One of the most common questions asked by owners concerns their dog's poor appetite or even complete refusal to eat. The reason is always the same - violation of the regime and basic rules of feeding.

A puppy that has moved from a breeder's house to the house of its new owner quickly gets used to it and understands that everyone cares and cherishes it. He alone receives all the affection, the best toys, all the most delicious things and, in general, everything he wants.

Owners very soon forget advice about proper feeding and will definitely pamper their pet with sausage, meat, cheese and other goodies. The puppy begins to refuse the main food, but still receives a treat.

It turns out that refusal of food is reinforced by positive unconditioned stimuli (treats). The dog systematically refuses the main food, or eats very little, getting used to living from handout to handout, essentially constantly being in a state of malnutrition.

The dog is losing weight - the owners are nervous, and then the next stage begins. The dog is offered gourmet dishes, as long as the “poor” dog eats. And if the dog refuses this, then he immediately gets something even more tasty (boiled meat or chicken, canned dog meat). Thus, what was previously a delicacy now becomes the main food.

The owners themselves teach the dog to refuse the main food, not imagining what problems await them in the future. Not proper nutrition leads to skin problems (pimples, blackheads, wen), metabolism is disrupted, digestion worsens, the dog loses a lot of weight or, on the contrary, dogs prone to obesity rapidly gain excess weight.

Moreover, improper feeding leads to serious diseases of the internal organs - kidney disease, liver, stomach, gastritis, sand, urolithiasis, etc.

From the first moments a dog appears in your home, follow the feeding schedule and adhere to the basic rules. Each violation of these simple laws results in problems with appetite, and, as a consequence, problems with digestion and conditioning.

An adult dog is fed twice a day - morning and evening. Since many owners do not have the opportunity to feed their dog in the middle of the day (due to work), feeding twice a day is quite enough.

An adult Chinese Crested cat needs to eat about 100-130 grams of dry food per day, that is, 50-60 grams per feeding (this is about a handful of food).

Each dog is unique, so feeding standards may vary depending on size, age, temperament, activity, living conditions and even time of year.

Basic feeding rules

An adult dog receives food exactly 2 times a day - morning and evening. The bowl of food is placed for exactly 15 minutes. This time should be enough for the dog to eat. After 15 minutes, the bowl is removed until the next feeding.

If the dog does not eat, we remove the bowl and next time feed it strictly according to the schedule. There is no need to feel sorry for the dog, spoil it with something more tasty, or give food an extra time (in addition to the two-time regimen). The reason is simple: when the dog refuses food, you start to get nervous and treat the dog with handouts from the table (meat, sausage, cheese, etc.). Each time your pet refuses main food, in return he receives tasty treat. By doing so, you reinforce your dog’s refusal to feed.

If the dog refuses to eat, at the next feeding the normal amount of food is given, and not in double volume. There is no need to compensate for your pet's forced fasting.

If the dog refuses to eat according to the schedule for several days, do not be nervous and continue to place the bowl strictly according to the schedule - exactly 2 times a day for 15 minutes. Achieve your goal. Dogs do not know how to go on hunger strike. When you want to eat, all the food will be eaten.

If the dog eats slowly and slowly for 15 minutes, then after this time we interrupt the feeding process and remove the bowl. By doing this, you let the dog know that its feeding time is limited.

If the dog eats well, but gets full and leaves excess food, then reduce the portion so that the dog eats all the food in one feeding.

In order for a dog to have a greed for food and always have an excellent appetite, it is better to underfeed it than to overfeed it. So remember - no additives.

There is no need to feed the dog at the moment when you sit down to eat. At the beginning, the whole family eats (and no one treats them with anything, remember, right?), only after that they feed the dog. Give your dog a bowl of food when you, for example, wash the dishes after eating.

If the bowl of food is always freely available, you will develop the dog’s habit of eating at any time of the day and in any quantity. For dogs with an excellent appetite, this can lead to weight gain. For picky dogs - constant thinness, refusal of food.

A dog eating according to a strict regime always has an excellent appetite and will never refuse the next feeding.

In force various reasons The dog may begin to eat poorly or refuse dry food. It is important to understand why this happens and what can be done in such a situation.

Dry dog food is a solution for busy owners. Modern premium food supplies animals with everything they need: nutrients, vitamins and minerals. It takes very little time to pour the food into the bowl and change the water. The volume of prepared feed is also required less than when feeding natural products.

