Let me start by saying I definitely don’t have this all figured out, but I have learned a few things over the years. This knowledge mostly comes from experience in trying to get dogs in the later stages of kidney failure or with some type of cancer to eat. Dogs with kidney issues are notorious for being picky eaters, and it gets worse as their disease progresses. Dogs that are in pain from cancer are the same. I have also seen issues in dogs with nausea that is worse in the morning due to various medical conditions. Whatever the cause, my approach is always the same: trying to find a food that a picky eater will be happy with.
I start by mixing up the protein. If they are on a chicken-based food, I’ll try fish or lamb. If that doesn’t work, I move on to another protein, keeping in mind the fat content and ensuring it is a good-quality food. I always buy small bags until I find what works — I’ve learned that the hard way. Luckily, I also have our dog Pete, who will eat anything. If the picky eater won’t, Pete will gladly take it mixed in with his regular food. If I still can’t find something they like by changing the protein, I try adding a little canned food to the dry food (unless they are on a canned food-only diet). Just enough to give it a more inviting smell and taste, hopefully. If needed, I’ll add a little more. I try different cans of food with various proteins from different brands. If nothing else works, Caesar is my last resort. It’s not the best quality, but I’ve found that dogs will eat Caesar if they won’t eat anything else.
Still not working? I will even try adding plain, vanilla yogurt or pureed pumpkin. This provides more options for combinations and adds more flavor.
Almost every dog I’ve had has responded to one of these tricks. If not, I knew it was nearing the end. Except for Miss Cookie. I’ve tried everything with her — mixing dry and wet food, wet food only, Caesar. She’ll like a food one day, then refuse to eat it the next. I just can’t seem to figure her out. My last option was to either cook the food myself or order one of the “fresh cooked” premade options. I decided to order some, but had to cook until it arrived. I boiled chicken, steamed sweet potatoes and green beans, and made some rice. She loved it that night! I was so relieved and hopeful that I had found something she would eat until the other arrived. The next morning, she ate almost all of it, leaving a little rice and a couple of green beans — much better than any morning meal in the last three weeks. Please keep sending positive thoughts to Cookie that she likes this new food and continues to eat.
I wish you the best of luck if you also have a picky eater, and I hope this may help! It can be a lot of work, but it’s all worth it to see them happy with a full belly.
Nicole Laber, Cofounder and Fospice Mom