Is yours a finicky dog?
You feed your dog the most nutritious and tasty food you can
buy, and he simply sniffs and licks at it. It's time for his
next meal but he's not eating. It looks like you have a finicky
dog!
You may think your dog wants or needs variety in his diet.
In truth, he will happily eat the same food every day for the
rest of his life - provided, of course, it is a tasty
nutritious meal.
Remember, your dog is descended from opportunistic hunters
that were accustomed to getting whatever they could get
whenever they could get it.
Bad habits
Frequently, the problem of finicky eating in dogs isn't
caused by their behaviour, but ours. Feeding your dog scraps
from the table or too many treats can encourage finicky
behaviour. Your dog will learn to avoid eating in the hope of
getting more exciting food than what's in his bowl. So stop
feeding your dog from the table and cut back on treats.
When your dog was younger, if you tried giving him several
different foods to 'see what he likes' you may have given the
impression that he can hold out for something better. If you're
opening multiple cans of food and trying to coax your dog into
eating something every meal, then your dog has got
you trained.
The most effective way of correcting this behaviour is to
help your dog understand that there aren't options. Put out his
food for half an hour and if he doesn't eat it, take it away.
When it's time for your dog's next meal, put out his food and
again take it away after half an hour. After a day or two of
this your dog may start nosing around for extra treats. Don't
give in and stick to your schedule. Your dog isn't starving. If
he's hungry, he will eat. You may have to endure some
complaining, but this technique is very effective in stopping
finicky behaviour.
Gradual change
If you're changing your dog's diet you should do it
gradually. Start mixing in a bit of the new food with the old
food, gradually increasing the amount of the new food as you
reduce the amount of the old food. This will be very helpful in
getting your dog used to the new food and avoid a hunger
strike. If you're switching from wet food to dry food, try
mixing in a bit of warm water with the dry food. Don't leave
out wet food for too long as it may spoil, especially in hot
weather.
If your dog just suddenly becomes finicky after not
previously displaying this kind of behaviour, he may be
suffering from a medical disorder. Watch out for vomiting,
diarrhoea, lethargy or loss of weight and don't hesitate to
take your dog to the vet if you think he's ill.