Your dog’s appetite might be a constant source of stress for you and your family, especially if your pooch is a picky eater. To ensure that they eat enough and do not leave bowls full of food every single day, here are some of the top steps you should take to encourage your dog to eat more than they are now.
1. Look After Their Teeth
Your dog might not be eating enough due to poor oral hygiene. If your dog has a toothache, they might be reluctant to touch their food, no matter how tasty the morsels are. If you believe your dog is not eating enough, if they rub their gums and mouth a lot, or if they are whining or have bad breath and discolored molars, you should head to your nearest vet. They will be able to check your dog’s oral hygiene and ensure that they do not have any dental problems or conditions at play, such as tooth decay. This can put your mind at rest and enable your dog to get treatment if they need it.
2. Hand Feed Your Dog
Although this might take more time out of your day than you would want, hand feeding your dog can help to make meal times a bonding activity for you and your pet. This might ensure that they are excited about their breakfast and dinner and encourage them to enjoy and taste the food they are eating. Hand feeding might be particularly effective for rescue animals, who might have had traumatic experiences around food bowls and might not have had enough to eat.
3. Cut Up Their Food
You should also consider cutting up your dog’s food into smaller slices. This can make consuming the food in question easier for your dog, especially if they have lost teeth or have food that is particularly chewy or hard for them to bite through. By cutting up their food, eating will seem less of a mammoth task for your pet.
4. Give Them a Safe Space to Eat
It is important to give your dog a safe space to eat, though. Their food bowls should be placed in a quiet area away from crowded hubs of the house. This can minimize distraction and disruption for your dog while they eat and can allow them to focus on crunching their kibble. You should also make sure that the dog bowls are at the right height for them, especially if your dog has mobility issues.
5. Change Up Their Diet
Changing up your dog’s diet could help them to eat more as they might simply be bored of the biscuits that are usually on offer. You might choose a different food brand entirely or opt for fresh food for your pet. You could also consider switching between dry and wet food. If you do not want to change their diet entirely, you might encourage them to eat by adding a slice of meat or another tasty mouthful that could add flavor to their food.
6. Feed Them Small Portions
If you find that your dog leaves a lot of their food each time but then becomes hungry later, you could feed them smaller portions at regular intervals. Although this might be inconvenient for you, doing this could help your dog eat more when hungry. You could even allow your dog to graze throughout the day and eat simply whenever they want to.
