Even if you’re diligent about not feeding your pet people food, they smell it and see it on the dining table. In the wild, dogs will eat most anything but, in our homes, they learn that some foods are edible and some are fantastic. The Basenji, Siberian Husky, and the Yorkie are just a few. Many dogs are finicky eaters, some breeds more than others. Since the pet parent has modified their meals in the past, most dogs will wait to see if their meal will be modified.You’ve likely had your dog on the same food for a while now so it’s no surprise if he’s starting to turn up his nose at it. However, when it is utilized for the first time it may take longer than a day or two for the dog to understand. The tough love method is extremely effective at curbing learned picky eating behavior. This method is not recommended for pets with certain medical conditions, puppies, or cats. Repeat this process until the dog eats the food – this is called the tough love feeding method. At the next feeding time, offer the same meal that was refused previously. Do not offer any other foods or toppers if the dog has refused to eat the meal. Present the meal for a 15 minute period and remove the food if the dog has not eaten or begun eating within this time. Maintaining a strict and consistent feeding schedule will teach the pet it is time to eat when food is presented and that there will not be any more food offered until the next feeding time. It is recommended to create a feeding routine and stick with the routine every day without deviation. Overfeeding can be due to an error in feeding calculations, or the fact that the individual pet happens to have a slower metabolism than average.ĭogs and cats begin to anticipate food at random times throughout the day if the feeding schedule is inconsistent or if food is always available. Overfeeding is a common factor that can contribute to picky eating behavior, because the pet can afford to be choosy when calories are in excess.
It is also recommended to re-evaluate a picky pet’s feeding amounts. Maintaining a strict feeding schedule will allow the stomach to completely empty and the sensation of feeling hungry will help encourage the pet to eat the meals that are offered. Picky dogs and cats should only eat their scheduled meal(s) for the day. For a human example, consider children preferring salty snacks and candy over vegetables. Treats are also made to be more palatable so pets tend to favor them if offered frequently. Treats and snacks will spoil the pet’s appetite because they are going to decrease the sensation of feeling full. The first step to overcoming picky eating behavior is to abandon the idea of giving daily treats and snacks. When a pet develops a food aversion due to sickness or bad experiences, positive training methods will be required in order to overcome the behavior. These negative emotions will decrease appetite in a similar fashion to food aversion from sickness.
Food aversion is a safety mechanism to avoid consuming food that consistently causes illness.Īdditionally, the smell of certain foods can bring up negative emotions if the pet had a bad experience when that food was presented. If the pet becomes very ill from the food they ate, they may begin to avoid the food all together. In terms of dogs and cats, the ingredients fed in their diet can cause digestive upset. If the animal becomes very sick after consuming a food source, the subconscious identifies the food as dangerous and the animal will avoid the food in the future – this is known as food aversion. All species, including humans, possess a biological trait that is designed to protect the body from ingesting foods that have been harmful in past experiences.
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