Meaning
'Craven choke puppy' — greed chokes the puppy. Grasping for too much at once brings your own downfall, the proverb warns: like a greedy puppy that gulps its food too fast and chokes on it, the person who reaches for more than they can handle ends up losing out and coming to harm. It is a sharp caution against greed and haste, teaching that wanting and grabbing everything at once, rather than taking your fair and manageable share, is the surest way to choke on your own covetousness and be left worse off.
Examples
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Him try grab every deal an lose dem all; craven choke puppy.
He tried to grab every deal and lost them all; greed is your undoing.
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Tek yuh time an nuh be greedy — craven choke puppy.
Take your time and don't be greedy — grasping too much brings ruin.
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She want everyting an end up wid nutten; craven choke puppy.
She wanted everything and ended up with nothing; greed chokes the puppy.
Origin
A vivid image: 'craven' (craving/greedy) plus a puppy that bolts its food and chokes — greed literally choking the greedy.
How it’s used
A well-known proverb warning that greed and haste lead to loss. 'Craven' here means greedy.