How to make the dog eat dog food

Video: How to Make My DOG EAT DRY FOOD! 🐶✅ 5 Easy TRICKS!

Content

Dog feeding
How to make the dog eat dog food
What to mix in dog food to eat
How to soften my dog's kibble
How to mash dog food
My dog eats less than before - why and what to do?

although there are different options to feed our dog, the truth is that kibble, pellets or pellets, is the most common way, probably because it is the easiest and cheapest option. But not all dogs accept this type of food well, especially if they are used to another diet.

In this article by PeritoAnimal, we will give tricks on how to make the dog eat dog food, whether it is a healthy or sick dog, a puppy or an elderly person with special needs. good reading

Dog feeding

There are different options for feeding a dog well. In addition to the well-known feed, they are marketed wet products, the popular cans or bags of pestiscos, although many caregivers reserve them only for special moments or the animal's recovery.

More recently, alternatives have emerged such as dehydrated foods, which only need to be added with water, or diets such as BARF, which involve the creation of a specific menu for the dog. Likewise, resorting to a homemade diet is a valid option, whenever we have the guidance from a professional of canine nutrition to ensure its balance. Otherwise, nutritional deficiencies can arise, as we explain in this other article on dog nutrition: types and benefits. In other words, homemade food is not the same thing as giving our leftovers to the dog.

In this article, we'll focus on the ration. If we choose this food from the beginning or if we want to adapt a dog that until then followed another type of diet, these are the tricks for a dog to eat food.

If we choose feed, the first thing to do is look for a quality feed. Choose an option that suits your puppy's circumstances, for example, for puppies, for older puppies, for adults, etc. Take time to read the ingredient labels. The first, since we are facing a carnivore-omnivore, must be meat, better dehydrated, to ensure that it maintains its percentage after the feed preparation process, as the fresh meat will lose water, which will decrease the final percentage.

After selecting a ration, respect the manufacturer recommended portion for your dog's weight. If he loses weight, increase the portion indicated on the package. On the contrary, if you get fat, reduce until you find the ideal amount for him, as his needs also influence other factors, such as his physical activity. It must be borne in mind that if we exaggerate the amount, it is likely that the dog will not eat everything, indicating to us that it is eating poorly, when in fact we are offering too much food. Therefore, respect the quantities.

the puppies will eat many times a dayTherefore, the ration should be divided into the necessary meals. Adult dogs can also eat multiple times or just once. Although there is the possibility of free ration, rationing it, that is, offering it in the feeder and withdrawing it in a few minutes one or more times a day can avoid resource conflicts and we can use it as an educational tool, for example , ask to be seated before eating. It also helps us control when you're more or less hungry, which allows you to teach obedience classes with edible rewards when you know you're not on your stomach. Of course the feed has little moisture, therefore water, without a doubt, always at ease, clean and fresh, is essential.

Puppies are animals of habit, so it is beneficial for them to always feed them at the same or close times. keep a schedule is the first of the tricks to get you to eat your kibble. But for some dogs it won't be enough. Below, we go over more ideas on how to make the dog eat dog food

What to mix in dog food to eat

The first thing we usually think about when the dog is reluctant to eat the dog food is what to mix in the dog food to eat. And the truth is that it is recommended that the adaptation to the new food be made gradually. Sudden changes in diet commonly cause digestive disturbances, especially loose or runny stools.

So, to avoid problems, we can imaginarily divide the pan into four parts and start with three of the old food and one of the new one. In a few days it will be two of the new, in a while longer three, until we completely change the menu. if what we give is natural food, we must also make this adaptation gradually, but it is better not to mix the two types of food, as they are not digested in the same way.

This trick to make the dog eat chow will work if we are constant. In other words, there will be dogs that will refuse to eat the food and will only keep the part they received from the previous food. Don't make the mistake of giving more out of pity. No healthy dog will stop eating to starve. Stick to established guidelines and he'll get used to it. Of course, if the dog is sick, you cannot leave him without eating. In that case, the veterinarian will tell you how to feed him based on his condition.

How to soften my dog's kibble

The ration can also be mixed with liquids to soften it. It's another trick on how to get the dog to eat kibble, as some pets accept the softer kibble better. A typical case is that of puppies during weaning. In the beginning, it is likely that they will be able to eat the ration better if its consistency is soft. Eating softened food is also easier for dogs with mouth problems or some other condition.

So if you want to know what to mix in dog food to eat, know that yes, water can be added to dog food. Put in cold or warm water, not hot. Another option is to soak the feed with broth, such as chicken or fish, but it must not contain salt or any other ingredients other than the piece of meat and, optionally, include rice or boiled potatoes. We will only use the liquid of these cooked elements, which we can even freeze. A few minutes before it's time we'll add enough to cover the ration, more or less, depending on the texture we're looking for. The balls will absorb the liquid and then we can give them to the dog by crushing them or as they are.

If we raise puppies with artificial milk we can soften the feed with it or just do it with water. Before resorting to the broth, it is advisable to consult the veterinarian if the dog has any health problems and follows a special diet. If our idea is that the dog eats hard food, we will only have to get him used to it little by little.

How to mash dog food

Finally, although it is less frequent, another trick in how to get the dog to eat kibble is to grind it. It is an option usually left to convalescent dogs, as it allows be offered with a syringe. We would have to soften the ration with warm water or broth, if the vet advises us. So instead of offering it directly or crushing it with a fork, let's run it through a crusher or mixer so that we have a paste.

We can add more liquid to achieve the desired texture. As it is a paste, it can be ingested by licking it or we can help by introducing small amounts into the mouth with a syringe from the side, in the space behind the prey. It is a more economical resource than cans for dogs that need a specific food, due to health, but its condition makes it difficult to ingest.

My dog eats less than before - why and what to do?

As you can see, there are different tricks on how to get the dog to eat kibble, which usually work in a few days if the whole family sticks to the rules and no one feeds him other foods that might curb his appetite. Once the dog is eating food normally and we give him the dose recommended by the manufacturer and nothing else, and you notice that he leaves food in the feeder, this is a sign that must be evaluated by the veterinarian.. Loss of appetite is behind several pathologies.

But make sure he's actually eating less. For example, if the puppy has already grown, the amounts should be adjusted to its adult weight. If the dog eats our food, he will eat less food or, when for whatever reason, he does less exercise, he will also need less food. In this case, you don't eat less, but only what you need and leave the excess.

You may also need less grams per day if you switched to a better quality feed. That's why you should always pay attention to administration guidelines provided by the manufacturer and comply with them. Observe your body condition to see if you are losing or gaining weight and weigh it from time to time. If you've followed all the recommendations and he's still not eating normally, see your veterinarian.

Now that you know how to get the dog to eat dog food, we suggest this article to you: my dog doesn't want to eat - what to do?