Helping Picky eaters!  

By: Emily Scott, MA, GDOMI, IAABC - CDBC, ADT

There are few behavior issues that frustrate dog guardians more than picky eaters!  Many breeds are voracious eaters and consume anything and everything with great gusto!  Then you have those dogs that consistently snub their food.  It goes something like this: New food—OK I’ll eat it for 2 days then won’t bother;  Add a tasty topper—OK I’ll eat the topper and leave the kibble;   Hand feed — OK I’ll allow you to hand feed me but not kibble.   You prepare a glorious meal with high end meats, or specialty on line dog food and nope, nope, nah.  They walk away..

FRUSTRATING!   

I currently have 3 picky eaters and they have educated me on this subject!  Here are my top suggestions for helping picky dogs eat more reliably:

1.   Go to the vet to rule out potential health issues!   Some dogs aren’t hungry because they don’t feel well! Pain, mouth pain specifically can be a culprit!  Nausea is another one!  Stress can create gut issues that suppress appetite!  Constant adrenaline in the brain can suppress appetite. Adrenaline can be from constant high arousal in the house—barking at things outside, chasing animals etc.  
2. While you are at the vet, speak with them about nutrition too!  The best, palatable diet, supplements to aid digestion etc.  Some dogs have very specific preferences for their food.  Some brands are less yummy than others.   
3. Check the expiration of your kibble dog food. Stale and old food is quite common, especially food stored in warehouses. Dogs instinctively know if the bag is stale or moldy.
4. This is a big one that will shock some of you….NOT ALL DOGS eat more than a single meal a day!  Some dogs  prefer one big meal to multiple smaller meals.  I learned this from two of my picky eaters.  They won’t touch their morning meal so I stopped offering it. They eat more reliably if it’s just one meal in the afternoon.
5. Many dogs eat better after exercise! You’d be amazed how much better their appetite is after a robust walk or sniffari at the park!  
6. LEAVE THEM ALONE!!!   One of the most problematic issues I see is the human guardian hovering over the dog and bowl, nagging, cojoling and almost forcing the dog to eat food.   This is not helpful and can actually create a negative association with meal times.  I have seen dogs run and hide when the guardian picks up the food bowl.  Don’t beg them, take away the pressure! 
7. Should you pick up the food after 10 minutes? I’m not a fan of this common technique.  I leave the food down for a good solid hour or 2. Sometimes the dog is distracted, concerned, overwhelmed or just not hungry quite yet.  They don’t have the luxury of opening up the fridge when they feel hungry.  Give them some time!  
8. Make sure the environment is calm and the guardian is not doing things that may be concerning to the dog.  One of my dogs cannot eat unless she knows I’m doing routine things.  If things seem out of the ordinary she must watch to see what’s happening before she feels comfortable eating.  
9. Let your dog tell you their preference for food toppers to stimulate their appetite!  Audition toppers!  Know that most dogs prefer real meat versus canned food options.
10. Try feeding your dog in a puzzle or snuffle mat!  Dogs love to hunt and hunting will give them a more reliable appetite.  Eating out of a bowl is boring!
11. Speaking of bowls, make sure the bowl is clean and sanitized daily…dog’s have a much more acute sense of smell than we do and old crusty food is very offensive to some dogs.  Make sure the dog isn’t afraid of the bowl. I’ve seen more than one dog that refused to eat because his collar tag hit the edge of the metal bowl and the noise scared him.  I know of several other dogs that didn’t feel safe where the bowl was located—too confining, too noisy etc.   
12. Avoid the pitfall of hand feeding.  If you go down this rabbit hole, it is very difficult to come back from!  
13. Some dogs don’t realize they are hungry unless they get help getting started.  I have one dog that we throw a couple of pieces of cheese on the floor and he happily chases and eats them. This triggers his brain to say “wow, I’m hungry” and he consistently goes to his bowl to finish his meal.

I hope these strategies help you and your pet get on a consistent feeding schedule!  Bon appetite!!