The dog eats dry food only when walking. Why doesn't my dog ​​eat dry food? How to prevent food refusal

Food is very important condition for the normal life of any animal. It is necessary to correctly prepare a diet, choose food suitable for your pet, and do not forget about adding vitamins. Some owners find that their dog does not eat dry food well. What should be done in this situation?

Why doesn't my dog ​​eat dry food?

First you need to determine the source of the problem. The reason for refusing food may not always be the harmful nature of the animal or the quality of the food. Veterinarians advise paying the owner’s attention to:

• the dog’s lifestyle (dogs that do not walk or exercise consume much less food);
• feeding regimen (if the animal eats food too often, it will refuse part of it);
• vaccinations or medications (some medications cause temporary loss of appetite in dogs);
• bad food (if the food is spoiled or of very poor quality, the dog refuses to eat it);
• stress (the first walk, moving, the appearance of a new animal in the house causes stress in the pet and a temporary reluctance to eat);
• change in food (perhaps you previously gave the animal a different brand of food, previously mixed vitamins or supplements into the granules);
• switching from natural food to dry food (it will simply be unusual for the dog to eat food of a different type);
• illness (one of the warning signs of illness is refusal to eat).

Solution

Having found out why the dog does not want to eat dry food, you can begin to take active action.

If the problem arose due to the animal’s health condition, then it is necessary to contact a veterinarian as soon as possible. Often a dog does not eat dry food when it has problems with its teeth and oral cavity:

• tartar;
• caries;
• cheilitis (inflammation of the lips);
• malocclusion;
• deviation in the development of teeth (polydontia, or polydentia);
• gingivitis (inflammation of the gums);
• plaque;
• stomatitis (inflammation of the oral cavity);
• pulpitis (inflammation of tooth softness);
• periodontal disease (deep tissue damage around the tooth);
• periodontitis (inflammation of the supporting apparatus of the tooth);
• wounds in the oral cavity.

In this case, it is necessary to urgently undergo the necessary treatment.

If the owner decides to switch his pet to another brand of dry food, the animal’s developed habits must be taken into account. You should not replace old food with new food too abruptly. This can lead to a situation where the dog does not eat food due to nutritional stress. Breeders advise gradually adding new food to the already familiar one, increasing its quantity over time and displacing the old one.

Attention! You need to consider how much dry food your dog needs. It is always written on the packaging how much food should be given to the pet, depending on its age, condition, weight, and breed. Many inexperienced owners, when switching from natural food to dry food, continue to give the same amount of food, which leads to overeating, and then to obesity.

It will be a little more difficult for those who need to transfer an animal from natural food to dry factory food. The fact is that rushing to change the diet can result in health problems for your pet. Many owners don't know how to get their dog to eat dry food. It is also recommended to mix natural food with factory-made food. You shouldn’t do this in a normal diet, but in order for your pet to get used to the new food faster, you will have to give him such a “strange” assortment for some time. The proportion of dry food should be increased very slowly. If the dog has fragile teeth, the granules can be pre-soaked in milk, kefir or yogurt.

It is not always bad for a dog to eat dry food due to its harmful nature. Pay attention to your pet's behavior, its state of health and the quality of the food you offer.

Dry food has long become a common food for pets. This is primarily due to the practicality and rationality of its use. For many dog ​​owners, it is more convenient and more profitable to feed their pets dry food than to prepare a special dish for the animal. However, it may happen that the pet stops eating its usual food. If your dog has stopped eating dry food, you should first find out the reason for this change.

A pet's unexpected refusal to feed can be a serious problem for owners. In this case, you will most likely have to resort to cooking. However, dogs, as you know, are not omnivores: and if one pet loves millet porridge, another may not like it.

