Dogs seem to fall into one of two camps: the gobblers who hardly let their bowls hit the floor before it’s empty, and the picky eaters, those most finicky dogs who need to be persuaded every time.
The gobblers are relatively easy. The only concern is if they eat too fast. There are lots of ways to slow them down. Put an obstacle in the bowl, either a (cleaned) rock or a ball they have to get around. More fun is probably having them “work” for at least part of the meal by playing little training games with them. This has the added benefit of having fun with your dog and cementing your bond.
Finicky dogs are more of a challenge, especially with little dogs. It’s important for the little guys to eat regularly. They don’t have the system reserves to tide them over.
Work works for them, too
It may seem strange, but the same food your dog rejects in a bowl may be a good training treat. Dogs like to be rewarded, and using their regular food as a treat works as a motivator.
In psychology, the concept is “contra-freeloading.” It means that even when the identical food is offered for free, any animal prefers to “work” for the reward. Animals, including people, like to earn their rewards.
You don’t have to make the game anything complicated. Playing a simple game of “Touch” or “Give Paw” will move quickly, and have lots of opportunities to reward your dog.
The only downside is the time it takes to get through that bowl of food. Some days you just don’t have the time. What do you do to get your finicky dog to eat?
Toughen up
If your dog will happily eat the same food as a reward, it’s probably not the food itself that’s the issue. If they won’t, it may be they just don’t like it. Fortunately, there are lots of choices these days.
Assuming your finicky dog likes their food when they’re hungry, the next step is to control access. Free-feeding is not a good idea. When dogs have specific meal times, you’ll have a better idea of what they’re eating, when they need to eliminate, and, if you have multiple dogs, who’s having issues when they arise.
Put the food bowl down for 10 minutes. If the dog doesn’t eat, the bowl comes up and doesn’t reappear until the next meal time. Creating a sense of urgency may help your dog get over his/her finicky ways. There’s no question that this is tough. Denying your dog anything isn’t how you’re made. But it’s necessary to shift their behavior away from the pickiness.
Provide temptation
It’s completely understandable if you can’t bring yourself to take away the food. If that’s the situation, you do have other means of getting your dog to empty his/her bowl.
Mixing some delectable treat into the dog’s regular food can work. One dog we know turns up her nose unless she gets Chicken Heart Treats crumbled into the bowl. Just be sure that the mix-in represents a very minor portion of the meal, and that it’s thoroughly mixed in. Dogs are smart. They’re more than capable of picking out the “good” bits and leaving the kibble. And, if you decide to add something, do it before you put the bowl down. Once it’s down, don’t add anything.
Other possible choices include baby food, or yogurt (plain, or vanilla). Just be sure it’s something that’s okay for dogs to eat – nothing with onions, chocolate, raisins, or grapes.
Stop worrying
Hard as it seems, try to stop worrying about your finicky dog’s eating habits. No healthy dog will choose to starve. When they get hungry enough, they will eat. If you always offer “something else” to get them to eat, you’re actually teaching your dog to hold out for something “better.” Have a plan, stick to it, and turn your finicky dog around.
Enjoyed this post? Click here to sign up for the weekly newsletter and never miss another!