How can i get my dog to eat?

When your dog is a picky eater, he may be depriving himself of vital nutrients he needs for healthy growth and development. Rule out any medical problems that may be triggering his habits and establish new routines and even new foods to entice him back to the bowl.

Like others have said, rule out medical issues first. My dog, for example, is a great eater, so if he suddenly didn't want to eat, I would know something is terribly wrong and we would be to the vet's in ten minutes flat. However, some dogs are just holding out for better things like soft food and mix-ins. Some dogs are not that interested in food and it is just a part of who they are. A healthy, adult dog won't starve itself. What I would do is put the food bowl down for a set amount of time and when the time is up, pick up the food. You can try this again at the next meal. No treats in the meantime. I've had good luck using a dog's kibble as a training treat and made them work for it. As long as your dog is healthy to begin with, they will be fine missing meals.

A dog picky or disinterested in eating does this for a few reasons: 1. Not hungry. 2. Ill 3. Motivated by something else. How to correct: Once your vet has expressed that the dog is just fine and there is no medical issue that is stopping his desire to eat then its time to become more disciplined with him. Start with a fixed schedule for his meal time. Place the food down and allow him to eat until he stops. If there is still food in the plate then that is because you gave too much or he was distracted by something else in or outside of the house. If its because his is full then lessen the amount you give him. If it is because he was distracted, then pick up the bowl and put his food away. If he looks at the food and walks away. Pick up the food and put it away until the next morning and repeat if he does the same thing. This is to teach him that when it is time to eat that is what he should be doing or else he will miss out. The food should not stay out so that he can graze throught out the day. This will also help narrow down when he will relieve himself as well. It could very well be that if you've been giving him treats that the treats are what he is waiting for and using those as his meals. Cut back on or eliminate treats. Only reward him after he finishes all his food with that tasty treat he likes so much. Lastly, you should try changing up his food choice. Try adding little bits of raw carrot or shredded chicken or at the very least chicken stock to just wet the bottom of the bowl. Sometimes if it a dog with a long coat they dont want to get dirty so try changing out his bowl for a flat plate. At some point the dog will get hungry and will eat what is placed in front of him. Only then reward him with praise and that treat he likes, but only one.