Causes strange behavior pets can be completely different. The problem may be related both to the food itself and to the physiology and health of the pet. Common reasons for an animal refusing dry food include the following:

1. Another brand of food. Animals have the ability to get used to a certain type food. Despite the visual similarity, many dry foods have completely different composition, taste, and smell, at least with regard to the flavoring agents included in the composition. Therefore, changing the brand of ready-made diet, as a rule, will provoke the animal’s refusal.
2. Poor feed quality. As you know, dogs have an excellent sense of smell, so if suddenly the usual packaging of dry food suddenly turns out to be unusable, the animal will immediately feel it.
3. Dry food has become boring. Although dogs are not considered to be particularly picky eaters, they also sometimes need variety. Moreover, consumption of dry food alone can contribute to the appearance of various diseases in the animal.
4. Stress. It's no secret that animals, like people, know how to worry and fall into a state of stress. This may be due to both environmental factors influencing nervous system animal, and with physiological ones occurring directly in the pet’s body. It should be noted that this situation usually implies a complete refusal of food by the animal.
5. Decreased physical activity. Many dog ​​breeds are those animals that constantly require physical activity. Lack of physical activity can lead to changes in the animal’s behavior, in particular, loss of appetite and refusal of dry food.
6. Cold or runny nose. As you know, the attractiveness of dry food for an animal is determined by the presence of a special nutritious smell. However, if a pet loses its sense of smell, dry food is no longer perceived by the pet as potential food.
7. Physiological features. TO physiological characteristics This may include periods such as estrus or spree. At this time, the pet is far from ready to eat. It is worth noting that in this case there is a general loss of appetite in the animal.

What to do and how to help your pet

Having found out the reason for the animal’s refusal of dry food, you can take any measures to promote a return to normal food or a change in diet. In general, subsequent actions depend on initial factors.

So, if the reason for refusal is a new brand of food or its poor quality, then you should simply change the packaging. You can return the brand that is familiar to your pet; be sure to check when purchasing the diet for compliance with the quality and expiration date.

If the animal does not have enough variety, then it is recommended to give up the usual food for a while. There are many simple recipes dishes for pets that the animal will like. In addition, you can dilute the “drying” with wet food or canned food that has different compositions.

In case of stress, it is necessary to eliminate negative factors. As already said, stressful situation Both the environment and disturbances in the animal’s body can contribute. In the case of environmental factors, it is necessary to change the environment of the animal, to be more sensitive, affectionate and attentive to it. If the reason stress state unknown, you should contact a veterinary clinic.

In case of reduced physical activity, it is necessary to normalize the animal’s daily routine. The pet should be occupied with something, offer longer walks with various active games and training. But the simplest and most convenient way out of this situation is to buy toys for your pet, with which he will play in the absence of the owner of the house.

If your dog suffers from a cold or runny nose, it is recommended to give warm or hot food to your pet. This will contribute to his speedy recovery. You can also ask for help from veterinarian for appointment of special medicines from a cold or runny nose.

Veterinary experts have their own opinion on this matter and suggest following the following recommendations:

1. You should periodically diversify your diet pet. Everyone knows that monotony can get boring from time to time. And in the case of animals, consumption of dry food can even contribute to the development of complications such as kidney or liver failure.
2. Sometimes it is recommended to add kefir or just water to dry food to add moisture to the contents. The fact is that soft, soaked food pads do not cause damage to the body, unlike dry ones.
3. If you change the brand of dry food, you should wait until the animal sniffs it and gets used to it, or, if possible, return to the previous brand.
4. Some dry foods are made for dogs of a specific breed or personality. For example, there is a nutritional product for both sedentary and active breeds.
5. It is not recommended to give small dog breeds large pads, as large amounts of food eaten at a time can contribute to indigestion.

Some owners may begin to sound the alarm if their pet has a decreased appetite. However, inexperienced dog owners, instead of eliminating the root cause of decreased appetite, begin to look for possible diseases in the animal. In fact, things may not be so bad.

