How to Train Dogs to Eat - Even Picky Dogs

It's important to find out why your dog is not eating. Dog's who are ill will sometimes lose their appetites for a time. Vaccinations will also cause a dog to lose his will to eat. If you are traveling or have recently moved, your dog may have lost his appetite due to stress. You cannot actually "train" a dog to eat, but if your dog is not eating because he is picky, there are several things you may be able to try.

Things You'll Need

  • High quality dog food
  • Optional:
  • Canned pumpkin
  • Yogurt
  • Baby food
  • Clicker
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Instructions

    • 1
      Avoid feeding your dog treats in between meals as that will cause him to lose his appetite at dinnertime.

      Take your dog to the veterinarian to rule out any medical problems. Have your veterinarian give the dog a thorough exam, and make sure he pays special attention to his teeth. An abscessed or broken tooth can be painful enough to make any dog want to skip a few meals. Your vet should ask you questions about your feeding habits and environment in an effort to uncover specific causes due to stress.

    • 2
      Feed your dog a high-quality, brand name dog food.

      Choose a high-quality, name-brand, balanced dog food and stick with it. Do not offer your dog table scraps in an effort to get him to eat. Once your dog learns that "people food" is different than what he is being served, it will spoil him so he won't eat his own food. Select a higher-end dog food, one with ingredients you can understand and recognize, and he should eat his kibble and occasionally canned food on a regular schedule. Ask your vet how much and how often you should be feeding your dog.

    • 3

      Interact with your dog with a clicker. Every time your dog eats, click and treat with his own food. This will make a game out of dinner time. He takes a bite, you click and offer him another bite. This will help with dogs who have lost their appetite for reasons other than just being picky.

    • 4

      Feed on a regular schedule. Dogs like to eat at the same time every day. Put down his food dish and walk away. Do this twice a day. Take the food dish up after 15 minutes and put it down again in an hour. Once your dog sees that the food dish is not there indefinitely, he is more likely to eat when he has the chance.