If your dog begins to refuse to eat its usually dry kibble food, you need to investigate before it’s too late. Your dog may reject dry food due to several reasons which you should know first before taking the right course of action. This article explores the methods you can consider to appeal to your picky pooch to eat her usual kibble.
Why is My Dog Refusing to Eat Dry Food?
First and foremost, it is imperative to investigate why your dog is refusing to eat dry food. This can be caused by the issue of palatability or your dog can just be picky. In some cases, your pup might be simply bored with dry food, so she will turn her back on it. If that is the case, you can add more nutrients to enrich the dry meals. With some additives, the food will become appetizing once again.
Mix Dry Food and Wet Food
If your dog is just stubborn, it won’t be satisfied with the dry food until it gets something succulent. To lure your pooch back to its feeding bowl, you can try mixing a few spoons of wet food with dry food to make it palatable. Ensure all the food particles are properly mixed so the pup cannot pick only wet portions and leave the rest. Reduce the amount of wet food you add to the bowl until your pet resumes eating dry food once again. She will not realize the change when you gradually reduce the quantities of wet food added to chunks of dry food.
Check For Freshness
Whenever you purchase a bag of dry food, make sure you check for freshness. Once the seal is broken, the food can spoil within a short period, and it will offend the dogs. You can solve the problem by opening another pack of dry food and trying to feed your pup with another type of food. Check her reaction when you give it fresh but dry food. If she eats the food, you would be able to address the problem by just securing fresh kibble.
Mix Dry Food With Other Ingredients
If the kibble is still crunchy and fresh but your dog won’t eat it, try to mix it with wet ingredients. There are several types of delicious foods you can add to dry kibble to elevate its flavor and aroma. Some of the ingredients you can consider include the following:
- Yourghut: Yourghurt specifically meant for dogs mixes well with dry dog food. Stir it well with the dry food and feed your pooch.
- Gravy: Gravy without additives can transform the dry meal into an amazing feat.
- Egg: A hard-boiled egg or scrambled egg can add the ideal flavor to your dog’s dry food.
- Chicken broth: Low-sodium chicken broth makes the dry food soft and tastier. It also produces a nice aroma that will attract your dog.
- Veggies: To appeal to your dog’s curiosity, add some boiled carrots, broccoli, or sweet potato to dry chunks of dog food.
- Wet dog food: Alternatively, you can mix wet dog food and dry dog food if your pup continues to refuse the kibble. Once they resume eating the mixture, you can utilize the withdrawal method by lowering the quantities of wet food until your pup returns to dry food.
Salmon Oil
Salmon Oil can be added to dry dog food, and it offers several health and nutritional benefits. It is good for your dog’s heart health, essential for skin quality, enhances cognitive and brain function, and enhances immune response. It makes the food smell great and look appealing to your pet. More importantly, salmon oil consists of natural ingredients that are good for your dog’s overall health.
Add Water
If your dog does not want to eat dry food, the easiest way to soften it is to add some water. Just add a small amount of warm water to the kibble and mix the food particles until they are soft. The wetness will attract your dog’s attention again, and the mixture will also produce a nice flavor.
Try Other Forms of Dry Food
There are different types of dry foods for dogs, so you can try another flavor if your pet seems not to be enjoying the current type of food. Other brands of dry dog food consist of meat content together with other filler ingredients that grab your pup’s attention. Such foods also offer several nutritional benefits.
If you choose a high-quality brand of dry food, your pooch is likely to fall in love with the taste and will forever remain interested. Dry foods with natural ingredients, such as sweet potato, salmon, or turkey are attractive to dogs. Another great way to encourage your dog to eat kibble is to add puzzle toys to the dish. This kind of interactive toy helps the pup develop a keen interest in knowing better the type of food it would be eating.
Providing drinking water alongside the dry dog food can encourage your pup to eat the kibble. Water encourages hydration, so your pet will not experience challenges related to the dryness of food. You also need to stick to a schedule so your dog knows when it’s time for food.
If your dog refuses to eat dry food, you should not panic. Some dogs are just picky, so this is not a big issue. Fortunately, there are several methods you can try to encourage your pooch to eat dry food. These tips can help bring back your dog on track to eat dry food once you entice it with a mixture of appetizing wet food.