Instructions
Learn that feeding a dog the occasional scrap of human food is not going to put him off his canned dog food or kibble. Indeed, if you keep the ratio to about 75 percent dog food to 25 percent human food, you should be alright. On the other hand, don't feed him steak every morning and expect him to be satisfied with regular dry dog food at night. Proportion is the key. But if you do decide to offer your dog a mix of dog and human food, try to do this from the start. Don't give your dog kibble 100 percent of the time, then introduce a bit of human food or he may get to where he wants human food all the time.
Keep the food fresh. If your dog's food is not properly sealed, it can go stale or even spoil. This is quite likely if you buy kibble in a 50 lb. bag or keep an open can of food in the refrigerator too long. Also, if your dog refuses to eat the food that you have put out, don't just leave the food there in the bowl and don't put the same food out again later. Throw out the serving and try another later.
Don't overfeed your dog. The amount you serve him should satisfy his hunger, but not leave him stuffed. It takes just a few days of observing a dog's habits to tell how much food he needs in relation to his activities and energy expenditure.
Feed your dog only at specific times. Giving a dog lots of snacks and treats at times he ordinarily doesn't eat can confuse him. He should learn that food is available only at certain times.
Bring another dog into the house at meal time, if your dog has been picky about his food for a few days. Your dog may then eat his food to keep the other dog from getting it.
Try feeding your dog in a different type of bowl or dish. Certain materials can impart an unpleasant taste to your dog's food.
Take your finicky dog on a good, brisk walk or run. If that doesn't work up an appetite in your dog, he may have a health problem.
Offer your finicky dog his favorite food. If he wants none of it he may be sick.
Observe the weather. If it's really hot out your dog may just not have much of an appetite.
Cut down the amount of food you serve the dog daily if the finicky behavior has persisted for several days. If he sees the available food is getting less and less, he may suddenly decide to eat.
Mix canned food and kibble to give your dog a variety of tastes and flavors, or add a bit of water or beef stock to the food and see if that helps. You can also warm the canned food up to about body temperature and see if that makes it more palatable.
Examine your dog to see if his weight and general appearance is not what is normal for him. Notice if he is drinking a lot more water, urinating more often, but eating less. That is a common sign of illness. There is also a chance your dog has something wrong with his teeth or gums and that this is affecting his ability to eat.
How to Treat a Finicky Dog
A dog usually eats in a hearty way, but sometimes he gets picky and fussy and won't eat what is put in front of him. It's important to get to the bottom of what is causing this issue, to see if your dog's finicky eating is a behavioral or a health problem.