Have you ever had a meal and watched a friend refuse to touch their veggies? Turns out that’s not just a human habit. If your dog doesn’t love their food or half-heartedly grazes an snacks all day, it’s not an immediate cause for worry…Maybe they’re just picky eaters!
We sat down with Dr. Stephanie Liff, resident Spot & Tango vet and dog lover to chat about picky eaters (we know lots of picky dogs). Dr. Liff shared her best tips to get even the pickiest of pups to gobble down their food!
First of all, could you tell us why some dogs are picky eaters?
There are many reasons your dog might be picky. For example, a rescue pup may be used to eating (and scouting) food scraps when they were a stray. Other times, pups are just plain picky. No matter what you do, they just won’t excited for mealtime.
Are there times when it can be worrisome if they’re picky?
As a general rule, if they’re maintaining a healthy weight, it’s probably okay that they’re picky. Keep your eyes out for any acute changes or if your pup goes from eating normally to barely eating. This could be related to a stressor or another issue, so in these situations talk to your vet and see if something’s up.
What are some of your favorite ways to get a picky pup to eat their meals?
Toppers (additions to entice your pup) are a great way to help pups who are picky. An important rule of thumb is to go from least valuable to most valuable. Start off with a low value topper first like hydrating their food with water. Alternatively, heat up the food (to make it more fragrant) or add a toy to enhance their dining experience.
Another great lower-value additive is to add dog-safe bone broth. This can make the texture more approachable, and the flavor from the bone broth can be appealing to your pup.
Appealing to their other senses or focusing on texture makes a lot of sense! I know I prefer some foods based on their texture.
And finally, if your pup still doesn’t want to eat, pull out all the stops aka the most valuable additives. Sprinkling some parmesan over their food or adding a little bit of fresh meat or even salmon skin is a great way to make their food more delicious (without the heavy lifting of making a home-cooked meal).
We’ll be sure to remember these tips for our pickier dogs so they can enjoy mealtime.
Have a picky pup? Let us know if any of these tips helped or send your favorite mealtime tips to whatthepup@spotandtango.com!
