Last Updated on January 31, 2023 by Dogs Vets
The Best Food for Fussy Dogs in 2022
Getting a picky dog to eat can be a worrying thing. You may also find that many that refuse to eat do so due to health implications like consipation, diabetes or allergies.
It requires a lot of trial and error in order to find foods that are both appealing to your dog and healthy.
If you regularly serve up tasty food for your dog just for them to push it away, then you most likely have a fussy dog. All dogs are different, and they all have unique appetites, making finding the right food even harder.
This guide uncovers why your dog might be a picky eater and what the best food for fussy dogs are.
Why Are Dogs Fussy?
To better understand what foods are best to pick, it’s important to know exactly what could be making your dog a fussy eater.
If your dog shows signs of fussy eating habits, then the reasons could be closer to home than you realise. It tends to come down to them being too used to something high in energy and fat content.
Similar to humans, they tend to crave the worst kinds of foods and treats, as they’ll get an immediate boost of energy from a high calorie count.
However, if they are too used to getting them, they will start refusing regular meals, and it will start to have an adverse effect on their health.
It can be easy to over-indulge your dog with unhealthy food, but this won’t set them up for a healthy life long-term.
Fussy eating can be a challenging behaviour to tackle, but with the right perseverance, you can have your dog eating better in no time.
Some things to try to help aid your dog are:
- Give them plenty of praise after eating food from their own bowl.
- Limit the number of treats and snacks you give them throughout the day. Treats should make up no more than 10% of the food a dog eats during the day.
- Try to make the dog’s food more appealing to them.
- Be consistent with your approach to feeding.
- Switch it up from time to time, especially if they are not showing interest in their current food.
The solution? Feed them something that is rich in nutrients that also tastes good! And have some consistency about it. By doing this, you are already on the right track.
Try to find dog food options that contain some of the following ingredients:
Duck Meat
Including meat in a dog’s diet is important, they come packed with protein and plenty of healthy nutrients. But with a fussy dog, this might be a problem with some meats.
Duck, however, appeals to almost every dog as it contains healthy fat contents, but also potassium which plays an important role in the functioning of their nerves and muscles.
It comes full of amino acids, which are considered as the ‘building blocks of life and are critical to a healthy life. The phosphorus content in the meat also helps build strong teeth and bones.
Duck is the best possible meat to try to give your fussy dog. It’s rare to find a dog that it won’t appeal to.
Fish
Fish is one of the healthiest foods dogs can eat, so if they are willing to eat it, that is a huge bonus.
Fish are full of nutrients, vitamins, and protein, all essential to a healthy dog diet. Fish is an especially good source of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids.
Adding a little bit of fish to a meal is a great way to make it more intriguing for your pup. However, It should be given as a supplement and not as a full meal, as although it has many benefits, too much can trouble your dog’s digestive system.
The smell of fish is simply enough to excite any dog, and so it can only encourage them to finish the rest of the dish.
The protein is brilliant for their gut and the processes inside their body. The amino acids, similar to duck, are the building blocks to helping so many health-related areas.
Bananas
In moderation, bananas are an excellent food to incorporate into a dog’s dish to spice it up a little.
They are a great low-calorie supplement filled with potassium, vitamins, biotin, fibre and copper. However, like most fruit, bananas do have a high sugar content – so it’s important to protect your dog’s teeth by limiting the amount you give them.
It may help to mash up the banana to make it a bit more edible, especially if you have a small dog. It will also help ensure they eat the rest of the food around it instead of just the banana.
To Conclude
With a little effort, determination, and some guidance, it is very possible to get back on track with a healthy eating schedule for your dog.
“To sum up, by following simple dog feeding guidance, you can overcome constipation in dogs through better nutrition.
Adding healthy supplements and meats can attract finicky eaters, while reducing treat consumption and having a consistent feeding schedule will lead to a healthier diet for your dog.”
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