
Does your dog turn their nose up at perfectly good food? From the pup who picks around certain kibble shapes to the canine connoisseur who seems impossible to please, feeding a finicky dog can be frustrating. But before you label your four-legged friend as simply “picky,” understand that there are often underlying reasons for selective eating, and better yet, practical solutions to help them enjoy mealtime again.
Identifying the Issue
First, determine if your dog truly ranks as an extremely picky eater or rather just happens to prefer specific textures, flavors, or scents. Keep detailed food journals tracking what gets consumed versus rejected. Look for patterns guiding solutions. Also rule out health conditions like dental disease, digestive upset or mouth pain explaining fussiness. Veterinary exams help clarify root causes when dogs seem not to eat enough.
Trying Texture Tricks
If your pup favors certain textures, play into preferences for best results. Some dogs strongly prefer crunchy kibble, while others only like canned foods or gently cooked veterinary formulas. Still more do best on fresh refrigerated or frozen raw food diets offering lightly cooked meaty pieces in gravy. Many brands now offer wet and dry food spanning textures to suit different dogs. You can readily mix textures too by adding a spoonful of canned food atop dry kibble to increase palatability. Purchase sample sizes of different textures to discover ideal matches.
Boosting Flavors and Scents
Alternatively, enhancing food aroma and taste convinces some picky pooches to eat more consistently. Again, trial and error guide the way. Try adding a spoonful of low-sodium chicken or beef broth to spark interest, or mix in a tablespoon of canned pumpkin or unsweetened applesauce for a flavor twist. Cube slices from foster Farms chicken tenders or boiled lean ground beef as special treat toppers. Sprinkle on just a pinch of Parmesan or cheddar cheese for added flavor. Always start with tiny amounts to avoid stomach upset. Most importantly, stick to healthy, veterinary approved suggestions.
Prescription Support
For hard cases not responding sufficiently to basic food rotations and enhancers, the folk at Nextrition recommend consulting your veterinarian about specially formulated dry dog food for picky eaters. Several well-known companies offer highly palatable complete nutrition meeting picky dogs’ special needs thanks to irresistible textures and savory smells.
Additionally, some recipes add extra vitamins, minerals, and caloric density specifically because of the likelihood of inconsistent intake by finicky dogs. The right prescription formulation makes all the difference in overcoming eating issues. Best of all, most veterinary diets prove reasonably affordable compared to ongoing waste buying rejected food.
Smart Tricks
Two clever tricks further help ensure adequate eating by dogs hesitant to chow down consistently. First, divide your pup’s daily portion into multiple smaller meals. Grazing optimizes success since dogs tend not to get bored halfway through smaller helpings. Using puzzle toys delivering kibble bit by bit as a game keeps things interesting as well.
Second, only keep dry food out for 30 minutes max per sitting. Pick up and store unused portions rather than free feeding all day. This gently motivates dogs to start meals promptly when served before food gets removed. Repeat the short window at next scheduled mealtime. Hunger builds reliably in healthy dogs when humans control access instead of leaving food sitting perpetually.
Conclusion
Never forget that each dog differs in dietary preferences, just as people do. Some simply boast far more sensitive palates and quirky appetites because of breed traits, age changes or health considerations. Remain patient with your pup, keep adjusting approaches using veterinarian advice and surely you will eventually strike on just the right formula meeting their unique needs.