It is natural for most dogs to love food and to scarf meals down in a matter of minutes.
If your canine won’t eat her food, I typically do not recommend you switch her food or add extra goodies to her meals. Instead, these easy ideas typically work. but first, make sure your canine is not sick.
If a canine who typically has a good appetite all of a sudden won’t eat, there’s a good chance she is not feeling well. watch for less noticeable signs such as much more sleeping than normal, less interest in toys or a refusal to drink water.
If you don’t think your canine is sick, here are some tips to help a picky eater eat her meals. For raw feeders, see our post: What to do when your canine won’t eat raw meat.
What to do if your canine is a picky eater
1. Feed your canine on a regular schedule.
Dogs like a routine. I feed mine twice a day. I put their bowls of food out in the morning and in the evening, and they practically always finish their food.
Some trainers recommend feeding your canine after a walk, treating the meal as a reward or for allowing the canine to “earn” her meal. If your canine is especially picky, I recommend you give this a try because most dogs actually like to work for their food. They love to work!
2. If she doesn’t eat within five minutes, throw the food away.
If Ace doesn’t finish his food within a certain amount of time, I put the bowl away.
If he doesn’t eat his breakfast, I put the bowl in the fridge and offer it to him later for dinner. If he doesn’t eat it then either, I throw it in the trash.
3. Make your canine sit for a few minutes before she eats.
I always ask my dogs to do something before they get fed, even if it’s just a easy sit. That way, the food is a reward. This is a ideal time to practice obedience. in some cases I have Ace sit for five minutes while I prepare my own breakfast. then I release him, and he can eat his food while I eat mine. For a real challenge, I ask Ace sit and stay while I eat my entire meal.
4. know how much food your canine is getting and decrease it.
If your canine is not eating her food or not finishing it, then she is likely getting much more than enough to eat. So, for the next meal, decrease the amount a little. My dogs eats when they’re hungry, so if they don’t finish their food, I know they’re getting plenty. You can always increase the amount again later.
5. give your canine much more exercise.
Just like with people, a canine that doesn’t get enough exercise doesn’t need a lot of food. If your canine won’t eat, try enhancing her exercise. Take her for a longer walk the next day, or throw the ball around the yard on top of a walk.
6. Make sure she is not distracted while she eats.
When Ace was younger, he would rather play with his toys than eat. and he would rather opt for a walk than eat. So if I was anywhere near the front door after I fed him, he’d follow me around instead of eating. If his tennis ball was out, I had to put it away or he wouldn’t eat.
7. cut back on treats throughout the day.
Except during training, my dogs don’t get extra treats during the day. They might get a bully stick here and there, but that’s about it.
8. Don’t add canned food, treats or people food.
I never add extra goodies to my dog’s food. He gets his dry canine food and that’s it. Dogs are not like humans. If you are feeding your canine a quality food, then she ought to be getting all she needs in that diet. A little something extra is fine every now and then. but don’t use treats to bribe your canine to eat unless you want to do this for every meal for the rest of your dog’s life. You are just teaching her to be a picky eater if you do this.
9. Don’t switch foods.
Don’t switch your dog’s food unless you plan to use the new food permanently. If you switch foods, go with a healthy canine food like a raw canine food diet or a grain-free food. I recently began switching my dog’s food because I want to feed him a different brand. I am still making the switch slowly, by mixing the two kinds together for a few weeks. If you switch your dog’s food cold turkey, you are practically guaranteed to have a canine with an upset stomach. the worst thing you can do is change your dog’s food over and over. just stick to one kind of food.