Considering all the advantages, many dog breeders are inclined to keep their dogs on dry food. However, sometimes the pet may stop eating dry food. The problem is being solved in different ways, depending on the reasons for the failure.

Why doesn't a dog eat dry food - reasons

The first and most dangerous cause why the dog does not eat dry food is a hidden disease. You need to take a closer look at your pet and find out if there are other symptoms of illness, for example, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, swelling and others. If, in addition to lack of appetite, lethargy and the above problems are observed, you should immediately seek help from a veterinarian.

The consultation consists of examining the animal and prescribing general tests. The dog does not eat well if there are ticks, a large number of fleas, helminths and inflammation. At the end of treatment, the dog's appetite is restored.

Another common reason is switching to a different food. Even different foods of the same brand have different taste and aroma qualities. A dog cannot easily and quickly exchange its usual food for another.

Food refusal is often observed when moving from cheap to expensive food. This is due to the fact that cheap products are stuffed with attractive flavors, but expensive high-quality food does not contain such special attractive additives. It takes time and patience to train your dog to eat the right food.

Another reason is the habit of begging from the table. Giving your dog treats from the table is wrong. This bad habit is quickly acquired by the dog, and it is very difficult to get rid of it. After such snacks, the dog is no longer attracted to dry food, and it stops eating it.

Much less often, other reasons may appear for a dog to refuse food:

teething or tooth loss;
vaccinations;
period of sexual activity;
taking medications;
childbirth.

What should the owner do?

In cases of infection or other illness of the dog, when it stops eating dry food, a visit to the clinic and the help of a veterinarian will be required. But what should the owner do? healthy dog refusing food?

First, you need to reconsider your serving size. The dog needs to be fed twice a day. Each time after a meal, the bowl should be completely emptied. If the dog does not eat everything in one go, then the food is nutritious and the portion is large. The serving size is indicated by the food manufacturer on the packaging. It depends on the age and size of the dog. It is better to follow these recommendations or pour a little less. Often, large bags of food come with measuring cups that are convenient for pouring required quantity"drying".

If a dog does not eat its food, but begs from the table, you need to not respond to all its requests, gradually weaning it off. If it is easier for the owner to prepare natural dishes for the dog, you can switch to them. But still, food should be served at the same time, and snacking only spoils discipline and disrupts the animal’s digestion. Sweet, salty or smoked pieces are especially harmful. They worsen the health and natural taste preferences of the dog and should be prevented.

Some dogs, especially older ones, experience dental problems. It is difficult for them to chew hard pieces of dry food. You should try pre-soaking the food in water. Granules of high-quality food swell without greatly increasing in volume, become soft and easily break in the mouth.

Is it possible to force a dog

It is impossible to force a dog to eat something it does not want. Sometimes long persuasion helps. Breeders note that some especially loyal and people-oriented breeds are suggestible and begin to eat food after the owner’s requests. But this doesn't work with sick dogs. A suffering animal first needs pain relief and treatment, and only then food.

Many people wonder how to get a dog to eat new, better food. The secret is to gradually mix the new food with the old one and get the pet accustomed to the new aroma and taste. Every day the portion of old food decreases and the portion of new food increases.

Teaching a dog to eat properly should not be accompanied by screaming or physical effort on the part of a person. The dog may also become aggressive or, conversely, depressed. But being forced to eat never ends in success.

Another radical way is a two-day hunger strike. The dog is offered nothing but water for a couple of days. When hunger ends, most dogs will pounce on any type of food. This method is not at all suitable for puppies, pregnant or sick dogs.

Prevention

To avoid problems with your dog’s nutrition, the following steps are used as preventive measures:

Feed the dog at the same time, 2 times a day. Treats are only given during training as rewards.
The dog's portion should be completely eaten and appropriate for his age and weight.
Dry food should be chosen premium or holistic.
Water should be freely available to the dog around the clock.
Frequent refusals of dry food or problems with stool are a serious reason for switching to natural food.
For puppies, old and sick dogs, you can mix dry food with wet food, soak the food in water and choose varieties with small granules.

Most pets eat food with pleasure and quickly, licking their lips blissfully after the last crumb eaten. But some people eat dry food without much enthusiasm, or even refuse it altogether.

