A dog not wanting to eat food can become a real problem for its owners, right? You know that your furry friend needs a balanced diet to grow strong and healthy. That's why you're worried that the only reaction your dog has when you present him with a good portion of food is to look askance at his food bowl without taking a bite.
In the end, you end up giving him something more succulent like a treat, wet food or table scraps to prevent him from going without eating. But you know that this is bad habits and you deprive him of a complete diet, which increases the chances of him developing obesity and other diseases (kidney failure, hair loss, allergies...). The good news is that there are
tricks to get your dog to eat dry food that you can start today. Discover them in this article.
Why doesn't my dog want to eat I think?
Before motivating your dog to eat dry food, you should find out the reasons why he has lost his appetite or is avoiding this food.
Disease
If until now your dog was eating dry food normally and you have suddenly noticed a lack of appetite with subsequent weight loss, there may be a health problem. In this case, we recommend that you visit the veterinarian to rule out serious pathologies.
Dental problems
Check that there are no dental problems such as broken or bad teeth, swollen gums or any other lesion in the mouth that prevents your dog from eating normally.
Recent vaccination
Vaccines are essential for your pet's health and sometimes come with mild side effects such as loss of appetite. These symptoms generally disappear within 24 hours, although they can last longer.
Travel, unknown environment or emotional problems
Changes in daily routine affect dogs just as they do to humans. A move, a trip or a family breakup are situations that can alter the appetite of furry dogs and cause them to reject the food they previously ate normally. In these cases, be patient so that the dog recovers its usual feeding routine.
Behavior problems
Your dog may not want to eat food simply because he has become picky and has a behavioral problem. Think that dogs respond to stimuli through learned behaviors. Your canine knows that, to get a more appetizing food, such as sweets or homemade food, what he should do is not taste the food. If you give in to these situations, you are promoting that learned behavior of not eating feed or eating it only if it comes seasoned with an extra that you like more.
quality feed
Make sure that the food you offer your dog is of quality, meets its nutritional needs and, of course, is in good condition. Check the expiration date of the product and verify that it does not give off a bad smell or have a strange color. If you suspect that the feed is not good, throw it away immediately. It is vital that the food you offer your dog is safe, complete and nutritious for a healthy diet.
Tricks to get my dog to eat feed
If the loss of appetite is caused by an illness, your veterinarian will tell you how to proceed. But, if your dog does not want to eat food due to a behavioral problem, these are the tricks you can use to beat him.
Change your feed
Something as simple as changing brands or choosing a different flavor of food can help awaken your dog's appetite again. Look for premium dog food that contains real meat as the main ingredient. It can be sheep, venison, chicken or duck meat. Feeds with a high content of fish such as salmon or tuna are also very beneficial and tasty. Make sure that the feed does not contain artificial colors or aromas so that it is as healthy as possible and does not cause intolerances (vomiting, diarrhea...). If you have just changed brands and you think that this novelty is what has caused your dog not to eat the food, you can facilitate the transition by mixing a small amount of the new food with the old. Gradually reduce the proportion of old feed until it is completely replaced. This way you will get used to the new flavor. Another trick is to add a small amount of warm water to the feed. By hydrating it you will intensify the smell of the food and this will encourage the dog to eat until it gets used to its new food.
Avoid giving your dog leftovers
If your dog is used to being fed table scraps, it is normal that his palate prefers these new flavors and rejects the food. However, human food poses risks for your dog because it is not balanced and can cause weight gain, loss of essential nutrients for its development and even poisoning. These are signs that your dog is not well fed. If you want to stop this bad behavior
you must stop giving him leftovers . It is normal for your dog to show signs of displeasure when you refuse to give him what he asks for. With this attitude, the canine expects you to give in. But you must stand firm. When the dog sees that leftovers are prohibited and that feed is the only food, he will internalize the message and will have no choice but to eat it. For this strategy to work, it is essential that, if you live with more people,
all family members understand that they should not offer any extra food such as sweets or leftovers. Otherwise, you will have a harder time eradicating the behavior. When you implement this tactic
, make sure your dog always has water at his disposal . This way you ensure that he will be hydrated, even if he refuses to eat feed for a few days.
Modify the eating routine and respect the schedules
Sometimes
small changes in routine can make your dog more willing to eat dry food. Some of the keys you can implement are changing the location or height of their feeder, replacing the feeder itself with a different one or putting part of the feed on the ground around the food bowl to stimulate their sense of smell. It has been proven that having to use the nose to locate food is satisfactory for the canine. Another trick to get your dog to eat that I think is effective is
to offer him a quiet place to eat alone, away from distractions or competition from other pets. Likewise, you must
respect certain feeding schedules . As a general rule, dogs usually eat between two and three meals a day. Offer the food to your dog with each meal and remove it after 30 minutes. Also, avoid offering treats or any other food between meals. Thus, you will learn that there are certain times of the day when you should eat and you will get used to certain times.
Exercise your dog regularly
Physical activity whets anyone's appetite, right? The same thing happens to dogs. After the activity and the burning of calories they get hungry. You can
play or take a walk with your dog before serving him the food. Not only will you stimulate their appetite, but you will also be promoting a healthy, energetic and active lifestyle. You can even turn these walks or games into a routine so that they associate the outing with the subsequent meal time. First of all, be very patient with your dog. Observe him continually for signs of illness and be firm in preventing him from eating foods that are unhealthy for him.
Time and discipline will allow you to change your pet's behavior until the phrase “my dog doesn't want to eat food” is a thing of the past.
