How to get a fussy 🐕 to eat

    How to get a fussy 🐕 to eat

    How to get a fussy Doggo to eat

    Why are dogs fussy?


    If your dog is habitually refusing food you’ll want to get to the bottom of it. Think about it for a second. Dogs descend from scavengers that didn’t have regular meals. Their great great grand doggy daddy had to take every opportunity to eat. Fussy didn’t exist because they weren’t presented with a choice to pick and choose between foods. So they could happily eat an array of foods that they’d find whilst scavenging, and some of it probably didn’t taste too good. So dogs don’t naturally have a discerning palate.

    If your own dog shows signs of fussy eating habits then the cause is often closer to home in most circumstances. It is frequently the result of feeding too many table scraps or treats. Not only does this have a detrimental impact on their health (diabetes, obesity, inflammation, allergies), but also helps to reinforce their pickiness.

    In scenarios like these, dogs stop happily tucking in to their nutritious meal in hope that something more exciting is provided instead. Just like humans, dogs are genetically programmed to want to eat high energy, high fat content foods to store the energy for when mealtimes are irregular. But as a loving dog owner that provides regular meals you’ll want to help circumvent their natural tendencies. Foods like these might taste good, but they won’t provide the nutrients your dog needs to live a long healthy and happy life.

    There is a compromise. Feed a complete balanced dog food that provides all the micro nutrients and macro nutrients they need, but is still super tasty! Have a look at our own fussy dog foods.

    But what’s the best food for a fussy dog?

    Some ingredients are better than others, and as a rule of thumb we would suggest trying a food that contains some of the things below.

    •Duck 🦆
    Not only does duck naturally appeal to almost every dog because of it’s healthy fat content, it is also extremely healthy. It is high in Potassium and that plays an important role in maintaining the fluid balance in the body as well as having a vital role in the normal functioning of nerves and muscles while it’s phosphorus content is essential for strong bones and teeth.

    •Fish like Sardines, Salmon & Trout 🐟 really appeal to fussy dogs through both taste and smell. Their natural omega oils work well with even the fussiest dogs we have encountered. Oily fish like these also help improve skin & coat condition.

    •Chicken liver 🐔is high in protein, fat and vitamin A. Its high fat content makes it a particularly good choice for young, growing dogs and underweight dogs.

    • Pork 🐷 is another healthy protein that appeals to dogs. Think of it as like being the bacon sandwich of the dog world. They find it difficult to refuse.

    Still struggling? Time to get serious….
    After making sure you have the right dog food, you have to help your dog understand that no other food option exists.

    We regularly hear from vets and nutritionists that dogs require routine, and the best way to get your dog to eat is to follow a few simple steps:

    1. Put out your dog's food at meal time and leave it for 30 minutes. If it hasn’t been eaten within 30 minutes then take it away.

    2. At their next scheduled meal time, put their food out and take it way again after 30 minutes if it still isn’t eaten.

    3. Maintain this strategy until your dog decides to eat. Don’t give in!

    As a loving dog owner you might think that this sounds harsh, but you have to remember that your dog isn’t starving. They’ll definitely eat if they are hungry. This is basically a battle of wills, and if you maintain this strategy you’ll have cracked the fussy dog enigma code . 😊

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