The dog refuses food. Dog doesn't eat dry food well

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.

The main reasons why a dog refuses dry food

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 in taste, hardness, and 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 fastidious nature (especially small, dwarf dogs), who completely refuse to eat pellets, 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 food 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 negative impact stressful situations. Factors that shock the nervous system can be long stay alone, extraneous noises (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- give medications as prescribed by a doctor plant origin which 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. In such circumstances, it is recommended to spend as much time as possible with your pet on fresh air, 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 ailment has pronounced symptoms, so a signal such as loss of appetite is 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 the transition too abruptly. Positive effect there will be no such 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 matters 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 illnesses– kidney damage, dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract, etc. As a result, treating your pet will cost much more.

• Rule 1. Pay close attention to your health 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. None frequent shifts in the 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, the dog needs high degree 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 your pet may need 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

Most dog breeders from large cities, primarily from Moscow, recommend feeding puppies with dry food. After all, it’s only good to say in words that natural is always better. Where is it natural? It is known that in megacities such as Moscow, you can truly buy natural products impossible. Therefore, dry food for puppies from high-quality Western manufacturers is simply necessary.

This is where one problem may arise. It turns out that the puppy does not eat dry food. He just doesn't eat, that's all. He ate at the breeder's, but moved to new owners and went on strike.

What to do? How to feed a puppy dry food if he is on a hunger strike?

Grinding dry puppy food

You can crush dry food and mix it with something more attractive to your baby. That something else could be canned dog food small breeds"Caesar". Or boiled vegetables - carrots, cauliflower. Puppies usually love these treats.

Do not try to mix whole grains of dry food with soft treats. Most puppies quickly figure out how to get rid of the hated dry food - they simply lick the grains and spit them out.

For some puppies, simply crushing dry food is enough to get them to eat it. There is no need to add anything. This usually works in cases where the puppy has toothache and it is physically difficult for him to chew dry food.

Lure treat

You can try sprinkling the dry food (without grinding it) with some strong attractant, for example, Titbit Ground Beef Tripe Dog Treats. This stuff smells terrible, but dogs love it.

As a rule, it is enough to pour a small pinch of crushed tripe powder into a bowl of dry food and stir so that the puppy literally attacks the food.

The product is effective, but you should be careful with it. It should not be abused. Ground tripe often has a stimulating effect on puppies. Under its fumes, they eat more than they need and then vomit. And mentally, the puppy may become overly active after such a meal.

We select dry food personally for the puppy

It is worth thinking about what dry food to feed your puppy. If a puppy does not eat one type of dry food, this does not mean that he will not eat other versions of this food.

Breeders are often overly categorical in their recommendations. It is recommended to feed only a certain type stern. But this is not always possible. Therefore, if you see that the puppy is suffering, that he categorically does not want to eat what you pour him, you should not bring your pet (and yourself) to this point. nervous exhaustion, forcing the dog, using various tricks, to eat the brand of food that it does not want. Try changing dry food. It is likely that feeding the puppy dry food made from flour will turn into pleasure, and the puppy will begin to gobble it up on both cheeks. The main thing is not to purchase food, which in its composition would be much worse and cheaper than that offered by the breeder.

Proper nutrition plays an important role in a dog's life. Balanced food helps to avoid many health problems that can cause a lot of trouble for dog owners and their pets. For this reason, many of them prefer to feed the dog dry food, which contains all the necessary nutrients, vitamins and microelements. Why doesn't a dog eat dry food: what are the reasons and how to get it to eat?

Health problems

If the question arises, “Why did the dog stop eating dry food if it was previously satisfied with such food,” then the first thing you should pay attention to is the health status of your pet. It is important to carefully observe the activity of the animal - lethargy, inactivity, constipation, and vomiting are possible. The dog can be affected by ticks, fleas, and helminths, which affect appetite.

In any of the above cases, you should take the dog to the veterinarian to find out the reason why the dog refuses to eat dry food. If the medical examination reveals nothing and the pet feels fine, other options should be considered. possible reasons, not related to health.