For a number of reasons, sometimes completely incomprehensible, the dog does not eat dry food, which causes concern for the owner, who does not understand the reason for refusing to eat.

Common reasons why a dog refuses dry food

To begin with, you should pay attention to the feeding regimen. Frequent feedings and large portions can cause the pet to overfeed, as a result of which a well-fed animal refuses to eat. In this case, you need to reduce the number of meals to two times a day - usually in the morning and evening. However, it is worth adjusting the feeding time depending on the specific dog, for example, some eat better before a walk in the morning, while others do the opposite.

Passive pets, who are rarely or little walked, lose their appetite because they do not waste their energy, with a lack of physical activity do not work up an appetite. Therefore, you should change your pet’s life, walk it more often and give it exercise. It is better to feed an hour after a walk.

Events should be analyzed last days. For example, some vaccines cause temporary loss of appetite. Stress in a dog’s life can also be a reason for refusing to eat, such as moving, changing owners, overexposure, or being alone for a long time. In hot weather, you may also experience a decrease in appetite.

A dog may refuse dry food if it previously ate exclusively natural products. Dry granules do not seem attractive or familiar to the animal. Therefore, it is important to gradually transition your dog to dry food over 1-2 weeks.

A pet who was initially given only dry food may refuse to eat if the brand of food is changed or the addition of fertilizers and additives to the granules is stopped. Usually animals cannot resist tasty-smelling food, but when choosing it you need to study the composition, which should not contain artificial flavors.

Perhaps the dog does not eat dry food simply because it is spoiled or contains dangerous, unhealthy components, which is typical of cheap, low-quality food. Dry food in large packages, when consumed slowly, over time loses its attractiveness in terms of smell and taste, the food changes its taste, and the animal will not eat. Dry food stays fresh for about a month after opening the package if stored in a closed container or tightly sealed bag.

Some breeds are the most picky eaters, such as Yorkshire terriers, Maltese and some other small dogs. But their pickiness is often the result of being spoiled, fed with extra treats, table food between meals, and mixed with natural foods and dry kibble. The pet knows that he will still get a tasty morsel and may refuse dry food. Therefore, it is important not to disturb the feeding regime so that the animal does not spoil its appetite or become capricious; in addition, violation of the feeding regime and diet leads to various diseases.

Having ruled out all the above reasons, all that remains is to check the pet’s health status. Common reasons why a dog does not eat dry food are oral diseases. Even the hungriest dog will refuse dry food if it has dental problems or damage to the oral cavity, such as tartar, gum disease, or ulcers. There may be other diseases, the symptoms of which are lethargy, weight loss or obesity, diarrhea, and vomiting.

How to train a dog to eat dry food

Feeding should be done twice a day at a strictly defined time, leaving the bowl of food for 15 minutes. If your pet hasn't eaten, then it's okay if he goes hungry until the next feeding. The dog can fast for 2-3 days, but usually the appetite returns on the second day. You need to act firmly and decisively, without giving in to pity. It is important to let the animal know that it will eat the food it is given every day. Begging should be stopped.

Dry food needs to be selected carefully; it happens that, after trying dozens of foods, a dog is reluctant to eat even expensive ones. At first, you can soak the granules with warm water or chicken broth, kefir, and also mixed with wet food of the same brand.

The animal must not be distracted while feeding. When your pet starts eating, you can praise him for this, and then let him eat in peace. If there are several animals, then you can try feeding them separately from each other, in a quiet and peaceful place, so that they do not steal food.

The dog should associate feeding with positive emotions; if the owner scolds for refusing to eat or in other situations when the animal experiences nervousness and irritability while eating, it may refuse to eat because such situations are a negative experience for it.

Although before that they ate only natural food. In such cases, pets often refuse to eat new food. There are situations when pets suddenly stop eating dry food, although before that they only ate it. What is the reason for the refusal and what to do first - later in this article.

Before taking any action, it is necessary to establish the exact reason for the dog’s refusal of dry food.

Among the main factors provoking changes in taste preferences are:

poor quality food;
pet's character;
sedentary lifestyle of the dog;
health problems.

A dog may refuse food due to stress.

If for some time the pet has been eating exclusively natural food, but due to various circumstances the owner was forced to switch the dog to dry food. In such cases, granules are much inferior to “natural” ones, differing significantly taste qualities, hardness, smell. It is difficult for a dog to get used to such changes.

