Some owners have to put up with the fact that their dog is a life-long picky eater…
While others find that their dog becomes picky all of a sudden.
It doesn’t matter what the cause, getting a fussy dog to eat his meal is can feel like an impossible task.
So what do you do when your dog will not eat his food?
We surveyed 500 dog owners and consulted with an animal behaviorist to find the best solutions for dogs that refuse to eat.
With their help, we put together this list of 22 solutions. By the time you have finished reading, you will know what you need to do to get your dog to eat.
Let’s begin…
1. See your vet
Has your dog suddenly started rejecting his food or become picky eater? The issue could be medical.
There are many medical issues that can lead to a loss of appetite or stop your dog eating altogether.
Some of the most common medical conditions that lead to picky eating include:
- Swallowed something they shouldn’t
- Dental disease
- Allergies
- Infection
- Parasites
- Gastrointestinal issues
- Arthritis or spine issues
- Vaccination side effects
If your dog isn’t eating while losing weight or his coat is looking unkempt, you should visit your vet ASAP.
Unfortunately, many owners mistakenly correlate their dog losing weight with their dog is refusing to eat.
A healthy dog won’t starve himself, no matter how picky he may be. Unless your dog is on a diet, losing weight is likely to be a medical issue that needs addressing.
Oh, and as always, any change or addition to your dog’s diet should be discussed with your vet before proceeding!
Need to book an affordable vet in a hurry? Check out Vetster, an online platform that allows you to speak to a veterinarian via video, chat, or voice any time – day or night.
2. Remove your dog’s meal until tomorrow
Okay, so while this method may seem mean, many owners of fussy eaters swear by its success.
It starts by offering your dog food for dinner as you normally would.
During this time, leave the room and do not interact with your pup. If your dog follows you, ignore him.
If your dog has not eaten his meal within the 15 minutes, take his food away.
Now you are going to wait until the next morning. It’s time to offer your dog his meal as breakfast.
Make sure it’s a fresh meal – don’t offer kibble that was left sitting out overnight.
If your dog once again has not eaten his meal within 15 minutes, take it away.
Once dinner time rolls around, your dog will have gone a whole day without eating. By this time, your dog will be getting quite hungry and realize that he isn’t getting anything else.
You dog will be left with one choice:
To eat his food!
This method works because no healthy dog will starve itself. Your pup will gladly eat a meal that he doesn’t enjoy if there is no alternative – it beats a grumbling tummy!
Oh, and don’t worry about your dog going hungry. Generally, most dogs can go a few days without eating.[1]
3. Swap over to a tastier food
The solution to getting your fussy dog to eat could be as simple as swapping over to a new food.
Unfortunately, your dog can’t talk. Just bark. By refusing to eat his food, your dog could be trying to tell you that he doesn’t like the taste.
When making the switch, try to avoid similar flavors. For example, swapping from Purina One Chicken & Rice to Diamond Naturals Chicken & Rice probably won’t make your dog eat his meal – these two dry dog foods taste very similar.
Instead, you should test a completely different flavor. Let’s say that your dog is turning his nose up at a chicken flavor. You could try fish, beef or venison instead.
The good news is that tastier food doesn’t have to be more expensive. Many finicky dog owners report success with swapping over to a cheaper variety – cheap doesn’t necessarily mean tasteless!
That was the case for Chop, a fussy bulldog. On a tight budget, Chop’s owner swapped over from Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula to Iams Chicken Flavor…
Chop took to the new food immediately and his owner saved money by switching to a cheaper brand.
Interestingly, quite a few fussy dog owners reported success when switching over to a fish-based dog food.
They noted that the stinky fish flavors such as salmon, tuna or whitehead were much more likely to be gobbled up than traditional flavors such as beef or chicken.
