Why Does a Dog Burp After He Eats His Food?

Too Much Air

A dog burps for the same reason that you burp--air in his stomach that doesn't belong there. The only way to get rid of the air is to let it back out through the mouth. The typical "burp" sound comes from the air bursting out of the top of the esophagus.

Slow Down

Most dogs (and most humans) accumulate air in their stomachs by eating or drinking too fast. Dogs often scarf their food, and they can swallow significant amounts of air while they are trying to get as much food as possible into their stomach at once. This also happens when a dog is thirsty--lapping with the tongue lends itself to swallowing air, but when the dog is drinking as if his life depended on it, he's going to get a lot of air along with the water.

What To Do

There are some things that you can do to prevent your dog from burping or at least make it less common. Give him only small amounts of food or water at a time. Train him to eat slowly and to be patient when waiting for his food. If he is already worked up by the time he gets his food, he will be more likely to scarf it.

Bloat

Most burping is perfectly normal, but if your dog has a history of digestive problems such as bloating, or if you have recently switched foods, excessive burping should be checked out by a veterinarian. Your pet may be having a reaction to his new food, or there may be some other health issue that needs to be corrected.

References

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