All children can be fussy eaters, whether they're your human babies or your canine babies. Most children will grow out of this habit, and even with dogs, it's only likely to be a temporary issue. But what about when your dog loses interest in a particular type of food and eventually refuses to eat it? Surely this is a habit that your dog should be growing out of, instead of growing into? When your dog turns their nose up at a bowl of dry pet food, you'll need to get to the bottom of the mystery.
Bored With Their Diet
It might be that your dog has simply become weary of dry food. You can't really blame them. While you have around 9,000 taste buds on your tongue, your dog only has about 1,700. Although their sense of taste isn't as well-developed as yours, they still have one, and the repetitive nature of their daily bowl of dry food may become a bit too much. Experiment with altering the content of their food, using a mixture of wet and dry premium pet food. You could even add fresh pet mince to the dry food, along with cooked pasta or rice, as well as vegetables. When playing with the ratio, make sure that your dog is still only receiving the same overall amount of food; otherwise, you run the risk of overfeeding your pooch.
Difficulty With Their Diet
But your dog might also have become wary of dry food. When a human has problematic teeth, they will avoid certain types of food that will excessively strain their fragile teeth. It can be the same with your dog. Periodontal disease or a broken tooth might be making this labour-intensive food (with all that chewing) too uncomfortable to eat. Have a careful look at your dog's teeth to see if you can spot any abnormalities. Do not touch the interior of your dog's mouth to avoid discomfort. Take your dog to the vet if you spot anything or if you're unsure. But when a dog happily eats soft, wet pet food and ignores dry food, their teeth might be the culprit.
Refusal to Eat
When your dog refuses to eat wet and dry food for several days, it can be a sign of illness. If your dog resumes normal eating, then the issue has probably rectified itself. If your dog's appetite remains at a significantly reduced capacity or is absent altogether, regardless of what you might try to tempt them with, then schedule an appointment with your vet.
There are several reasons why your dog can lose interest in dry food, but with a few modifications to their diet, it's generally easy to make mealtime exciting once again.
To learn more about pet food options for your dog, talk to a veterinarian.
