My Dog Won’t Eat!

One of the most common concerns I receive from clients is that their dog won’t eat. We talk about what they are feeding and when and how much, etc. I personally have a dog that eats and gets distracted and needs encouragement to return to their bowl.

I told her there are a lot of starving dogs in China that would love her food. She took a few more bites; however, I don’t think she grasped the meaning of what I said. So, I added a little roasted chicken to her kibble and that seemed a much better solution. Tough love and “they’ll eat when they are hungry doesn’t always work!”

Think about the times that you are cooking dinner and a piece of meat (or anything) falls to the floor. Most dogs are readily available to help with clean up. They’ll eat – it’s a matter of what. Being pack animals, most dogs eat better and more when either they are with us or other dogs. Dogs will also eat quicker when they think someone else might get their meal.

There are also a lot of gravies that can be added to a dog’s kibble for flavor. It may take a teaspoon to a tablespoon of warm chicken broth in a bowl of kibble before the dog will find it worthy of eating. You can also add some raw ground turkey to their food or add a little graded cheese.

You may be thinking you want your dog to eat kibble and only kibble so that you aren’t catering to their tastes at every meal. Unfortunately, some dogs have allergies to grains and meals or they just don’t like it. It is far removed from what they would naturally eat.

If your dog refuses to eat and misses more than a meal or two, rule out any other health issues and try adding something a little more tasty to their food. After all, the hunt, chase, and kill for their kibble dinner isn’t all that exciting!