The following were the 6 most recommend fish flavors from fussy dog owners…
- Crave Salmon & Ocean Fish
- Acana Freshwater Fish
- Purina True Instinct With Real Salmon & Tuna
- Diamond Naturals Wild Caught Salmon
- Ziwi Mackerel & Lamb
- Wag Salmon
Got a sensitive nose? These dry foods have a noticeably fishy smell. You may need to hold your breath as you scoop out your dog’s meal. But it’s worth it’ll be worth it when you see your picky dog eat his food!
Just don’t swap out your dog’s meal too often. Constantly changing foods can have an unintended consequence: It can make your dog even more likely refuse his food.
4. Make the transition slowly
Note: Skip to the next section if you have not switched to a new food
Have you swapped over to a new brand of dog food? Dogs often don’t react positively to a change in their routine. When presented with a new type of food, many dogs will refuse to eat it.
My Golden Retriever is the perfect example of this. He will gladly eat a wide range of disgusting things. Cat poop? Delicious! Vomit? Yeah sure, he’ll lick that right up…
But a new kibble? That’s where he draws the line – he instantly becomes selective with what he eats.
If you are transitioning your dog to a new food, it’s best to do it slooooooowly.
Fortunately, if done right, switching to a new food is a simple process…
All you need is your dog’s current food, and the new food want your dog to eat.
Now, what you are going to do is combine the two foods. Over ten days, your goal is to decrease the amount of old food and increase the amount of new food.
- Days 1 – 3 – 75% current food. 25% New food
- Days 4 – 6 – 50% current food. 50% New food
- Days 7 – 9 – 25% current food. 75% New food
- Day 10 – 100% New food
It may be slow, but your dog will be more likely to eat his new food if you follow this process.
Now, you may be unable to obtain your dog’s previous food to mix in with his new food.
Let’s say your dog’s favorite food is discontinued. Or you ran out of food and after a mad dash to Walmart, grabbed whatever was on the shelf?
What then?
Well, you can make the kibble more appealing by using a meal topper. Which brings me to my next point…
5. Mix in a food topper!
A meal topper refers to any product that you add to your dog’s meal to improve its flavor. Thinking of it as a seasoning for dog food.
Many owners claim that using a topper is the only way their picky pup will eat dry dog food.
There are a wide range of food toppers to choose from such as:
Alternatively, you can experiment with mixing other foods through your dog’s meal…
A small amount of wet dog food, boiled vegetables, or ground beef can all entice a picky eater to finish his meal.
Salmon oil is another tasty meal topper that contains Omega 3, which provides many health benefits. For more information, check out our salmon oil review.
The key to successfully using a meal topper is to stir it through your dog’s food so that it coats every piece of kibble…
This way, your fussy dog won’t pick out the meal topper and leave the rest of his food behind.
6. Exercise your pup
It’s no secret that exercising is a great way to build up an appetite. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving by the time I complete my morning jog.
But what may surprise you is that you can use exercise to get a picky dog to eat his food. This is especially true of high energy dogs like Fox Terriers, Dalmatians and German Shepherds.
You see, exercise makes dogs hungry. And as you might have guessed, a hungry dog isn’t a fussy dog.
One of the easiest ways to exercise your dog is to go for a nice long walk – Walking is good for you too!
If you already walk your dog, try upping the distance. Picky dog owners we spoke to saw the most success when they walked their pooch for 45 minutes or longer before dinner.
Don’t have time for a walk? There are other ways you can exercise your dog…
- Test your strength with a tug of war with a tug toy
- A long game of fetch with a dog tennis ball
- Toss a plush dog toy around indoors when the weather is bad.
In some cases, you may even be able to get your dog to exercise himself. Herding dogs, like border collies and Australian shepherds will entertain themselves for hours with a herding ball.
Whichever way you exercise your dog, the focus is on tiring him out.
After your dog has burned off his excess energy, it’s time to refuel. And because his meal is the only thing on offer, he will be more likely to eat it.
For the best results, don’t offer your dog his food immediately after exercising. Give him at least 15 minutes for his stomach to settle.
7. Throw it on the floor
Do you have a fussy puppy? You can take advantage of his playful nature to get him to eat his food.
