What to do if your dog stops eating dry food? This question may arise even for the most experienced breeder. Pet owners often notice that one pet avoids a bowl of dry granules, the other purrs with pleasure, eating every last crumb, and even asks for more. Why does even a hungry dog sniff the rounds poured into a bowl without pleasure, but as soon as he touches them, stops eating?
First of all, it is necessary to understand the reason for refusing dry food and find a solution to the problem. Dog breeders recommend not forcing your pets to eat something they don’t like, but gradually teaching them to eat dry food.
Sometimes, a violation of the usual diet confuses the owners and creates a lot of inconvenience. We'll have to look for other food options. This will not be easy, because it is almost impossible to know in advance what the pet will prefer. You will have to experiment with different varieties of cereals, prepare fresh portions, and urgently find out how to feed a capricious dog with natural food.
Finding the right food for a dog is difficult. In addition, she may refuse to eat vegetables, cereals or dairy products. In dry food, all useful ingredients are selected in optimal proportions.
Why doesn't my dog eat dry food?
In most cases, this problem is faced by owners who have recently become owners of small pets. That is, they purchased or adopted a puppy. The main difficulty is that in their parents' home they received mother's milk as food. In addition, supplementary feeding was introduced.
Why doesn't my dog eat dry food?
- Most likely, the little puppy will be surprised and is unlikely to eat the food offered. This must be done gradually, over 1-3 weeks.
- For these purposes, it is necessary to use the food that was given by the previous owners, mixing it with dry food in a one-to-one ratio.
- If the dog still does not eat this mixture, try soaking the dry food in water, and only then introducing it into the main food. Thus, it is necessary to gradually increase the concentration of food in the puppy’s usual food.
- Within 1-2 weeks, dry food will completely replace natural food and the previous food familiar to the puppy.
Dry food
Stress
Dogs, like people, can experience stress and react to it in different ways, such as loss of appetite. Moving, bringing other animals into the home, having guests, as well as visiting a veterinary clinic and vaccinations can all affect your pet's appetite. In addition, male dogs may lose interest in food for a while if they encounter a female dog in heat while out for a walk.
In this case, there is no need to take serious measures; it is enough to show attention and love to the dog, play with it, pet it, etc. It is considered normal if, due to stress, the dog does not eat for up to 48 hours (in the case of puppies - up to 24 hours), if the “hunger strike” is prolonged, then it is better to show the pet to a specialist.
The puppy refuses dry food - what to do?
It is imperative to ask the previous owners what the baby was given. If it was natural food, you should not give your pet dry food on the first day.
The puppy refuses dry food, what to do:
- Please note that along with feeding dry food, it is necessary that the puppy always has water in unlimited quantities. The fact is that dry food does not contain moisture, so the puppy may develop problems with the skin, teeth and other organs and systems due to lack of water.
- Of course, it is best to feed your dog natural food, but the main difficulty is that such food is expensive and time-consuming to prepare. A working person is unlikely to be able to devote more than 2 hours to preparing food for a dog, which is why he is looking for affordable options that help save time.
- There is no need to suddenly cancel the previous type of food, do it gradually. Partially replace “natural” food with dry food. Choose species for puppies. In the initial stages, purchase canned food of this brand.
meal
Features of feeding pregnant dogs
From the moment of fertilization, the expectant mother’s body prepares for the upcoming birth for two months. Literally all organs and systems of the body undergo changes. As the embryos grow, the dog's internal organs, including the stomach and intestines, are physically compressed. The longer the gestation period, the smaller the portion of food the dog can eat at one time.
Features of feeding pregnant dogs include:
- Choosing a nutritious but easily digestible diet.
- Saturating the diet with proteins, vitamins and microelements.
- Increasing the daily water intake.
- Fractional feeding - the expectant mother is fed in smaller portions, but more often.
During pregnancy, your dog may feel unwell. In the first few weeks of gestation, the expectant mother may suffer from toxicosis, which is accompanied by a sharp decrease in appetite, constant nausea and regular vomiting.
In the middle of the term, the dog may experience problems in the gastrointestinal tract, for example, constipation, increased gas production, and hiccups.
In late pregnancy, a dog may eat very little due to the fact that its intestines are compressed. About a day before giving birth, the dog completely refuses to eat.
My dog doesn’t eat dry food well – what should I do?
Try to make friends with your pet, explain to him that now you are not able to prepare food from natural products, so you are switching to dry food. It is also necessary to be attentive and evaluate whether the dog is capricious, or whether the food is causing him some anxiety or health problems. Some dry food may cause bloating in pets if they are not used to it.
Observe your pet after he eats dry food. Repeated bloating or restlessness of the pet after eating indicates that the food is not suitable for the dog.
