Your dogs are more like family members. They bring you joy, laughter, and snuggles, and you’d do just about anything to keep them healthy. However, that can be difficult when you have a dog that’s a picky eater. It may sound silly, but our dogs can be just like us when it comes to food – they know what they like and what they don’t. Luckily, there are some simple feeding tricks you can do to help them become a better eater. Here are a few to get you started:
Be Consistent
For both cats and dogs, it’s important to have a consistent schedule when it comes to feeding. For picky pets especially, knowing exactly what to expect and when to expect it can help make mealtimes easier.
Choose a time (or times) for your dog to eat and feed them at that same time every day. Rather than leaving food bowls out all day and allowing your dog to graze, instead try putting food down for 10-15 minutes, and then taking it away until the next mealtime. This will help coax your dog to eat at a certain time, rather than allowing feeding to be a free-for-all. Once you find a food that they love, stick to it. Don’t change up food or introduce new treats during mealtime. Once your dog knows what to expect (and what is expected of them) mealtimes tend to become a lot more manageable.
Eliminate Obstacles
There’s a difference between being picky and having a true obstacle when it comes to eating. For example, pets can be allergic to different foods and ingredients. If you suspect your dog may have an allergy, you can bring them to your vet to be evaluated. If confirmed, you should switch to a food that doesn’t contain the offending allergen.
Additionally, some dry foods can be too hard for pets to chew, particularly for small or older dogs. There’s an easy fix to this! When using a kibble, like our All Stage Dog Food, add a small amount of water to the bowl of food and stir. This will soften up the kibble pieces just enough that pets with small, minimal, or sensitive teeth can comfortably chew them.
Spice It Up
Barring any allergies or physical issues, some animals just need their food to be a little more enticing. Adding different types of toppers or enhancements to regular kibble might be enough to convince your picky cat or dog to give it another try. Try crushing up our Turkey Hearts Freeze-Dried Cat Treats or Bison Kidney Freeze Dried Dog Treats and mixing them into your dog’s food.
Alternatively, you might consider adding a very small amount of fish oil to their daily food. Not only does the oil’s flavor and scent entice many animals to eat; it also is packed with healthy omega-3 fatty acids that may help support your dog’s joints, coat, skin, eyes, heart, and brain. Our Fish Oil for Pets is a high quality fish oil that may just do the trick!
Our pets are silly, loveable, and oh, so quirky. Even when they give us grief about their food, we still can’t imagine what we’d ever do without them. We hope these tips and tricks will help your picky dog work up a better appetite and make mealtime just a little bit easier for the whole family.