Sit by your puppy and sprinkle dried dog food on the ground, a little at a time. As your puppy eats a piece, add another one further away.
Because your playful pup thinks this is a game, he will be more likely to take to his food.
It may take quite a few sessions, but once he has a taste for his food, you can transition to a bowl.
This method can be a little messy, so it’s best to do it outside. If you want to feed inside, grab a good broom and sweep up after mealtime is over – there is nothing worse than feeling pieces of kibble crunch underfoot.
8. Turn feeding time into a game
Picky eaters often play with their food instead of eating it. With the help of a good feeding toy, you can get your dog to do both.
Feeding toys combine play with eating. And for toy-obsessed pups, they are a great way to convince a dog to eat his food
Jessica, the owner of a dainty poodle, says her dog refuses to eat dry food. However, the moment she places it inside a treat dispensing dog toy, her poodle can’t get enough.
Another owner, Jack, uses a snuffle mat to get his fussy English Springer Spaniel to eat. When this super-sniffing dog finds kibble using his nose, he will promptly eat it without a second thought – even though he refuses to eat the same kibble when offered it in a bowl
Unfortunately, feeding toys only hold a limited amount of food. While this may not be a problem for a small dog like a Boston terrier, it presents an issue for bigger dogs…
You see, large breeds like Rottweilers or Mastiffs may need as much as 10 cups of kibble per day. Constantly refilling a feeding toy with this amount of food would be a full-time job – it just isn’t practical.
But for small/medium breeds, a feeding toy could be the very thing you need to get your dog to eat his meal.
9. Make sure you are feeding the right amount
This one might seem a little obvious, but you would be amazed at just how many owners overfeed their dogs.
I can understand. I mean, when your dog stares at you with those bulgy puppy eyes, it can be hard to resist giving them an extra treat or two. It won’t hurt, right?
It might be that your dog isn’t fussy but just full.
Overfeeding is a particular problem if you have a small pup like a Chihuahua, Papillon or Brussels Griffon…
These tiny dogs need much less food than you think. The smallest sizes might only need half a cup of kibble across a whole day.
As you can imagine, these tiny stomachs get full quick. When your belly is full to bursting, the last thing you want is more food, right?
Well, your dog feels the same. And if you present him with more food, your dog isn’t going to eat it.
While you may think your dog is fussy, your dog may need more time to digest his last meal.
Speak to your vet about the amount of food your dog needs. If you are overfeeding, cut back – it could cure your dog’s picky eating.
10. Make your dog work for it
I don’t know about you, but I find that the rewards I work the hardest for are the most satisfying…
Your dog feels the same. He will be considerably more likely to eat his food if he has to work for it.
A short session of Shake, Roll Over, or any other trick will have your dog expecting a reward for his hard work.
It’s at this point you offer your fussy dog his meal. Many picky eaters get so caught up in being rewarded that they forget they would normally reject this meal.
The key here is to make your dog think his reward is a big deal. Shower your pup with praise and pats while offering him the meal.
If you can get your dog excited enough, he will believe this meal is the best thing that has ever happened to him – He will eat his food without a second thought.
11. No Table Scraps
Are you sharing your dinner with your dog? You shouldn’t…
It’s going to difficult to convince him to eat his dry dog food if you are.
Can you imagine eating dry kibble after tasting a delicious hamburger? It’s a tough act to follow – it would be enough to turn me into a picky eater too!
Fortunately, this one is an easy fix…
Don’t share your meal with your dog.
I know it can be hard to resist. Especially when your dog peers up from underneath the table with those bulging puppy dog eyes.
But don’t worry, your dog won’t go hungry. Instead, he will be less likely to reject his bowl of food. Worth it? I think so.
12. Pretend to eat it
A special thank you to Meagan, who told us how she used this unique trick to get a fussy dog to eat.
After reading our guide on how to get a dog to take a pill, she found the easiest solution was to pretend to eat it. Her Shih Tzu would happily swallow a pill, thinking it was human food.
