Dogs are known to be very smart animals. They have the habit of testing their owners whether they can get away with something and see what their limitations are. These "tests" come in different forms like bullying, ignoring their owners, and manipulation.
Maybe you're thinking, "wait, manipulation? isn't it the other way around? we are the owners and my dogs should be the one following me! no way can an animal outsmart me!" .....well, actually, there are many instances this things happen without us knowing and it's really common.
Let's focus on one particular instance where our cute innocent pets get's around manipulating us owners with their "I don't like that food, find me another one..or else i'll starve to death" trick.
Believe it or not, that's what's really going on inside your dog's head when they tend to become picky on what they eat.
Usually, once you introduce them something new, they will eat it with much gusto and you'll think that "yes! I finally found what he really wants!" then after some time, you'll notice that his appetite is getting lower and lower again until he doesn't want to eat it at all and you are back in square one.
So what can we do?! there must be something wrong here right? Ok, let's go through some check lists to see what's really causing this problem.
- Is your dog healthy? Make sure that the dog is not sick, loss of appetite is a common symptom when your dog is sick. Check his temperature, stool and activity to be certain that everything is ok. If you suspect your dog is sick then a visit to your vet is advised.
- Does your dog get enough exercise? Dogs come with different energy levels, our Bully Pit Bulls for example is classified as high energy level breed so it's very important that you walk your dog and have some form of play / exercise to vent their energy. Having good physical activities like walking, jogging, running with your dog not only Improves their appetite but also helps in preventing other behavioral problems.
- Do you have a scheduled feeding time? This is very important if you want your dogs to improve on their drive for food. It is not advisable to feed your dog whenever you want or they want. Never encourage your dog to beg for food when it's not feeding time. Set a time when food will be served to them, they may not have a clock and don't even know how to read time but believe me, they know when it's time! If you follow this, your dogs will know when it's time to eat and when will the next meal will be coming. This conditions them to give importance to the food because they know the next one won't be coming too soon.
- Do you give too much food per meal? Another important factor is how much food can your dog really consume. Do not give too much until they loose interest on the food. Make it so that the amount you give is just enough that they still want some more but the next one will be coming in the next feeding time. That way, they will be looking forward on the next meal time. Here's a good trick that works really well. Give your dog enough food that he can finish under 3-5 minutes, after 5 minutes, take out the bowl and DO NOT give it back until the NEXT feeding time. Do this every time you give him his meal. Once he realize that if he doesn't eat it a.s.a.p. you will take it out and he'll again needs to wait for the next feeding time.
So to summarize :
- Make sure the dog is not sick and have an updated shots/deworming records.
- Exercise! Dogs need exercise. Walk or play with your dog. It's not just good for his appetite but also for your bonding and socialization.
- Scheduled feeding. This will teach them to give importance on what is given to them and know the routine of feeding times. Dogs may not know how to read a clock but they know how to tell time!
- Do not over feed your dogs. Make them realize that the food is a treat and they should always take advantage of it. Do not succumb to their drama! Healthy dogs won't let themselves starve to death. It's going to be a tough battle between owners and really persistent dogs but DO NOT GIVE IN! they will eat eventually. Follow the 5 minute rule and your dog will be eating fine again.
