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It’s just the luck of the doggie draw: turns out, your dog is a picky eater. While most pups won’t starve themselves as they wait for better food to come along, having a fussy eater can be stressful. Not to mention, it can make mealtimes a bit maddening and training more challenging.
We spoke with Dr. Emily T. Luisana, a board-certified veterinary nutritionist at Friendship Hospital for Animals, to learn more about dogs who lean less chowhound and more choosy. With her insight, we’ve laid out how to approach the problem, what to feed your picky dog, and when there might be cause for concern. (As always, consult with your vet before making any dietary changes.)
Why Are Some Dogs Picky Eaters?
Dr. Luisana points out that sometimes it’s okay to let your picky dog be. “If your pet is picky but otherwise healthy and maintaining a healthy body condition score (see WSAVA for a good non-branded chart), then you may not need to worry or tempt them with other options,” she says.
Ruling out health concerns
But before you assume your dog is just picky, it’s best to work with your vet to rule out any health concerns, especially if your dog shows a sudden loss of appetite. Allergies, dental issues, sensitive stomachs, pancreatitis, and other illnesses can all make a dog not feel like eating.
“While there are pets that simply are finicky, I hesitate to say that without proper investigation. For example, some pets who have been picky their whole lives actually may have underlying gastrointestinal inflammation, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD),” she says. “Exams, lab work, imaging, and sometimes more advanced tests, such as an ultrasound, endoscopy, or checking Vitamin B-12 status, for example, can help diagnose more hidden disease processes.”
Other reasons why your dog is picky
Additional reasons why your dog might not be interested in food include the following:
- Genetics: According to Dr. Luisana, some breeds or lines may be predisposed to a low appetite or health conditions that cause a decreased appetite.
- Aging: “Pets can have decreased senses, such as smell, as they age, which can impact appetite,” she adds. “But, as they are also at a higher risk of other health concerns, these should be ruled out before assuming it is ‘age-related.’ I like to remind people that age is not a disease.”
- Obesity: Pet obesity is another factor. “I occasionally see patients with a picky appetite who are obese. After we see them achieve a healthy weight, their appetite normalizes,” says Dr. Luisana.
- Feeding an appropriate amount: As dogs grow older, their dietary needs change. A growing puppy needs a different amount of food than an adult or elderly dog. Make sure you’ve measured out portions according to weight and age.
- Variety: “While diet rotation is okay and even potentially beneficial for most healthy dogs, offering too many options can train picky dogs to ‘hold out’ for other diets,” adds Dr. Luisana.
What & How To Feed a Picky Dog
Fortunately for picky dogs—especially those who won’t eat dry food—there’s a wide variety of styles and textures of other food, including fresh, raw, dehydrated, and canned. Plus, many dry food brands often have recipes with a novel protein, like rabbit or venison. There are even vegetarian and insect-based proteins you can try.
Here are a few tips and tricks on what and how to feed a picky dog so they clean their plates.
- Try different textures, proteins, flavors, and even kibble shapes. Some dogs may find the bites too large and prefer a smaller size of kibble or vice versa.
- Pick up the food if your dog shows no interest in eating it. Limiting the time your dog can eat can sometimes encourage them to eat what’s in the bowl.
- Add meal toppers or other taste enhancers. These can include dog-friendly bone broth, chopped chicken breast, cottage cheese, and even honey or maple syrup.
- Check the vibe. If your dog’s bowl is in a busy hallway or loud kitchen, they may be associating mealtimes with stress. Move their bowl to a quieter spot to see if that helps.
- Put food in a puzzle toy or slow feeder. Using a food-dispensing puzzle toy for a dog who loves to play may encourage them to eat and build their food drive. These are also great tools for stimulating your dog’s mind, calming their energy, and slowing digestion.
- Feed healthy snacks, such as chopped carrots or a palmful of peas, if your dog is struggling with weight management and is filling up on high-calorie treats.
What to do if your dog won’t eat dry food
For pet parents who prefer to stick with kibble due to cost or convenience for an otherwise healthy pup, Dr. Luisana recommends trying a different brand with different ingredients or a different nutritional profile. Adding a limited amount of tasty toppers can also help.
“If we have ruled out other health concerns, then adding in toppers can help get pets more excited about their complete and balanced food,” she says. “These could be human foods such as meat or vegetables. I recommend keeping all additional foods such as toppers and treats as less than 10% of the overall calories to avoid unbalancing the diet.”
She adds that even if you’re not worried about an underlying health condition, you should always have your vet assess your pet’s appetite and diet. “They may be able to suggest a food that is a better fit or help screen your pet for risk of nutritional deficiencies if appetite is a challenge,” she says.
What to feed a picky dog with a medical condition
Picky dogs with health issues may not have an appetite until their condition improves. Working with your vet will help you prioritize their nutritional needs until they feel better.
“For pets that have a decreased appetite secondary to illness, I recommend aggressively managing their nutritional needs,” says Dr. Luisana. “While there is no single diet I can guarantee all pets will like, we have many techniques to maximize their nutrition, such as appetite stimulants, anti-nausea medications, diet rotation, toppers, and for some pets—feeding tubes.”
What to Do if Your Dog Suddenly Stops Eating
If your dog’s eating habits change dramatically or if they stop eating entirely, speak with your vet immediately. “Any sudden change in appetite warrants further investigation,” says Dr. Luisana. She adds that every dog is different, so knowing your dog’s baseline for food is helpful. “There are some pets that should go to the ER if they miss a meal (like many Labs), whereas for some other dogs, this can be in the range of normal.”
During the exam, your vet will likely check your dog’s hydration levels and assess if they have any pain, a fever, etc. “If necessary, a veterinarian may recommend lab work such as checking cell counts or a chemistry panel, or imaging such as radiographs (X-rays),” says the vet. “These can help scan for gastrointestinal blockages, infection, liver or kidney concerns, for example.”
Besides tests, Dr. Luisana suggests considering a few other things to discuss with your vet:
- Does your dog have diarrhea, or are they vomiting?
- Has their body weight or muscle mass changed?
- Has there been any changes in their energy level, skin, or coat?
- What diets have they been on? Has their change in appetite coincided with a new diet or even a new bag of their same diet?
- How many calories are they eating from their food vs. their treats? Is their caloric intake in the expected range?
Ultimately, as Dr. Luisana points out, what to feed a picky dog will involve some trial and error and observation. “Our pets can’t talk to us, so we have to look for the signals they give,” she concludes.