Meagan took this concept a step further when she fostered a fussy Havanese named Elon. As you might have guessed, Elon was refusing to eat his food.
The solution? She grabbed a bag of kibble and pretended to eat it like it was a bag of crisps.
Hiding the kibble in her hand, she would reach back in the bag and pretend to grab another piece.
Every minute or so, she would offer the Havanese a single piece of kibble. Thinking he had hit the jackpot, Elon would frantically gobble it down.
Meagan then poured the kibble into Elon’s bowl. Instead of rejecting it, he finished the whole meal!
It’s funny to think that pretending to eat kibble could be the solution to your picky pup!
13. Cut back the treats
If your dog is refusing to eat, then you should skip the treats.
Generally speaking, treats should only account for 10% of your dog’s daily calories. Any more than this and you are giving your pup more treats than he needs.[1]
For smaller dogs, it doesn’t take much to reach the daily limit. For example, an adult chihuahua would only need four small Milkbones. Any more and you are overdoing it.
Too many treats can ruin your dog’s appetite. If you are too generous with your dog’s treats, try cutting back or eliminating them from his diet altogether.
But treats can contribute to picky eating in another way…
In some instances, your dog may be rejecting his food because he wants a treat instead.
If you offer your dog treats even though he is not eating his food, you are reinforcing the idea that he will get something better if he waits it out – you have accidentally trained your dog to be a picky eater.
Claire, one of the respondents of our survey, said this was the issue with her fussy German Shorthaired Pointer. Worried that her dog would go hungry, she would give him treats if he didn’t eat his food.
As you might have guessed, this clever dog figured out that if he didn’t eat his meal, he would get tastier food.
Claire stopped giving him treats and, he soon went back to eating his food as usual.
14. Warm the meal to enhance flavor
Many finicky dogs can be encouraged to eat their meal just by warming it up. This method is commonly used on senior dogs who are rejecting their food.
You see, heating food does two things:
- Improves the flavor
- Releases a strong aroma
Essentially, it makes your dog’s food seem tastier, stimulating his appetite.
How do you heat your dog’s meal?
Wet food can be heated up in the microwave or steamer pot.
For dry kibble, it’s as simple as stirring through a small amount of hot water.
If you are going to use the microwave, make sure you don’t use a stainless steel bowl as it will spark. Use a plastic or ceramic bowl instead.
Oh, it goes without saying that you don’t want to give your dog food that is too hot. If you have overheated your pup’s food, let it cool before serving it.
15. Show your dog how bad it could be…
If you are like me, you treat your dog like royalty. You only serve the best dog food possible. That’s why it’s so frustrating when your dog refuses to eat it.
Fortunately, the solution is simple. Show your dog how good he actually has it.
I learned this trick from my neighbor and her spoiled Boxer, Anastasia. She only feeds Orijen dog food – expensive stuff.
However, now and then, Anastasia will suddenly become picky and refuse to eat it.
So, she offers food that she knows Anastasia won’t eat…
Ever since Anastasia was a Boxer pup, she has hated Pedigree kibble – she refuses to eat it.
If Anastasia ever rejected her Orijen kibble, it would be swapped out with Pedigree kibble. Sure enough, Anastasia would sniff her food, turn her nose up and walk away in disgust.
My neighbor would then take the Pedigree kibble away and present her original dish. Anastasia would now happily chow down on the same Orijen kibble she previously rejected.
Now, I must stress that just because this fussy Boxer refused to eat Pedigree kibble doesn’t mean that yours will. In fact, for many dogs, Pedigree is their go-to kibble…
In order for this method to be effective, you’ll need to find a food that your dog doesn’t like.
Can’t figure out what kibble your pup doesn’t like? Buy a cheaper food. This way, if your dog does eat it, you can save money by making the switch. Win-win.
16. Create a safe space
Is your dog easily distracted or stressed? Maybe your dog isn’t being picky. Turns out, he just can’t focus on his dinner.