Feed

Low-quality cheap feed is also often the cause of refusal. If before this dogs often ate dry food, but now suddenly stop, the reason may be a change in manufacturer/brand.

You should also pay attention to the breed of your pet. Thus, some breeds have a very spoiled and picky nature (especially small, dwarf dogs), which completely refuse to eat granules, knowing that in the end the owner will feed them.

Taste qualities. Food from the master's table always tastes better. Therefore, many pet owners try to add flavor to dry food by treating it with yogurt, kefir, and sometimes sour cream. But this type of nutrition is permissible only during the period while the dog gets used to dry food. You can’t drag it out too long, otherwise your pet will then refuse to eat food without the additive.

Stress

Like people, dogs are often susceptible to the negative effects of stressful situations. Factors that shock nervous system, may be a long stay alone, extraneous noise (for example, the sounds of a lawn mower under the window, a neighbor's drill). Such circumstances negatively affect not only the psychological, but also the physiological state. In order to understand taste preferences, it is necessary to understand and analyze the events that have occurred recently. If these changes are a necessity and cannot be eliminated or changed in any way, the pet should be adapted to them. This can also be done with medical care- as prescribed by a doctor, give herbal preparations that have a calming effect.

The pet's lifestyle also influences its taste habits. Due to living conditions, domestic dogs have low physical activity. Daily walks usually last a short amount of time. As a result, the dog's appetite is greatly reduced. Under such circumstances, it is recommended to spend as much time as possible with your pet in the fresh air and play with him. And you should also take into account the fact that you can feed the animal only an hour and a half after walking.

Deterioration in appetite occurs against the background of certain diseases in the animal’s body. For example, if the dog has, or a number of other diseases. Not every illness has pronounced symptoms, so a signal such as loss of appetite is a serious reason to go to the doctor.

How to switch your dog to dry food

The first rule is that you should never, under any circumstances, make a transition too abruptly. There will be no positive effect from such a replacement. Experts recommend adding a little dry food to your usual natural food for a week or two, gradually increasing its amount. At the same time, it is necessary to simultaneously reduce the amount of natural food, otherwise the portions will be too large. Typically the adaptation period lasts up to two weeks.

If puppies whose teeth have not yet become stronger are introduced to granules, owners are often advised to wet the food hot water, yogurt or kefir. But you should also take into account the fact that such mixtures should not become a habitual diet, since the pet will have stomach problems.

Portions should not be too large, as overfeeding often leads to obesity and other similar disorders. The quality of the feed plays an important role. Premium dog food costs more, but results in significant cost savings for the owner. In order for a dog to be completely satisfied, a small amount of granules is enough for her, unlike cheap food. As a result, the owner will not have to buy food often, which is a guarantee of cost savings.

The portion of dry food should not be large.

You should also take into account the fact that low-quality dry food often leads to serious diseases - kidney damage, dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract, etc. As a result, treating your pet will be much more expensive.

Rule 1. Closely monitor the health of your pet. A healthy and fully functioning body will always have a good appetite. The slightest changes in taste preferences, reluctance to eat this or that food should be regarded as an alarm bell, signaling the need for a comprehensive examination of the body. In such cases, it is better to play it safe several times.
Rule 2. A balanced and complete diet. Before choosing the optimal diet, you should consult your veterinarian. Food must be appropriate to the breed and age of the pet.
Rule 3. No frequent changes in diet. Dogs are not at all picky eaters, but they can become so if their owners pamper them with tasty bait too often. The diet must be stable, otherwise such experiments may cause disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
Rule 4. Compliance with the regime. As with the diet, the regime should also be stable. There is no need to give your pet free access to food. Otherwise, the animal faces rapid recruitment excess weight and obesity.
Rule 5. As already mentioned, a dog needs a high degree of motor activity. To do this, owners are advised to change standard daily walking routes as often as possible. But you should also take your dogs out into nature as often as possible, especially in the summer, and play with them.

Your veterinarian will help you choose the right diet.

Important. After the period of transition of a pet to dry food has expired, natural food and other supplements can no longer be added to it. It is also necessary to ensure that the dog always has clean water.

