Why Is My Vizsla Lying Down To Eat? [7 Reasons]

Have you ever noticed your Vizsla lying down to eat? Why is my Vizsla lying down to eat? Does a Vizsla lay on the floor when it eats? Why? Why do I have a dog that lies down while he eats and drinks water from his bowl? It will not come up for air, even though he has plenty of room in the yard.

Some Vizslas have an inherited habit of lying down to eat. But some may do so due to laziness, tiredness, in search of comfort, old age, joint problems, ill health, or they find it difficult to stand while eating. What might be the reason for your Vizsla?

These are all questions that people ask about their dogs and why they are lying down when eating. This article will answer these questions by discussing seven reasons your Vizsla may be lying on the floor instead of sitting or standing like other breeds.

Why Is My Vizsla Lying Down To Eat?

Vizslas are often content to lie down while eating, but the reason for their behavior may vary. For example, if your Vizsla has a history of vomiting or regurgitating after eating, this may explain the behavior and any underlying conditions that predispose him to these behaviors.

Here are a few of the reasons your Vizsla may be lying down while eating:

Natural Canine Behavior

When you go through the history of Vizsla, you will find that they were originally hunting dogs. Thus, they need to protect their food from intruders and other animals in the past.

Thus, they need to keep their prey very safe. So, when Vizslas are eating, it is natural to lie down and eat if the other animals come.

Laziness

Some dog breeds are famous for being lazy, and Vizsla is among the laziest. However, these dogs have a higher metabolism and eat a lot. They don’t prefer doing physical activities to burn those calories. Instead, you will find your Vizsla in your bed or couch.

Thus, due to their laziness and lack of enthusiasm, it isn’t a surprise to see your Vizsla lying down when they feel like eating.

Tiredness

You will often see Vizsla lying down while eating because of their tiredness. Wild canines would find it tiring to stay up and stand tall on all four legs to eat out hunting for food. So, they used to lay down to eat because it’s easier and less exhausting!

However, these dogs are domestic and family dogs now with more luxury. Thus, Vizslas still prefer to lay down while eating after an intensive workout session when they have no energy to stand.

Comfortable Position

Some dogs, such as vizslas and other cattle breeds, often lie down to eat. Why? Well, it is a comfortable position for them. In addition, it takes less energy to get into that position than to stand up while eating, which means they can spend more time doing the thing they love best, like hunting, chasing things, or sniffing the air.

Difficulty In Reaching The Food Standing

Vizsla dogs are a large dog breed. Their height and size may make it difficult for them to eat food off the floor or table without their front paws touching the surface on which they are eating.

Thus, Vizslas typically eat while lying down since they have difficulty in reaching the food standing.

Health

Obesity, hip dysplasia, thyroid disorders, and joint disease are some of the health reasons your Vizsla might be lying down while eating. As a result of these diseases, the bones and joints of your dog become weak and sometimes painful.

Thus, their limbs will be unable to support their weight when standing and moving around. Therefore, this makes eating an uncomfortable experience because it is physically impossible for the dog to balance on its hind legs or stand while taking food from your hand. So, Vizslas, with health issues, prefers lying down to eat.

Old Age

As dog’s age, they may find it challenging to reach their food. It’s also possible that as a Vizsla gets older and the spine degenerates, they won’t maintain balance while standing up for long periods.

Besides this, with age, your Vizsla becomes weak. Also, older Vizslas may not open their mouth wide enough to eat food from a bowl, so they might need help holding it while eating. And thus, these dogs search for comfortable positions for eating, like lying down.

What Does It Mean If Your Vizsla Lays Down While Eating?

According to the reasons, the lying down while the eating habit of Vizsla resembles various things.

Thus, there is more than one meaning for Vizsla to lay down behavior while eating, such as:

If your vizsla dog lays down to eat and starts scratching at his back or abdomen, then he might be experiencing pain.
In the absence of pain, the meaning of your Vizsla lying down behavior is laziness.
If Vizsla starts showing unusual and lays down to eat, they are not feeling well, or their health condition is not good enough to stand up and walk around for a long time.
When you Vizsla starts graying, losing interest in food and toys, and lying down to eat, it means that your dog might be at an old age.
If your Vizslas laying down to eat and shows the signs like vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation, your dog might have a stomach problem.

Is It Good For Vizsla Dogs To Eat Lying Down?

The dog’s stomach is present beneath its ribcage. When Vizslas are standing, gravity forces the food down into the intestines to make its way for elimination. When a dog lies down while eating, gravity presses those organs, making them work harder, leading to diarrhea or constipation.

But if the dog is more than ten years old or has difficulty reaching food standing up, he should not lay down to eat anymore as there will be a higher risk of choking instead of being able to eat and chew food.

However, if the dog is younger than ten years old or has no difficulty reaching his food standing up, it’s not a problem for him to continue eating while laying down. Besides this, it is suitable for sick Vizsla to lay down while eating since they lack the energy and need to support their body for comfort.

What To Do If My Vizsla Dog Lays Down To Eat?

It is essential to stop your Vizsla from lying down when eating since it can lead to health problems later. Here are some helpful ideas for doing so:

Change the food to a lower floor surface, like a typical dish on the ground.
Use dog steps or place your Vizsla’s bowls on a raised platform. So, they don’t have to bend down as much when eating.
Make your Vizsla comfortable while eating. For this, you can try different positions for feeding, such as laying on your side or sitting.
Avoid putting food in a problematic reach, such as under too heavy furniture for the Vizsla to move.
Use elevated dog bowls if your Vizsla has joint problems.
Talk with the Vet for the diagnosis that might lead your pal to lay down for eating. Also, follow his prescription to treat the underlying issues.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we hope the article has answered why your Vizsla is lying down to eat. So many pet owners have asked. There are several reasons for this behavior. And it’s important to note whether or not the dog is in pain before concluding if there is something wrong with them.

If your Vizsla lays down while eating, don’t worry. It’s not uncommon for a dog to lay down while eating, and it doesn’t mean they are sick. Some dogs prefer this position if the surface is soft enough; like carpet, bed, cushion, it can make it more accessible and less time-consuming while eating their food without standing up all day long.

In case of any queries and doubts about this topic, please leave them in the comments.