Slow feeder bowl upgrade for Australian Shepherd

Dogs that eat too fast are at real risk of bloat — which can be life-threatening in larger and deep-chested breeds — as well as vomiting and ongoing digestive discomfort, and a well-chosen slow feeder can genuinely halve eating speed. It sounds like your Australian Shepherd has already got the hang of their first one, which is actually a good sign — it means the slow feeding habit is there, they just need more of a challenge. To point you to the right upgrade, can you tell me how big they are, how quickly they're currently clearing the bowl, and whether they're still gulping or just breezing through the maze too easily?

Those hiccups are a classic sign she's still swallowing air — so the speed is definitely still a problem even without the vomiting. Going from 8 minutes back down to under 2 means she's genuinely figured out the pattern of the bowl, not just gotten lucky. What slow feeder is she using currently, and is it a flat maze-style bowl or something with more 3D structure to it?

That's exactly the problem — the Outward Hound Fun Feeder is a great starter bowl but the channels are predictable once a smart dog like an Aussie maps them out. What you need now is something with an unpredictable 3D structure that she can't just run her nose along. I'd go with the LickiMat Wobble. It's a raised, dome-shaped bowl that wobbles and shifts as she eats, so the food moves and she can never settle into a rhythm. You spread wet food, raw food, or soaked kibble across the textured surface and the movement keeps her engaged and slow throughout. For a 22kg Aussie who's already smart enough to game a maze bowl, the combination of texture and instability is genuinely the step up she needs. Most dogs who've outgrown flat feeders take 10–15 minutes on the Wobble even after a few weeks of use.

Dry kibble on its own doesn't work brilliantly on the Wobble — the pieces slide off too easily and it becomes less of a challenge. The best approach is to add a small splash of warm water or a spoonful of wet food to make the kibble sticky enough to sit in the textured ridges. It only takes a minute and it makes a real difference to how long she spends on it. Soaked kibble also has the added benefit of slowing digestion slightly, which is good for a dog still getting hiccups. It doesn't have to be a full wet food meal — just enough moisture to make things cling.

Good choice — it should make a noticeable difference quickly. Keep an eye on those hiccups over the first week or two; if she's consistently taking longer to finish and they ease off, you'll know it's working. If she ever fully cracks the Wobble too, the next level up would be a puzzle feeder with removable compartments, but honestly most Aussies stay engaged with the Wobble for a long time because the movement changes every meal.