Conclusion

There may be several reasons why pets change their eating habits. And before taking any actions, they need to be determined. It is best to consult a doctor. Perhaps loss of appetite or a sudden change in it is a consequence of illness, so the pet may need a comprehensive examination. Owners need to carefully follow all the recommendations and advice of a specialist, providing the pet with the most comfortable psychological and physiological environment.

Loss of appetite is possible due to illness in the dog.

Video about why a dog doesn't eat

A balanced and proper diet should take first place in caring for your dog, otherwise you may encounter a variety of problems with your pet’s health and activity. If you have just become the owner of a small puppy, then you are faced with a very logical question: what to feed the baby. Sometimes preference is given to regular food prepared by the owner himself, but the development of a small organism is a complex biological process and it is impossible to satisfy all the puppy’s needs with homemade food. After all, its development, proper muscle formation, elasticity of the vascular system, and health of bones and teeth depend on what a dog eats. A loving and attentive owner must ensure that all the necessary elements are present in the pet’s diet from childhood. Most veterinarians recommend feeding your dog dry food from childhood, because it contains a full range of necessary nutrients, vitamins and microelements. If you adopted a dog from a nursery, then the breeder has probably already taught her to eat dry food. You just need to either continue to feed your new friend the same food, or choose food that suits your budget. But, remember, quality does not come cheap, we recommend that you use only premium or holistic class food. Unlike cheap economy class food, they do not contain flavoring or aromatic additives. And if you are worried about the cost, then premium food consists of natural meat, vegetables and fruits, which means it satiates the dog and satisfies hunger for a long time. And, as a result, the consumption of such feed is much less. It also happens that the puppy ate with pleasure from the breeder, but in the new home the dog stopped eating dry food. This is primarily due to stress due to moving to new living conditions. Experts recommend not to force her to eat dry food, but to try soaking a few granules in water and giving this paste to your pet. Then add dry granules to the soaked food, gradually introducing dry food, by which time the dog has fully adapted to the new conditions and regime.

The dog does not want to eat dry food due to the incorrect feeding regime of the new owners. Breeders accustom the puppy to feeding a certain amount and 2 times a day. And many owners pour much larger portions of food into the bowl or start feeding the dog from their table, showing their love for the new family member. But with such behavior, they only harm their pet, interrupt his appetite and lose the dog’s interest in dog food. And then they wonder if the dog doesn’t eat dry food well, what to do. Here it is already clear what to do, learn not to react to the dog’s begging, and control yourself from the temptation to feed the puppy outside the regime. If you follow these simple rules, then the problem that the dog does not eat dry food can be easily solved.

You changed the food. Despite the fact that all feeds look like granules, their composition is completely different. The dog gets used to a certain taste and it is very difficult to force the dog to eat new food. Especially if you are moving from economy class, filled with preservatives and flavor enhancers, to natural premium or holistic class food.

Any changes in the pet's life. A dog, just like a person, can be sad about moving or simply experience stressful situations. She needs time and the care of a loving owner to recover.

Feeding with food from your table.

Some dog breeds are very active animals by nature. And if you don’t get active with them and don’t give them the necessary physical exercise, dogs can lose their appetite and completely refuse food.

A dog's illness can cause the dog to eat food poorly or refuse it altogether. Be sure to contact your veterinarian.

Some dogs, oddly enough, just like people, are weather dependent. Changes in climate may affect their appetite. On hot days, the dog drinks more than eats. Make sure your animal always has a bowl with clean drinking water freely available.

Physiological changes in a dog include periods such as estrus or the postpartum period.

Once you have determined the cause, try getting your dog to eat dry food again. To do this, you can follow some of our tips:

You cannot shout at the dog and force it to eat, try to persuade it to eat in a calm voice, have pity, caress it, talk to it. She will remember that food is something pleasant and not aggressive. Oddly enough, this helps many dogs.

Mix the dry food with some treat your dog likes.

Keep your dog only on the water for a couple of days. After such a forced hunger strike, the dog will happily begin to eat dry food again. This method should never be used on pregnant or lactating dogs.

Try softening the dry granules in water.

The reasons for refusing dry food can be very varied, and observing your pet will help you understand why this happened; if you do not find the answer, seek help from specialists. Try to provide your pet with a comfortable psychological atmosphere, walk with him and surround him with care and attention. It is important to love your dog and it will love you back.