Meaty Bones As Part Of His Raw Dog Food

Wally is really good about eating hisraw meaty bones(RMBs) slowly.

If youre new to the concept of raw dog food and raw meaty bones, I suggest you hold one end of the RMB and let your dog start crunching on the other end.

That way, you ensure that your dog doesnt swallow the bone whole without having crunched down on it a few times.

It also teaches your dog polite manners around food items he considers to be of high value.

I assure you RMBs fall into that category!

It also teaches him that its perfectly acceptable and normal that a human touches his food.