4 Tips for Getting Your Picky Dog to Eat
If you’re the pet parent of a picky eater, you’re not alone. We are told every day by dog owners that they have the world’s pickiest pup and are in shock once they see their dog lick their bowl clean after following our tips. We recognize how frustrating finding the right solution for your picky eater can be, so we’re sharing our top four tips to turn your finicky pup into a foodie.
Gamify Mealtime with Enrichment
If you’re a dog owner you’ve likely heard the term enrichment used amongst the canine community. So what is enrichment anyways? Enrichment is allowing dogs to partake in behaviours natural to them like foraging and licking. Bindi’s Bucketlist, our go-to for everything enrichment outlines the benefits of these activities:
- Activate the pleasure centers of your dog’s brain, promoting - happiness!
- Provide mental stimulation
- Alleviate boredom and anxiety
- Promote calmness
- Strengthen the bond between you and your pet
- Solidify positive experiences (like mealtime!)
To get started, grab your go-to Licking Mat, our favourite is Dexypaws Enrichment Licking Mats. Then pour your dog’s portion of Dog Standards fresh food and spread until the food is settled into the grooves. You can serve fresh or freeze for an extra challenge! Gamifying mealtime is a great way to add excitement to your dog’s dinner and help them see it as a positive and rewarding experience.
Keep Things Exciting with Nutrient Cycling
If a dog has no allergies or intolerances, we always suggest nutrient cycling, which is the process of rotating your dog's recipes on a frequent basis. Another important reason to nutrient cycle is to prevent your dog from developing food intolerances, an issue that is very prevalent in today's canine population. By rotating your dog’s recipes this reduces the risk of them developing a negative reaction to an ingredient, as their bodies don’t have enough time to get accustomed to it.
Dog Standards has three fresh and human-grade recipes to choose from: Beef, Chicken and Turkey all containing varying micro and macronutrients that offer incredible health benefits.
Don't Top Your Dog's Bowl with Treats
Over 50% of dogs in North America are obese, which is one the largest factors when it comes to shortening a dog's life. A common habit pet parents form is loading their dog’s bowl with treats in an attempt to get them to eat their food. Treats are typically high in fat and should be fed only 10% of a dog’s daily calories, as overfeeding them can easily lead to weight gain. Instead, try topping your dog’s food with Dog Standards Topper Plan, which is complete and balanced by veterinarian nutritionists ensuring that your dog is getting the appropriate amount of calories per day. Dog Standards recipes are the ultimate solution for picky eaters because they include whole ingredients that pup’s drool over like beef and sweet potatoes, but are balanced in the appropriate amounts for both growing puppies and adult dogs.
We’ve helped our pack members successfully lose unwanted weight and have made overfeeding treats during mealtime as enticement a habit of the past. Maverick's mom had been struggling to find a solution for his picky eating, this is what she had to say after switching to Dog Standards:
“My extremely picky 2 year old Maltese/Shih Tzu ate it right up, when he normally sticks his nose up at many high quality foods we've tried. Finally, a food that my dog continues to love and I don't have to mix treats into it to entice him to eat it!”
Create a Feeding Routine
Just like training your dog not to pull on a walk, training can also be extremely effective when it comes to mealtime. Feeding your dog at the same time every day shows them that food is offered at a certain time of day, for a certain amount of time, if left untouched then they are not offered again until their next meal. Leaving your dog’s bowl out all day for them to graze will only further enable their finicky eating, we suggest taking away your dog’s bowl after 30 minutes if they have not eaten their food. Creating this routine will allow for both you and your dog to enjoy mealtime more.
Have questions about our tips or food? Email us at help@dogstandards.ca