Dealing With Picky Eaters - A Dog Parent's Guide

Do you notice that your dog is a bit picky about what he/she chooses to eat? There’s nothing wrong with him/her physically as you’ve already consulted your vet, and it’s so frustrating to have to waste all that food!

Don’t give up. There are many different ways you can get your dog all the nutrition he/she needs without giving yourself a headache. Here are a few:

Change The Dog Food Brand

Are there any foods you don’t like? Put yourself in your dog’s food. Imagine being forced to eat something you hate! Perhaps the problem lies in the ingredients used in the dog food or a change made to the recipe. Try to feed your dog different samples from different brands, both wet and dry. You may even mix veterinarian-approved fruits and vegetables for variety.

Avoid Feeding Your Dog From Your Table

It’s not unusual for your dog to come begging scraps from your dinner table when he smells the delicious meal, but it can cause him/her to become spoiled. This means that he/she will refuse to eat his/her food and wait for table scraps instead which is rewarding bad behavior.

Cutting Down Soft Foods After Dental Procedures

After medical and dental procedures, the best thing to feed your dog is soft foods for up to a week. Sometimes after this period passes, dogs refuse to go back to their regular diets. To overcome this, you must be strict, no matter how much your dog refuses to eat. Do not revert to wetting or softening food, he/she will eventually cave.

Make Sure Your Dog Feels Safe And Comfortable

Sometimes, it’s not that your dog is picky, it’s just that he/she feels threatened or uncomfortable. This may be a result of a bowl that is too high/low, a draft, the location, a threatening animal, and even other people watching. Assess the situation and address each possibility until you find the source of his/her discomfort.

Change Mealtimes

Dogs are social creatures just like us. When we’re up and down, they want to be active as well. When we’re eating, they tend to beg. So what could that mean? Well, it could mean your dog just wants to eat whenever the rest of the family is eating.

Increase Activity

If your dog is lazy, maybe this can cause his/her decrease in appetite. Encourage him/her to be more active with trips to the dog park or walks to help work up an appetite.