IS YOUR CAVALIER FUSSY OVER FOOD? HOW TO HANDLE PICKY EATERS . . .

​Many puppy owners complain that their dog is a fussy eater, but more often than not, we've discovered that the owner may be half (or more) of the problem). If owners are not careful, they may find themselves physically feeding their dog fillet mignon from their hands without even realizing what is going on. A finicky eater is incredibly simple to produce if you're not attentive.

Try these suggestions before you categorize your dog or puppy as a finicky eater:

1. IS YOUR FOOD FRESH? Buying in bulk is tempting, but step one is making sure your dog's food is fresh. If you purchase in large bag of puppy food, consider dividing it in to several Ziploc bags to preserve freshness. You would be amazed how many people post on Facebook that their dog looses a taste for his/her food every couple of months without ever realizing that each time they purchase a large bag, it's going stale and becomes tasteless to their dog.
2. WHAT'S NORMAL? Don't worry if your dog skips a few meals and resist the temptation to immediately offer table scraps or treats as replacements. As puppies get older, their feeding requirements decrease and many prefer to eat only once per day. Around 7-9 months, when many puppies don't need multiple meals, we see many reports of picky eating when it's really just a normal transition.  Additionally, keep in mind that people frequently eat for causes other than hunger, such as stress, emotional, and social reasons and therefore we assume dogs also want to eat when they may not be hungry. Resist the urge to impute human emotions on your Cavalier. 
3. IS YOUR DOG FOOD DRIVEN? - Some dogs simply aren't motivated by food. Individuals have trouble comprehending this because the majority of us "live to eat" while dogs only "eat to live." Consider yourself fortunate because this will make it easier to control your dog's weight. Your struggle will be finding one to two treats your dog enjoys for training purposes or motivating training through attention or toys. 
   
4. ARE YOU CONSISTENT? Establish a schedule for your Cavalier. Serve him/her at the same time every day in a designated area. After 10 to 15 minutes, remove the food to teach them that missing meals will not be rewarded. Any dog will hold out for something better (how much kale do you want to eat with a pizza on the way?), so if you keep giving treats after a poor meal, you are only making the issue worse.
5. ARE YOU OFFERING TOO MANY TREATS? - Dogs enjoy sweets just as much as people do. Consider carefully how many calories your canine may consume from rewards like training treats, table scraps, and snacks. This might be disrupting their desire for their regular meal.. Remember, if you give your Cavalier treats when it refuses to eat, your teaching them that not eating will result in positive rewards.
6. IS YOUR DOG FEARFUL?  - When dogs are afraid, they may eat less (visitors in the home, fireworks, travel). If your dog's anxiety is impacting their eating habits, provide your Cavalier with calming and anxiety-relieving aids to see if the issue goes awaybe fore switching your dog's food, which can exacerbate anxiety. Examine this CALM DOWN KIT from PawTree, which treats calming and digestive problems. We adore their calming bone as well.
7. DOES YOUR DOG NEED MORE EXERCISE? - Before supper, try taking your dog for a long walk to increase appetite. Consider going back to the day you first observed the "picky eating" and consider if the change was related to lack of exercise. Maybe bad weather or an illness stops you from taking your dog for a walk and your dog doesn't finish his meal. Less exercise lowers calorie requirements for the dog, but you don't connect the dots and think they don't enjoy their food. Instead, you start giving your dog treats or leftover food from the table, and before you realize it, your dog is refusing to eat because you unintentionally taught them that doing so will result in rewards. Bam — a week of rainfall gave rise to a "picky eater."
8. IS THERE A MEDICAL CONDITION?  - Refusing to eat can indicate a medical condition. Contact your vet if the change is dramatic and lasts more than 24 hours. If your dog will eat table scraps then it's likely not medical but keep an eye out for other symptoms of illness like lethargy, refusing water, etc. 

Now that we've discussed some of the causes of lack of appetite, here are the steps you should take (in order) before giving your dog treats, changing food or hand feeding: 

1. Expand activity.
2. Only give your dog treats or table scraps that are actually part of the meal you want them to eat. Save those special treats or scraps and add them to your dog's normal meal. You could also boil an egg and mix it into the meal for healthy added appeal. Give the dog 10 to 15 minutes to consume before pulling up the food. Don't give food between meals if he or she isn't eating at that time, and try again at the next meal time.
3. Consider using just a food topper or add-in that makes the meal extra tasty and provides extra nutrition before switching the food. Here are some choices we loved after reviewing them:
   
   1. The PawTree Superfood Spices-Adds flavor to your dog's current diet and provide a concentrated source of 8 fruits and veggies. It is a strong blend of Natural Vitamins, Minerals, and Antioxidants. These are frequently used to add variation to meals or for picky eating during pregnancy. Unsure if it will succeed? To access some complimentary samples, click this link!
      
   2. Instinct Raw Mixers- Instinct offers a variety of raw boost blenders that can be used for a variety of tasks, including giving an essential component to your dog's diet, enhancing flavor, and tackling particular dietary problems (see the gut health or coat versions).
      
4. If switching food is the only alternative, obtain some samples before making large-scale food purchases. To ensure you are considering high-quality options, browse our nutrition posts for puppies and dogs. Consider these options:
   
   1. Get 50% off when you purchase an Ollie starter box to supplement or replace your existing diet. This is just enough to test a home cooked diet for your dog and see if you can increase their interest in food. 
      
   2. To determine which foods your dog is most interested in, speak with a PawTree Pro and contact your nearest boutique pet shop.

I have volunteered in our community shelters for 30+ years, and during that time, I have never encountered a picky eater or a canine that starved themselves to death. Try not to worry or become fixated on your dog's feeding patterns. Take these steps and consult with your vet to create a feeding routine for them that doesn't involve them actually eating out of your hand

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