Changes in your pet's life

Dogs react to any changes in their lifestyle more acutely than people. This may be one of the reasons why your dog won't eat dry food. The following factors influence taste preferences:

1. Changing the brand of food. When trying to switch an animal to more expensive food, you may be met with refusal. Explain this phenomenon it is possible because in cheap feed there is no natural ingredients Manufacturers mask it with flavor enhancers and flavorings. If you try to give your dog food of a class lower than usual, it may also react with refusal. Cheap feeds contain a lot bone meal or soy, which the dog is acutely sensitive to.
2. When regularly treating your pet with common table Your dog's taste preferences may change. In addition, this bad habit may become entrenched, and in this case, not a single meal is complete without the pet’s plaintive eyes near the table.
3. At sedentary Throughout the life of the dog, the dog needs less food, so its consumption is significantly reduced.
4. In hot weather, just like in humans, a dog’s appetite decreases.
5. A large amount of food that is poured into a bowl. The dog simply eats and does not feel hungry until the next meal.

Sometimes there is such a thing as manipulative dogs - they will not eat the offered dry food, begging for something tasty. You should not follow the animal’s lead, because the diet must be balanced.

What not to do

Why doesn’t the dog eat dry food if it was previously happy with this type of food? There are many answers to this question, as well as recommendations on what not to do:

1. You absolutely cannot start feeling sorry for the dog and start feeding it from your hands or from a common table. In the future it will be very difficult to get rid of this bad habit.
2. After feeding, there should be no food left in the bowl, otherwise the dog will eat it during the day, respectively. next appointment food, your appetite will disappear.
3. Lack of a diet can also negatively affect the regularity of food intake.

How to make a dog eat

Your pet's pitiful eyes and begging for goodies does not mean that he is hungry. Hungry dog will be happy to eat the dry food offered. Also, dog breeders do not recommend raising your voice at an animal and forcing it to eat by force; most likely nothing will work, and the dog will remember this and will avoid the owner. The following methods should be used:

1. Mixing dry food with natural food, gradually reducing its amount. This way you can “trick” the dog into eating. Using this technique, you need to stop feeding your pet from the common table, if this was previously practiced.
2. Starvation ration for 1-2 days. On such a forced “diet,” the dog should only have access to a bowl of water, completely removing all food. After which the hungry dog ​​will gladly pounce on the offered dry food. This method should absolutely not be used on puppies and pregnant dogs.
3. When teeth decay, the dog begins to experience pain and discomfort when chewing dry food. You should try adding a little water to soften the granules.
4. Some dogs can be coaxed. Oddly enough, after gentle persuasion in a calm, quiet voice, some pets obediently go to eat.

Why doesn't my dog ​​eat dry food? What to do in such cases? It is important to focus on the pet’s character; an owner who knows his dog well will definitely find an approach and force him to eat food.

Preventing food refusal

In order to prevent food refusal and not think about the question: “Why doesn’t the dog eat dry food,” you should adhere to the following rules:

1. Feed manufacturers produce products in several price categories, and the quality of the feed also differs. It is not recommended to suddenly switch your pet from one food to another. You should mix them, gradually reducing the concentration of the old food.
2. When choosing a dog’s diet, you need to focus on what category of dogs the food is intended for. There are feeds for different breeds dogs, for pets with different mobility and of different ages. All these points are important to consider when choosing food.
3. When feeding dry food in free access The dog should have a bowl of water to wash down solid food.
4. It is important to walk your dog not only so that it can do its natural needs, but also to frolic and play. With this daily routine, your appetite increases, so the portion of food after a walk should be a little larger.
5. It is important that the dog eats all the food offered. If there is food left in the bowl 15 minutes after feeding, it is worth removing it so that the dog does not have the opportunity to finish it in between feedings.
6. If your dog refuses dry food too often, it may be a reason to switch to natural food.

Experienced dog breeders carefully monitor their pet’s diet and try to prevent food refusals, which can be harmful to the dog’s health.

Features of feeding puppies

It often happens that a breeder's puppy eats food, but after moving to new owners he stopped. Why doesn't he eat dry food at all? What to feed the puppy?

