While picky eating isn't the easiest issue to solve, there are ways to address it, starting with finding the right diet and continuing with consistent training.
Our Tips for Eliminating Picky Eating
Suitable and tasty food is essential, but picky eaters often have a bad habit of "getting bored" with their food. Once you've found a tasty food, it's important to follow the golden rules for picky eaters: long-term training and sticking to a routine, rather than immediately switching foods. With these practices, you won't need to constantly change foods, and over time, your furry friend will learn to move past picky eating.
Consistent Training
You can't eliminate picky eating overnight; it requires long-term training, which demands patience and perseverance from the dog owner. Overcoming picky eating is a lengthy process, and there will likely be setbacks when the dog refuses to eat for a few days. Don't give up—healthy dogs won't starve themselves if food is regularly available.
Both the dog owner and the dog have things to learn when dealing with picky eating. Proper portion sizes, regular feeding times, a peaceful eating environment, and sufficient exercise are all important factors when teaching a dog to move past picky eating.
Establish a Routine and Stick to It
Routine is a helpful tool for dogs prone to picky eating. When food is available only at specific times, the dog learns to eat within those limits. If the dog refuses to eat, remove the bowl and offer food again at the next scheduled mealtime.
Offering treats or supplementing/replacing meals with other foods is counterproductive: a clever dog will quickly realise that by refusing to eat, they get something even better instead.
Regular feeding times and properly portioned meals support a dog's well-being from puppyhood to senior years.
