| Dogs don't chew. What looks like chewing is just breaking the food into chunks they can swallow, unlike us, they don't need to start their digestion in their mouths. Eating too quickly can cause vomiting because of air swallowing (a brick or something like that in the bowl will slow them down). How often does she vomit? If it's very occasional, it's likely no big deal, but if it's more than once a month or so, you may want to get the vet to have a look.
At her age, you could probably cut back to two meals a day. Leave it down for 20 minutes, then take it up until the next meal. You're right that their appetites do change when they're not growing as quickly (but this usually happens most noticeably when the dog's a bit older than yours). If she's otherwise normal and healthy, try giving her the same amount as you are now, but in two meals instead of three. Adding water is fine, too. Dogs do sometimes just go off food, but before I started switching around, I'd try fewer meals, and limited mealtimes. Enjoy!  |