It is important to accustom your puppy to food immediately after mother's milk, experienced breeders know this, so for the first time after purchase, the owner should also offer the puppy food of the usual brand.

Feeding errors

Some mistakes in feeding pets can lead to nutritional problems. Why doesn't my dog ​​eat any dry food? Abrupt failure can occur in several cases:

• alternating food with natural food;
• frequent and abrupt change feed;
• lack of free access to water;
• food does not meet the dog's needs.

Everything should be taken into account possible options, and also ask your veterinarian for advice.

Natural reasons for refusing to eat

Why does a dog eat dry food poorly? There are a number of natural reasons for this:

• teething in puppies;
• pregnancy and childbirth;

• teenage years;
• mating period;
• vaccinations or medications.

If there is an assumption that the dog does not eat food for the reasons described above, then there is nothing to worry about; after some time, the diet will be restored.

Dogs and cat food

Some dog owners mistakenly think that since dogs and cats are predators, their diets are similar. The danger of misconception is that buying one food for two different animals can cause harm. irreparable harm health. A cat's diet should contain much more protein, besides, the cat should eat little by little, but often. A dog whose need for proteins and glucose is much lower receives an excess of these substances. Over time, improper feeding leads to kidney problems, gastrointestinal tract, allergies. It is important that the food is suitable for the specific type of animal, then there is no need to worry about the health of the pet.

Conclusion

When thinking about why your dog won’t eat dry food and how to train it, you should check everything possible reasons for refusal. The reasons for refusal to eat are so varied that it is not worth taking your dog to the veterinarian for every reason; most often the problem is due to the wrong food.

Most often, a dog whose life has a minimal amount of stress rarely refuses any food offered by its owner. It is important to love your pets, and then they will not cause unnecessary problems.

Very often, when switching from one food to another (and it doesn’t matter whether you switch a dog from dry food or natural food) - she refuses to eat new food.

The thing is that a dog is, first of all, a permanent animal, they depend on the habits developed by the owner, habits include food. In this article on the website “Around Dogs” we will tell you Why won't my dog ​​eat the new dry food?.

Before we talk about anything, let us remind you that transferring immediately from one food to another is highly not recommended. Otherwise, you can upset the dog’s stomach, and instead of being happy, you will spend money, nerves and your health on curing your dog. So transfer your dog to a new food gradually, and if you want to know how exactly, then read this article - “How to transfer a dog from one dry food to another” or “How to transfer a dog from natural to dry food (or vice versa)

A dog may not eat food for several reasons.:
1 there are not enough flavorings or flavor enhancers compared to the old food;
2 you changed the position of the feed;
3 you switched from natural to dry food;
4 it is too hard or too big;
5 The dog just doesn’t like this particular food.
If we look at everything in more detail, we can say that one food can be very different from another, even if we take the same positions from different manufacturers. So, for example, some companies may have other types of meat in the “lamb with rice” positions, for example, chicken, which makes the product cheaper, but at the same time worsens the quality of the feed, because chicken, unlike lamb, is not hypoallergenic meat . It is because of such little things that a dog may refuse to eat one food and eat another.
I would also like to note that if you are going to switch your dog to premium food with economy, then you may encounter the fact that the dog does not eat it due to the fact that it contains much less chemicals, and, therefore, taste enhancers and smell.
The same applies when you switch a dog from natural food (porridge with meat) to dry food - the dog will always choose what tastes better, and tastier than meat for a dog there can only be chemicals, of which there is not much (Thank God) in premium and super-premium food.
You should also pay attention to the fact that if the food is too hard, this especially applies to small dogs and puppies - they do not really like to chew solid food, then the dog may also refuse to eat it, or will try to swallow it without chewing.
Note!
The position of the feed refers to its contents, i.e. there is the position of chicken with rice, lamb with rice, wild bird, etc., for the most part, companies rarely reinvent the wheel and follow the beaten path, producing food with the same food content, but if you read the composition of the food, it becomes clear that The proportions of each company are very different, and do not always correspond to what is written there.

As for what dog doesn't want to eat new food, then you can go in three ways:

Indulge the dog;

Change food;

Ignore the problem.