Some dogs will refuse to eat if thunderstorms or fireworks trigger their anxiety. Many owners report that they solved this with a thunder vest.
Other dog’s get anxious while their owner is away. In these instances, a dog may not eat his food until his owner returns. Here, you’ll need to treat your dog’s separation anxiety.
Similarly, distractions can also stop a dog from eating his meal. If you are showering your dog with attention, or you have a young child demanding to play with the dog, it can be hard to focus on eating.
Likewise, it’s hard to focus on eating when an aggressive dog is nearby.
Finally, eating in a new location can stress a dog to the point where he will reject his meal…
Let’s say you are on vacation. Not only does he need to get used to his new collapsible silicone dog bowl but an entirely new environment with different sights and smells too – how can your pup focus on eating with all that change?
In all these instances, creating a comfortable, quiet eating area can go a long way to fixing picky eating.
My dog’s safe eating space is the bathroom. It’s quiet and distraction-free. Best of all, the tiles are easy to clean if he makes a mess.
17. Raise your senior dog’s bowl
Do you have an elderly dog who has stopped eating?
It might be that your old pup finds it painful to hunch over his bowl and eat his meal.
Many owners report this as a common problem in larger breeds. In their senior years, bending down to eat is a lot more difficult than when they were younger.
This can cause your elderly dog avoid eating his food – the pain isn’t worth it.
The solution? Raise your dog’s bowl to his height.
That’s where an elevated dog bowl comes in. These raised dog bowls sit up to 12 inches off the ground and can help reduce the joint stress that comes with eating hunched over.
You’ll want to buy a raised bowl that matches your dog’s height. For instance, a bowl that is the perfect height for a Pit Bull is too high for a Fox Terrier.
Don’t want to want to drop the cash on a new dog bowl? You can achieve a similar effect by placing your dog’s bowl on the first step of your staircase…
Don’t forget to remove the bowl after mealtime, you don’t want to trip and fall down your stairs.
With the bowl raised to a much more comfortable eating height, your senior pooch can now eat his meal pain-free.
18. Go wet
Can you imagine eating dry dog food every day? I can’t. And neither can many dogs.
These dogs will refuse to eat dry food at all. No matter how high-quality it may be.
For these finicky pups, swapping over to wet food is the solution you need. Cans, dog food rolls and, pouches are the most readily available wet dog foods around – you can grab them at your local Walmart.
Many popular brands of dry dog food offer the same flavors in a canned version. For example, Purina One SmartBlend Kibble can be bought as SmartBlend Cans.
Unfortunately, canned food is typically more expensive than kibble. However, if it gets your dog to eat his food, then you may find the added cost is justified.
But don’t drop the extra cash just yet. There is another way you can add moisture to your pup’s dry dog food…
Pouring warm water over kibble can make your dog more likely to eat it. You don’t need much. Leave it to sit for a few minutes before offering the meal to your dog.
If that doesn’t work, then try canned food instead.
19. Routine, Routine, Routine
Consistency is key. If your dog has an inconsistent eating schedule, then he will likely inconsistently eat his food too.
Dog’s are just like babies. They love routine.
One owner we surveyed said her dachshund wouldn’t eat for two days – just because she swapped from him over to a slow feed dog bowl.
Swapping back to his original metal bowl was all it took to get this pup to eat her food.
A good eating routine for a fussy dog should include…
- Feeding the same type of food.
- Feeding the same amount.
- Use the same dog bowl.
- Feed your dog at the same time.
- Feed your dog in the same location.
With a good routine in place, you may find your picky eater just needed a little consistency in his life.
20. Add some variety
Remember earlier when I said swapping out a dogs food too often can lead to picky eating?
Well, this trick goes against that advice. Three different survey respondents had success by offering their picky eaters a variety of different foods.