Naturally, refusing food, in particular dry food, does not always indicate any violations. It is quite possible that the pet is simply bored with the monotonous food or, on the contrary, the pet is so accustomed to its food that it will not allow it to be deceived by a substitution.

Proper nutrition plays an important role in a dog's life. Balanced food helps to avoid many health problems that can cause a lot of trouble for dog owners and their pets. For this reason, many of them prefer to feed the dog dry food, which contains all the necessary nutrients, vitamins and microelements. Why doesn't a dog eat dry food: what are the reasons and how to get it to eat?

Health problems

If the question arises, “Why did the dog stop eating dry food if it was previously satisfied with such food,” then the first thing you should pay attention to is the health status of your pet. It is important to carefully observe the activity of the animal - lethargy, inactivity, constipation, and vomiting are possible. The dog can be affected by ticks, fleas, and helminths, which affect appetite.

In any of the above cases, you should take the dog to the veterinarian to find out the reason why the dog refuses to eat dry food. If the medical examination reveals nothing and the pet feels fine, other possible causes not related to health should be considered.

Changes in your pet's life

Dogs react to any changes in their lifestyle more acutely than people. This may be one of the reasons why your dog won't eat dry food. The following factors influence taste preferences:

1. Changing the brand of food. When trying to switch an animal to a more expensive food, you may be met with refusal. This phenomenon can be explained by the fact that in cheap feeds, manufacturers mask the absence of natural ingredients with taste enhancers and flavorings. If you try to give your dog food that is of a lower class than usual, it may also react with refusal. Cheap food contains a lot of bone meal or soy, which the dog senses acutely.
2. By regularly giving your pet treats from a common table, the dog's taste preferences may change. In addition, this bad habit can become entrenched, and in this case, not a single meal will be complete without your pet’s plaintive eyes near the table.
3. With a sedentary lifestyle, the dog needs less food, and therefore its consumption is significantly reduced.
4. In hot weather, just like in humans, a dog’s appetite decreases.
5. A large amount of food that is poured into a bowl. The dog simply eats and does not feel hungry until the next meal.

Sometimes there is such a thing as manipulative dogs - they will not eat the offered dry food, begging for something tasty. You should not follow the animal’s lead, because the diet must be balanced.

What not to do

Why doesn’t the dog eat dry food if it was previously happy with this type of food? There are many answers to this question, as well as recommendations on what not to do:

1. You absolutely cannot start feeling sorry for the dog and start feeding it from your hands or from a common table. In the future it will be very difficult to get rid of this bad habit.
2. After feeding, there should be no food left in the bowl, otherwise the dog will eat it throughout the day, and accordingly, by the next meal, the appetite will disappear.
3. Lack of a diet can also negatively affect the regularity of food intake.

How to make a dog eat

Your pet's pitiful eyes and begging for goodies does not mean that he is hungry. A hungry dog ​​will happily eat the dry food offered. Also, dog breeders do not recommend raising your voice at an animal and forcing it to eat by force; most likely nothing will work, and the dog will remember this and will avoid the owner. The following methods should be used:

1. Mixing dry food with natural food, gradually reducing its amount. This way you can “trick” the dog into eating. Using this technique, you need to stop feeding your pet from the common table, if this was previously practiced.
2. Starvation ration for 1-2 days. On such a forced “diet,” the dog should only have access to a bowl of water, completely removing all food. After which the hungry dog ​​will gladly pounce on the offered dry food. This method should absolutely not be used on puppies and pregnant dogs.
3. When teeth decay, the dog begins to experience pain and discomfort when chewing dry food. You should try adding a little water to soften the granules.
4. Some dogs can be coaxed. Oddly enough, after gentle persuasion in a calm, quiet voice, some pets obediently go to eat.

Why doesn't my dog ​​eat dry food? What to do in such cases? It is important to focus on the pet’s character; an owner who knows his dog well will definitely find an approach and force him to eat food.