In the first case, you will have to give her something additional to the food, for example a teaspoon or several tablespoons low-fat kefir(the portion depends on what kind of dog you have - small - teacup, giant - several dining rooms). From one point of view, this is a way out, but at the same time you adapt to the dog, and after a while, it may begin to twist its nose in front of the kefir, demanding something else. So let’s say right away - this is a slippery slope, and can only be suitable for those who cannot say “no” to their dog at all, but it is better for such people not to get a dog at all, because the leader in the pack should be a person, not a dog, not so is it?

In the second option (by the way, it is similar to the first) - you change the food to another, thereby indulging the dog, but there is a difficulty here, because you again give a reason for your pet’s stomach to upset, so this option, like the first, is extremely undesirable.

With the third option, your task will be simple and at the same time difficult, because you will have to do a very difficult task - not to feed the dog anything other than new food, regardless of whether he wants it or not. But this does not mean that you should force new food down her throat, no. Here the task is to pour the food into a bowl and wait exactly 5 minutes. If the dog ate the food - good, ate half of it - take the bowl, if the dog didn’t touch it at all - also take the bowl. The next time the dog sees the bowl is only when you give it something to eat next time - i.e. in her main meal (for puppies under 6 months - 3 times a day, for puppies up to a year - 2 times a day, for dogs over a year old- 1 or 2 times a day - you decide). If you think that this will only make things worse for the dog, then no, you are mistaken. For example, an untied male may not eat for 2-3 days because the bitch is in heat, without causing great harm to your body, it only causes harm nervous system an owner who is worried that his dog is not eating.

Often, for some reason, the owner wants to switch a dog that has been eating natural food since childhood to dry food. This is mainly due to the need to improve the health of the pet.

And in such a situation, it is not uncommon for an animal to refuse to eat dry food. Although it happens that the dog has already eaten such food and suddenly began to refuse. Why does this happen and how to accustom an animal to dry food?

Why doesn't my dog ​​want to eat dry food?

If the pet is just getting acquainted with the food, its refusal is explained by the fact that it is an unusual diet. And even if it smells attractive, digestive system The dog is not ready for an unusual type of food. The animal simply will not accept the harsh food and will experience food stress.

If the dog was eating dry food and suddenly stopped, we can assume several options: either she doesn’t like the new food (or maybe it’s not fresh), or the dog has problems with the gastrointestinal tract or health in general. If the food has not changed, then it is better not to experiment with food, but to contact a veterinarian. Especially if the dog is aged, losing weight before our eyes, or vice versa, has gained a lot of weight.

What to do if your dog refuses dry food?

• You cannot suddenly switch a dog from natural food to dry food. This is dangerous for her health.
• Over the course of a week (or maybe more), you need to gradually add dry food to the bowl with your usual food.
• First, 1/7 of the prescribed norm, then 2/7, and so on until there is only dry food in the bowl. This is how the dog’s digestive system smoothly adapts to the type of food that is still unusual for it.

If a puppy with not yet strong teeth is switched to dry food, it is better to soak the dry granules with kefir or natural yogurt. When switching a dog to dry food, it is not easy for every owner to realize that instead of two liters of porridge, now only 400 grams of granules are enough for the pet, and many people start pouring a full bowl. And when the animal cannot cope with such volumes of food, they begin to complain that the dog does not eat dry food well.

You should change the bowl to a small one and pour food strictly in the proportions indicated on the package. By the way, when buying food, you should always check its expiration date and not buy food in bulk, since it may be expired and of poor quality. Veterinarians advise not to mix natural food with dry food in normal diet. This option is only suitable for the transition period.

If you constantly add dry granules to the porridge “for taste”, the dog will suffer quickly, which will be difficult to cure. Also, if you have already switched your dog to dry food, you should not give it “tidbits” or arrange “ festive table"from natural food. IN best case scenario this will cause stomach upset.

For the same reason, you should not suddenly change one food to another, even if it is more High Quality. It is necessary to ensure that the dog has round-the-clock access to water, since it does not receive it in food. If an animal suddenly stops eating even its beloved