For instance, Jack from Arkansas has his dog on a diet of:
- Diamond Naturals Adult
- Canidae All Life Stages
- Purina One SmartBlend
Each day, his dog gets a different meal, rotating back to the beginning after 3 days. Since making the switch to this style of feeding, Jack hasn’t had any issues getting his dog to eat dry food.
Does your dog take to a new food for a few days before rejecting it all of a sudden? Rotating through different brands of food could get your dog to eat again.
21. Make sure your dog’s food hasn’t spoiled
I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t eat pizza that had been sitting out all day.
Your dog feels the same about his kibble. If you are offering your dog dry food that has been left out overnight, he will likely refuse it.
It doesn’t take long for dry dog food to go stale or even absorb moisture. This affects both the taste and smell…
While it might look the same to you or me, your dog can tell the difference. The result? He’s going to refuse to eat it.
In this case, offering your dog a fresh scoop of kibble could be all that is needed to get him to eat.
While we are on the topic, you should keep an eye on the expiration date of your dog’s food. If this date has passed, the food may become unsafe to eat.
Even if the expiration date has not passed, improper storage can cause the kibble to lose its taste and aroma. Dry dog food quickly goes stale when exposed to air.
Think your dog is not eating because his food is stale? Here’s a trick to be sure:
Open up a brand new bag of the same dog food. If your dog happily eats it, the old bag was probably stale.
Fortunately, this can easily be fixed by grabbing a good pet food storage container. These airtight containers will keep your dry dog food fresh for longer.
22. Special dogs need a special bowl
Do you have a flat-faced dog such as a pug or French bulldog? Your bowl could be impacting your dog’s ability to eat.
If your flat-faced pup is leaving half his meal behind, it might be because he is having trouble eating it – he wants to, but he can’t.
You see, flat-faced dogs eat with a scooping motion. This makes it difficult to reach small pieces of kibble that rest against the edges of the bowl.
Fortunately, there are bowls specifically designed to make it easy for smooshy-faced dogs to eat. Our personal favorite is the Enhanced Pet Bowl.
There are plenty of other benefits to using a flat-faced dog bowl such as improved breathing and less gas. Want more info? Check out our review of the best flat faced dog bowls.
23. Is your dog’s food upsetting his stomach?
Does your dog have allergies, loose stools, gas or, an upset tummy? It could be the reason your dog won’t eat his food.
According to Veterinarian, Dr. Sara Ochoa, a dog may refuse to eat his meal if he believes it is the cause of his discomfort.
Unfortunately, many dogs find that regular kibble irritates their stomach. Swapping out to a specially formulated food can eliminate these sensitivities – your dog will be more likely to eat his food if it doesn’t make him feel sick.
Dr Ochoa recommends Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach Formula. She uses it on her own dog if she suffers from diarrhea, to firm stools.
As a bonus, this food is commonly used as a safe food for sensitive tummies. Many dog owners report that their dog has never been so excited to eat kibble until they made the switch.
How did you get your fussy dog to eat his meal? Got a tip to share? Let me know in the comments below!
My puppy waits for treats instead of eating her kibbles. I can’t leave her to long without food then she starts to vomit bile which force me to enhance the flavor of the kibbles with something just so she eats something. Please advise.
My dog ate kibble just fine as a puppy but then I made the mistake of home cooking for her because of all the bad press about commercial foods. I cannot get her to eat the home cooked as she got tired of it no matter how much I vary it. It’s because exhausting! So I want to go back to canned or kibble. She naturally hates them all because she got spoiled to home cooked meals. It’s my fault but I don’t know how to get her back on more balanced food than I’m able to now cook and I feel awful about it. I fear I’ve really messed her up.
My year and a half Berner HATES kibble. I’ve tried Orijen, Acana, Wellness, Nitro, and still no luck. I don’t want to feed her anything cheap with bad Ikea ingredients so no Wal-Mart or Purina for us. I add chicken, cooked pork, gravy etc and she still refuses to eat. I’m at my wits end! Help!!
My mini schnauzer seems to be a lazy eater, she is nearly 1 year old. She will eat her dry kibble when I feed her out of my hand, I have tried the 15 min thing, then take it away.
