Do you notice your dog turning their nose up and walking away from its usual food but still loves to eat human foods and treats? Your dog might be a picky eater. Most of the time, their picky eating habit develops when their pet parents feed them more table scraps and treats, which could have taught them to hold their tummy for something better.
Whatever the reason for their lack of interest in eating can be extremely worrying for all fur parents. So let’s talk about some simple tricks to get them to eat food without any problems again.
5 Tricks to Help Picky Dogs Eat Their Food
You may think every dog knows how to eat their food when you put its bowl down, but not all dogs are the same. Some can be very fussy and will only waste time looking, licking, or sniffing their food and still don’t eat. No matter what’s causing them to lose their appetite, it’s the job of pet parents to teach them to eat the food they feed to their furry companions.
So if you’re an owner of a picky dog, the five tricks we’ve collected below might be the solution you’re looking for.
1. Make them a quiet eating environment
Ensure your pet eats its food quietly without distractions and other stimuli. Stress can disrupt a dog’s appetite or eagerness to eat, so try giving them a dedicated area to munch their food without distractions.
2. Exercise them before mealtime
Physical activities and exercise can effectively stimulate hunger. Walk your pet or jog around the garden just before mealtime; you’ll see how excited they’ll be when you feed them. Do you observe your pet getting cranky and scratching its skin excessively? It could be an obvious sign of a parasite infestation.
Make routine visits to the vet for your pet’s parasite prevention and ask for effective products to improve your dog’s condition. You may browse websites like knightdalevet.com to see the importance of parasite prevention and routine vaccinations.
3. Pick up what you put down
Many fur parents have different techniques when picking up their pet’s food. Some give their dogs thirty seconds to eat, while others wait about five minutes. No matter what timeframe you choose, picking up their food at scheduled intervals tells your dog to eat it while it’s hot. Otherwise, they’ll need to wait until their next meal.
When you take your dog for a regular checkup, let your vet know. Routine vet exams can help pinpoint whether your dog’s picky eating habit may be caused by a particular health condition. Consider purchasing pet care plans if you want discounts on your pet’s routine exams.
If you’ve missed any of your pet’s cat vaccinations, you must also let your vet know so they can consider options that can make up for it. This is especially important to protect your pet from prevalent pet diseases.
4. Avoid giving them treats and human foods
Your dog might not eat their food as they think they’ll get their fill of table scraps and treats throughout the day. The next time your dog refuses to eat dinner, refrain from giving them any treats or human foods to keep their minds off it. Once they taste real meat, they might lose interest in canine cuisine, so withdraw from giving them treats and human foods while you still can before it becomes a real headache.
5. Try switching to tastier food options
If your dog doesn’t eat the food you’re serving in their food bowl, it could be because they don’t like it. Picky dogs usually prefer wet food or kibbles made of fresh meat with a delicious aroma.