The dog does not eat dry food well, what to do:
- It is necessary to pay attention to the faction. It is believed that dry food is very beneficial for puppies, as it helps massage the gums and stimulate teething. However, the biggest mistake owners make is giving food with a large fraction to adult dogs.
- The grain size should be appropriate for the age and size of the pet. If these are small dogs, then the fraction should be very small. For larger pets, more massive grains of food are suitable.
meal
Health problems
This is perhaps the most important reason for loss of appetite and requires the closest attention and sometimes immediate response from owners. Observe your pet for signs of illness (lethargy, fever, discharge from the eyes and nose). If you have the slightest suspicion, you should immediately contact your veterinarian.
It is imperative to check the condition of your pet’s teeth and gums; problems in this area when chewing hard granules cause pain to the dog. Ulcers, inflammation, and minor damage to the gums are easy to see with the naked eye - if this is the reason, then a visit to the clinic cannot be avoided. During the treatment period, it is better to soak the granules in water: this way the dog’s diet will not change, but at the same time it will not feel discomfort while eating.
The dog does not eat dry food after “natural food” - what to do?
If this is an adult dog and you decide to switch him to dry food, you need to act a little differently. Many people believe that dry food is harmful and very bad for a dog’s health. Actually this is not true. It doesn’t matter if it’s liquid food, canned food or dry food. The quality of food depends on the original ingredients and the manufacturer. Elite food for professional dogs contains all the necessary microelements and vitamins that allow the pet to develop.
The dog does not eat dry food after “natural food”, what to do:
- Therefore, you should not immediately discount dry food, considering it to be of poor quality. At the same time, available economy-class food does not contain sufficient vitamins, minerals, and nutritional components. It is on such dry food that a dog can over time acquire a large number of chronic liver and kidney diseases.
- Remember, high-quality dry food cannot be cheap; its total cost will be the same as natural products, or even more expensive. What to do and how to accustom your dog to dry food? The process of accustoming is not carried out abruptly, but is carried out gradually.
- It is necessary, as in the case of a puppy, to mix natural products with dry food. It happens that the pet does not want to consume even such a mixture. What to do in this case? Under no circumstances should you shout at your pet or punish it.
Refusal to eat
How to prevent such a problem?
It is always better to prevent a problem than to solve it later. In order for your pet to happily accept a dry diet, you must adhere to some simple rules:
- You cannot feel sorry for the animal and allow yourself to be manipulated. Show who's boss. If the pet is healthy, then ordinary whims can be treated by abstaining from food. After a day of hunger strike, he will happily accept the food offered. Praise your dog when he is satisfied. However, this method is not suitable in the case of a puppy and a pregnant bitch.
- The food bowl should not be freely accessible. A diet with limited portion sizes must be followed.
- Increasing physical activity will be beneficial if the dog is not eating well. Engage in training, active games, and jogging together in the morning. Don't let your dog get bored.
- Eliminate psychological factors that may cause stress. Pay more attention, give love and care. Even kids subtly feel the mood of the owner.
- Don't swear or punish your tailed friend for refusing to eat. Eating should only evoke pleasant emotions. If the animal becomes nervous and frightened, it may subsequently be afraid to approach the bowl.
- If your dog feels unwell, contact your veterinarian. You may need to undergo examination and tests. Once your health is restored, your appetite will return.
When purchasing dry food, take into account the individual characteristics of your pet’s breed, its weight, age and lifestyle. Food lines from various manufacturers are divided into several categories:
- By class. Economy, premium and superpremium feeds differ in price and quality of composition.
- By calorie content. Energetic and sedentary animals require different levels of nutrients.
- According to the breed. What works for a Doberman will have a bad effect on a baby Yorkie.
- For health. For pets with sensitive digestion, sterilized, pregnant and lactating females.
It is better not to offer small dogs large pads of food intended for large breeds. If the animal refuses its usual “drying”, try changing the brand of the manufacturer. In any case, only your patience and love will help you cope with the difficulty that has arisen.
The dog refuses dry food - what to do?
Now the opinion of veterinarians has changed dramatically regarding mixed feeding. In most cases, veterinarians recommend feeding your dog using both dry and natural food. However, there are pets for whom mixed feeding is unacceptable.
There are several postulates that will help if a dog refuses dry food:
- Graduality
- Stability
- Confidence
- Steadfastness
Why does a dog have diarrhea when eating natural food?
There are dogs that have a sensitive gastrointestinal system. Such pets may vomit after eating or experience allergic reactions.
Diarrhea in dogs from regular food can often occur in small and artificially bred breeds.
Remember. Allergies manifest themselves throughout life. May appear in youth or old age. There is nothing strange about this.
If you discover a reaction in the body to food, seek help from a veterinarian, he will help you find the cause and advise on the choice of food.
How to train a dog to eat dry food?