My Australian Shepard male named Leo , gets plenty of exercise. Loves to run and play fetch. Leo never was a picky eater but at the young age of 23 months Leo decided to turn his nose up to the dog food. I mixed can food in it and he loved it for a few days. Now he puts his nose in the air again. I mixed another type same chicken and rice can food. He ate it twice then no go. I tried fishy can food and my still no eating. I cave to stand over him and coax him to eat half of it. Bodily functions are good, exercise good and his teeth are good. Please help. He needs his food for he’s still a pup
Thanks for the great suggestions. Alternative solutions helps to motivate on tired days with older puppies. Reallly appreciate you!
Placing some desired meds disguised and placed on paws has been very effective for me. The other disguises suggested in the article should also prove to be beneficial as well. Thank you very much!
what a bunch of nonsense, the dog doesn’t wanna eat? if it doesn’t eat in days it’s not my problem, the food’s there, readily available
Hi Alana,
I’m going to respectfully disagree here. It is absolutely your problem as you have a duty of care to your pet. Let’s say your dog has a medical condition that surfaces, affecting appetite. Saying “Not my problem” to the warning signs is an incredibly negligent response.
Pls help I have a 7 to 8 week old pup I found in the garbage can up the street and decided to take her home.now I’ve been trying to switch her to hard food gradually but I can’t figure out what she wants and she bites constantly now and very energetic I was told she looks like a shitzu or a pomapoo something like that.im taking her for her shots soon but just wanted some advice.
Hi Dr,
My 8 month old shih tzu sniffs her kibble and walks away. I had added slivers of boiled chicken and when she was really hungry, she would eat everything. But now she’s eating maybe 1/4 kibble and the chicken…she digs through the kibble to get just the chicken.
I’d like to try adding cooked veggies to her kibble, but I dont know what veggies are best or what amount. I’m hoping just to mix in a bit but don’t want to add too much either. And what veggies to avoid.
I’ve tried the added hot water too.
She’s super active and the vet said she doesn’t appear to be I’ll. HELP!
Gail
9mo old pup stopped eating her dry so I added water, that worked for a week then stopped again. I tried low-sodium beef and chicken broth even the bone broth with no success. Sometimes if I lightly sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top or add an egg she’ll eat a little bit of it but never the entire meal. She also stopped eating her breakfast only her dinner
My dog doesn’t eat his dog food plus I’m 11 what do I do
Hi Kayden,
This is a job for your parents. Even if it’s “your job” to look after the dog, there are some things, like medical issues, where you’ll need your parents help. You could show them this article, or ask them to look into why the dog isn’t eating.
I have tried everything to get my dog to eat I gave her a pill called trifexis she lost her Appetite, not motivated, her Platelets dropped, the vet put her on antibiotics and a blood clotting pill, she still wont eat and doctor is out sick what can I do to get her to eat??
As you have probably found out by now. Trifecta and similar drugs to treat flies can “poison certain a dogs” the symptoms you describe sounded like poisoning. Unfortunately your dog may have died.. I know of three dogs that does from similar medicines.
My dog is a fussy eater and i recently found out that he is more willing to eat if I handle the dog food and play with it in the dish. Why does my dog prefer food my hands have touched?
I was hiding my dogs pills in his food to get him to Take his medication. He found the pills in his food and hasn’t eaten since. What do I do?
Hi Jeff,
See your vet. A healthy dog will not starve itself. There might be something else going on here.
