At some point in our lives, we have asked ourselves this question – My dog Is a Picky eater, How Do I Make My Dog Eat Food and some of us have found our way around this common problem, while others are struggling with it.
Without a moment’s hesitation, most dogs will eat anything and everything.
On the other side, when it’s put in front of them, there are a few dogs that don’t just have that much desire for food.
If your dog is not interested in its food, turns his nose up, and walks away, it can be alarming.
While others are just too picky. However, the cause of your four-legged friend picky habit might be a result of an illness, if you notice weight loss, high temperature, or pale gum; you may need to see the vet as soon as possible.
If there is no sign of illness or change of environment, it means your dog is just being naughty.
So if you are thinking of ways to make your dog eat food, here are ways you can make your dog eat food:
Combine the old and new food
Sometimes switching foods might be the reason your dog is not eating; when introducing new food to your dogs, ensure you start slowly and not just changing the diet out of the blue.
First, try to mix old and new food. Begin by adding a small portion of the new food in with the old food and gradually increase the ratio of the new food for one to two weeks and decrease the amount of the old food until your dog eats the new food entirely.
Incorporate dry kibble with wet food
Sometimes dogs fight you to eating their kibble. Add some wet food with the ideal dry food for your dog to eat its kibble.
This way, though eating the dry dog food at the same time, your dog will still get the taste of wet dog food.
Make sure you combine the wet and dry food properly; otherwise, your dog will only eat the wet food, leaving the dry food.
Feed your dog less and less wet food every week until you feed him exclusively with dry dog food.
Your dog will get used to this and enjoy the dry dog food without complaint in the near future.
Restrict the treats
Try to stop treats entirely and feed your dog twice a day only until he eats dog food regularly.
Do not use the human diet as a reward, just dog treats or foods, until your dog has already become a healthy eater.
When you’re struggling to work out if the dog is sick and that’s why he doesn’t eat, try it with a favorite meal.
When your dog is wolfing it down, then he’s picky, but if he doesn’t even eat it, then he might be sick, so make sure you see a vet.
Stop chopping and changing foods as this sends the dog the idea that if he does not eat, an alternative is offered.
It may be time to talk to your vet if your dog tries three brands and both wet and dry food and still didn’t eat.
Starving method
All right, do not flip out, I know this is a hard choice to make, but we dog owners have to do what we have to do to make our pets eat their food!
If your dog is too stubborn about eating food no matter what you do, then we are left with no option but to take his privilege, and by “privilege,” I mean starving your dog a little bit, get stricter with his feeding time-table.
I know this will be hard for most dog lovers, but this is just your last try if you have tried other methods.
Start by putting down the food of your dog for 30 minutes. If in that period he refuses to eat, take it back. Wait until your dog’s next mealtime and put it down again for 30 minutes.
Take it back if he doesn’t eat. Hunger will eventually win, and your dog will eat his food, and he doesn’t eat, there may be a deeper problem than just a picky dog, and you’re expected to go to the vet.
Ensure your dog’s food is meat-based
It can be manipulated to tempt your unwilling dog to eat, odor, taste, temperature, or texture food.
Dogs like the smell of meat food to grain. Look up the ingredient labels you’ve been feeding your dog on the dog food brand.
If the first ingredient mentioned is not meat, consider another brand. Therefore, keep away from dog foods that list grain as one of the most fundamental ingredients.
A grain-listed diet is not ideal for canine digestion than a meat-rich diet. It is a sign of cost-cutting by the manufacturer as a cheap bulking agent is often used for grain.
Try chicken broth
Use Chicken broth to improve the taste of your dog’s food.
Since your dog is fussy about his meat, consider adding over the top a little bit of sodium chicken broth to give him a little extra flavor.
This will hopefully encourage your dog to eat and get them in their bowl to get used to the new taste.
Stop the scraps
The inability of your dog to eat his food could be your fault.
If your dog is used to being fed table scraps so his palate would probably prefer food with a little added flavor to what you’ll get from the pet store.
Try not to feed your pet off the table to help curb their spoiled food habit.
There you go, try the practical tips, let me know which of them work best for your dog.
I hope you do not have to repeat this statement – My dog Is a Picky eater, How Do I Make My Dog Eat Food again.
