So one of the challenges that I experienced working in pet retail is dealing with customers who have picky eaters (usually small dogs). According to the owners, they have tried every gourmet dog food on the market and they have to go an extra mile for their dog to eat the meal such as putting shredded chicken on top and canned sardines.
Of course the first thing I ask them is what brands they have tried because their idea of premium food includes brands like Science Diet and Beneful. Since we get an abundance of free samples from our distributors, I offer several difference ones, along with raw food and freeze dried samples. I can't count how many times the customer has bought a 5 lb bag of one brand and after about a week, the dog decides it doesn't want it anymore, so they come back for more samples or try to return a half used bag. From what they tell me is that the dog is excited about new food for the first few days and slowly starts losing interest. Because they don't want the dog to starve, they start falling back on old habits of adding toppers like chicken to the kibble. Eventually the dog learns that the human can be manipulated and will push their limits to see what they can get away with.
Here's my take on picky eaters and why this is such an ongoing problem.
Unless the dog is sick, they should eat everything that is offered to them. I have no tolerance for picky eaters because most are made, not born. Growing up, I've encountered a lot of stray dogs where I lived and I know that they'll eat anything, including roadkill and rotten food thats been out in the sun for a while. Hunger is a strong force that most companion animals don't have to deal with, especially in this country.
1) OVERFEEDING. In my experience the feeding recommendations on the bag are highly exaggerated. For example, when Uno was on kibble, most brands recommend that I'd feed him 3-3.5 cups a day for his weight. At that rate, he would be morbidly obese. He never got more than 2 cups a day total of his grain free kibble. If your dog is snubbing it's meal, cut back the food amount, for a larger dog, it could be as much as by 1 cup, for smaller dogs 1/4-1/2 cup per day, depending on dog's size and brand of food.
If the dog is slightly underfed during one meal, they should eat their next one with gusto.
2) TREATS. If you have a picky eater, cut out all the treats from the diet. People don't realize, but treats are very high in calories and giving 2-3 a day can fill a dog up and pack on extra weight. I recommend reading a book called Chow Hounds by Ernest Ward, he gives some examples of popular treats on the market and how it's equivalent of us eating 3 packs of twinkies between meals. Then we wonder why the dogs won't eat their regular meals. Especially with small dogs, it takes nothing to fill them up. One milk bone and that can be an entire meal replacement for the day.
3) EXERCISE.
One of my pet peeves is people who humanize their dogs. Don't get me wrong, I'm all about taking good care of your pets and being a responsible owner. Uno is very well taken care of if I may say so myself. He gets the best food, regular vet care, exercise and attention. With that said, I do not consider him my baby. Anatomically and psychologically children and dogs are on the opposite ends of spectrum. Essentially dogs are wolves in sheeps clothing. They have been around us long enough to somewhat adapt to our lifestyles but their biological needs have remained unchanged. One of the major differences is the amount of physical activity along with mental stimulation wolves and other canids experience in the wild.
They spend considerable amount of time traveling, running, tracking prey, hunting and eating compared to domesticated dogs. We've taken a wild animal and put it into an artificial environment expecting them to evolve in a short period of time and completely disregarding their need for activity, both physical and mental.
One of the questions I get asked on daily basis " Do you have any indestructible toys or chews that last a long time". Why? because the dog is tearing up the house. Instead I ask them "How much exercise per day does the dog get? What about training?". In most cases, just a short walk and letting them out in the yard.
I always tell them the same thing, toys and treats are just a band-aid for a problem. Your dog is simply bored. They need to run, chase, explore, sniff, dig, wrestle. Dogs are not meant to live in tiny apartments and get walked twice a day for 15 mins. They are not meant to be carried around in a purse or pushed in a stroller while wearing a tutu and nail polish.
Let dogs be dogs. Engage them, play with them. There are so many things we can do as pet owners that strengthen the bond between us and our pets. Go hiking, swimming, biking together. Your dog will appreciate it so much more than being fussed over with food and treats. Tired dogs are happy dogs, and also hungry dogs. When I used to work as a pet-sitter, I noticed that those dogs that wouldn't normally touch the food, ate it vigorously after 45-60 mins of walking and playing off leash.
So there you go, if you have a picky pup, try these tips and see what happens.
* Disclaimer: Don't force your dog to eat a poor quality food found in grocery stores which can result in issues like intestinal problems (upset stomach can cause food avoidance), diabetes (don't skip meals with diabetic dogs) and kidney problems (dogs with kidney failure often refuse food due to nausea).
Find a high quality food, whether its dry, canned, dehydrated or raw and stick with it. Feel free to rotate between flavors and protein, nobody likes eating the same thing day after day. Variety is the spice of life. If you feed kibble, add some fresh food few times a week by cutting back on the kibble amount. Your dog should still eat the dry on its own, its not to encourage pickiness, but to add some fresh whole foods to the existing diet.
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