Is your dog a picky eater?

Why is my dog so picky with food? #

Working as a Dog Behaviourist and Trainer for many years I have seen this problem countless times. I usually hear similar stories:

• ‘He’s a fussy eater’
• ‘I’ve bought so many brands of food but he goes off them quickly’
• ‘I have to add gravy or yoghurt for her to eat’

It could be a Behaviour problem: #

With many cases I see that the dog is using food as a resource to control and this can be one of a few symptoms of a dog trying to be  manipulative or “dominant”  which can then lead to other behaviour problems and training issues.

If you have a picky eater #

• Always pick your dogs food up after 20 mins and try again later
• Teach your dog to Sit & Wait and then release them to eat with a command such as “ok” or “go on then”
• Remember that a dog will not go hungry for long!
• Do not allow your dog to “graze” always pick food up
• If your dog has eaten your choice of dog food before and it suits them then they are probably trying to control things!

Obviously some of this advice may not apply if your dog has health issues but with a normal healthy dog it can often be a sign of your dog trying to subtly take over!