Those ideas sound great. Might try some of them on my shi tzu pom pup, Lucky. Funny enough I tried 11. Pretend to eat it. Coz he always begs for food. So I take his bowl, sit on the dining table, and make yummy and chewing sounds, he’ll come up to me with “whatcha ya eating? Sounds yummy” and I offer him his food which he rejected earlier and works 80% of the times. That’s why I came here to solve the other 20%. Thank you
My dog has tried all kinds of food dry wet. Tried the chicken and rice boiled so eat that for a day or two and then stop eating. I have tried all kinds of dog foods she is so picky I am frustrated
When my Pekingese won’t eat ANYTHING and I’ve used cut up chicken, wieners and cheese as her food, I try her treats. Her ears go up and she’s all over that one. That’s when I just let her do her picky thing and turn her nose up at the food until she’s finally ready to eat. I keep presenting her with her food at the right time and right amount until she finally eats. That last a few days till she’s at it again. I just have to ignore her. I have tried the trick of putting her food on my plate and giving her a bite here and there of her own food, but that’s self- defeating. Now I just wait her out.
My dog always refuses to eat her dry dog food. Giving her wet food is the best option but as we can’t do that on a regular basis, we add anything sweet to her dog food and the bowl is wiped clean. But she got used to it and now feeding her plain dog food is a BIG trouble. She always needs something sweet either in her dog food or from the dining table.
My 3 yr old miniature schnauzer refuses to eat anything, she was sick a couple mo ths ago and got treatment, but after that she wont eat her food, dry or wet, mixed with broth, rice, whatever we try, she doesnt eat, and she doesnt seem to be sick, shes still playful and energetic, ive tried everything but she wont eat. I tried the taking her food away, and she went 2 straight days without eating, no matter what i put in her bowl, i dont know what to do anymore.
Hi Dyna,
As per the guide above, healthy dogs don’t starve themselves. You should see your Vet ASAP.
What did you do? my dog is the same way. I have tried every thing. Just dong know what to dk any more.
Hi, my dog is an extremely picky eater and won’t eat her own food. She sits by me and the dinner table and barks until I give her food. She won’t eat because she is waiting for something better. Last night I went and bought her some different food. I got home and immediately gave it to her and she ate every last bit I gave her. But right after she threw it all up. And today she has thrown up twice and isn’t feeling good at all. I realize she is sick because I transitioned her way to fast. So today I tried feeding her 25% new food 75% old food and she refused to eat it. Is that because she threw it up and now she doesn’t like the new food? And how do I transition her food to new food if she won’t even eat her current food? Thanks
Hi Josephine,
If your dog ate all the new food, then you don’t need to go slow. The 25%-75% method is for dogs who prefer their current food. In your case, your dog didn’t like the current food but wolfed down his new food. It’s possible that your dog was excited by the new food and ate it too fast. This is commonly reported to cause vomiting. In fact, many dog owners use a slow feed dog bowl for this very reason. Another possibility is that she’s refusing the new food mixture because it is mostly her old food, which she didn’t like. Whatever the reason, the new food shouldn’t have made your dog vomit. You should speak to your vet for more information.
Hi there I have done what’s been said in the article it worked for a few days now I’m back to square one ….My dog is been sick because she’s not eaten I’ve waisted lots of money on diffrent food from dry food to tin food to making fresh like chicken.. mince..beef …veg rice my dog is a cross with jackchi I don’t no what else to do I’ve stopt all treats I’ve stopt titbits she’s happy in her self she still plays but when she’s sick she has this sad face on her ….advice appreciated thank you
Hi Eleanor,
You should contact your vet ASAP. Healthy dogs do not starve themselves.
I have done the same thing. Dont know what to do.
My 6yr old toy poodle has been fussy since leaving mum. I have had her for 3
years, she will not eat dry kibble, period! I have tried the ‘best’ wet food and the ‘worst’ she always snorts at it, but she loves cat food (I have 2 cats) which I feed seperately. Every day is hit or miss, I put food down wait a while then take away wet food will not keep, the foxes in my garden could win trophies at Crufts! Strange thing is her weight is about right but she has itchy skin and at the moment ear mites. I would appreciate any help or advice because I am genuinely worried, my vet doesn’t seem to take this seriously, should I worry?
Hi Theresa,
Unfortunately, I cannot provide medical advice. However, if your dog has itchy skin and ear mites, it might be worth getting a second opinion from another vet?