It is necessary to feed the dog at the same time every day, and it is best after a walk. This happens 2 times a day, morning and evening. That is, at 7:00 and 19:00 respectively. This approach allows the dog to get used to the diet and prevents the feeling of hunger. Immediately after the walk, place a container of dry food in front of the dog for a few minutes.
How to train a dog to eat dry food:
- If the dog refuses food, the bowl is removed. The dog must understand that they will not give him anything else. At the same time, water must always be present in the dog’s diet. That is, there is no need to remove the bowl of water.
- The same should be done in the evening. A bowl of dry food is delivered; if the dog does not eat, the food is removed. This must be done until the dog gets used to it and understands that they will not give anything else.
- Due to hunger, the dog will be forced to eat what is given. Please note that you should not feed your pet from your table. That is, no rewards, treats, or prohibited foods should be given to the dog.
- Only foods that are allowed are given, that is, dry food. Be sure to inform all your household members that under no circumstances should you supplement your dog’s food. So that children do not inadvertently give the dog prohibited food.
Cute dog
What should the owner do?
After finding out the reason for the failure, it is necessary to decide what to do for the owner. Basic recommendations:
- change the manufacturer, choose food of a higher class - when feeding low-quality or disliked products;
- include canned food or treats - if the dog does not have enough variety in its diet;
- eliminate negative factors, improve living conditions - if stress develops in the animal;
- increase walking time, introduce constant active games and a daily routine - if the pet moves little;
- Contact a veterinarian and begin treatment if your pet is feeling unwell or if an illness is detected.
Decreased appetite or complete refusal of food is in any case a bad sign. Correcting the problem in a timely manner will help maintain your pet’s health and good mood. The main thing is to take into account the animal’s preferences and not force it to eat food it doesn’t like.
How to get a dog to eat dry food?
Feed refusal can be caused by its replacement. Often, owners of large dogs change one dry food to another. This happens when changing food to a cheaper or more expensive option. In this case, it is necessary to take into account that the taste and smell of this food are different. More expensive food does not contain monosodium glutamate, a flavor enhancer, since it contains an increased amount of meat ingredients.
The amount of meat in good food ranges from 35%. If there is less meat, then the nutrients and proteins in the food may not be enough to cover the daily requirement of nutritional components. Cheap food contains less meat, but more flavorings. Very often, pets refuse expensive food in favor of cheap food due to the presence of monosodium glutamate in it.
The dog is sad
How to get a dog to eat dry food:
- Under no circumstances should you retrain your pet or introduce it to dry food if it is sick or unwell. Often a dog refuses dry food due to stress. This happens during a move, estrus, after pregnancy and childbirth.
- In this case, try to feed your dog natural food for a while, even though you will have to spend much more time preparing the food. Now your pet needs care and attention more than ever.
- It is allowed to resort to harsh methods with restriction of food intake only if the dog is vigorous, healthy and active, and feels well. This means that the dog does not want to eat the food because he does not like its taste.
Food
The dog does not eat dry food: reviews
Many owners have encountered this problem. With the right approach and consistency, we managed to establish feeding.
The dog does not eat dry food, reviews:
Oksana . Our girl became a mother and gave us several Yorkshire terriers. Of course, at the initial stage they were breastfed, with the addition of natural milk. However, the time came to sell the puppies, and it was necessary to accustom them to dry food. It was very difficult for our kids to get accustomed to dry food. Apparently they didn't like it to taste. It took about 3 weeks to train the puppies. The task was complicated by the fact that the children were on vacation, and from time to time they spoiled the puppies with goodies from the table. Then the children went on vacation, and the situation became simpler. We switched the puppies to dry food twice a day. We sold the babies, everything is fine, they eat dry food.
Eugene. I am the owner of a German Shepherd. Immediately after I acquired the puppy, I fed him natural food. However, I'm always at work, so I don't have time to prepare fresh food for the dog. I decided to switch to high-quality dry food. I didn’t even suspect that there could be problems with this. Our dog refused this food in every possible way. It was very sad, he constantly whined, wanted to eat, but did not eat dry food. Only iron patience helped me teach my dog to eat dry food.
Violet. I have a Miniature Pinscher who is a very picky eater. I got a job, so I have less time. I switched my pet to dry food by following the regimen. I refused food for a couple of days, but then gave up.
Dry food
If you are a pet owner, we recommend reading interesting articles:
- Allergies in dogs: symptoms, causes, treatments
- Veterinarian advice on keeping dogs indoors and outdoors
- Can I feed my dog dry or soft cat food?
- Newfoundland - dog breed: description, features of the breed
- Should a dog’s food be salted: advice from veterinarians, reviews from dog breeders
Natural food, canned food is much more flavorful and softer than dry food. Accordingly, many dogs, relying on their taste preferences, refuse dry food. In this case, dogs should not be fed mixed food. In this case, it is recommended to completely switch to dry food.