Preventing food refusal

In order to prevent food refusal and not think about the question: “Why doesn’t the dog eat dry food,” you should adhere to the following rules:

1. Feed manufacturers produce products in several price categories, and the quality of the feed also differs. It is not recommended to suddenly switch your pet from one food to another. You should mix them, gradually reducing the concentration of the old food.
2. When choosing a dog’s diet, you need to focus on what category of dogs the food is intended for. There are foods for different breeds of dogs, for pets with different mobility and different ages. All these points are important to consider when choosing food.
3. When feeding dry food in free access The dog should have a bowl of water to wash down solid food.
4. It is important to walk your dog not only so that it can fulfill its natural needs, but also to frolic and play. With this daily routine, your appetite increases, so the portion of food after a walk should be a little larger.
5. It is important that the dog eats all the food offered. If there is food left in the bowl 15 minutes after feeding, it is worth removing it so that the dog does not have the opportunity to finish it in between feedings.
6. If your dog refuses dry food too often, it may be a reason to switch to natural food.

Experienced dog breeders carefully monitor their pet’s diet and try to prevent food refusals, which can be harmful to the dog’s health.

Features of feeding puppies

It often happens that a breeder's puppy eats food, but after moving to new owners he stopped. Why doesn't he eat dry food at all? What to feed the puppy?

It is important to accustom a puppy to food immediately after mother’s milk; experienced breeders know this, so for the first time after purchase, the owner should also offer the puppy the usual brand of food.

Feeding errors

Some mistakes in feeding pets can lead to nutritional problems. Why doesn't my dog ​​eat any dry food? Abrupt failure can occur in several cases:

• alternating food with natural food;
• frequent and sudden changes in feed;
• lack of free access to water;
• food does not meet the dog's needs.

You should consider all possible options and also ask your veterinarian for advice.

Natural reasons for refusing to eat

Why does a dog eat dry food poorly? There are a number of natural reasons for this:

• teething in puppies;
• pregnancy and childbirth;

• teenage years;
• mating period;
• vaccinations or medications.

If there is an assumption that the dog does not eat food for the reasons described above, then there is nothing to worry about; after some time, the diet will be restored.

Dogs and cat food

Some dog owners mistakenly think that since dogs and cats are predators, their diets are similar. The danger of misconception is that buying the same food for two different animals can cause irreparable harm to health. The cat's diet should contain much more protein, and the cat should eat little but often. A dog whose need for proteins and glucose is much lower receives an excess of these substances. Over time, improper feeding leads to kidney problems, gastrointestinal tract, allergies. It is important that the food is suitable for the specific type of animal, then there is no need to worry about the health of the pet.

Conclusion

When thinking about why your dog won’t eat dry food and how to train it, you should check all possible reasons for refusal. The reasons for refusal to eat are so varied that it is not worth taking your dog to the veterinarian for every reason; most often the problem is due to the wrong food.

Most often, a dog whose life has a minimal amount of stress rarely refuses any food offered by its owner. It is important to love your pets, and then they will not cause unnecessary problems.

Ready-made dry food becomes a real salvation for those who keep dogs in a modern metropolis. The animal receives all the necessary nutrients in the right proportions, and its owner saves the most precious resource - time. But what to do if the dog refuses dry food? First of all, understand the reasons for this behavior.

Health problems

If your dog has suddenly lost his appetite, you should first rule out diseases, especially when other alarming symptoms are observed:

• lethargy;
• drowsiness;
• diarrhea;
• vomiting or retching.

A common reason for refusing dry food is problems in the oral cavity: inflamed gums, mouth ulcers, tartar, cracked teeth. In such cases, the dog shows interest in the contents of the bowl and even tries to chew the granules, but then drops them from his mouth and eventually moves away.

A recent vaccination can also cause temporary loss of appetite. Some animals lose interest in food in extreme heat.

Be that as it may, if a dog refuses food for more than 48 hours (for puppies this period is reduced to one day), experts advise showing it to a veterinarian.

Stress factors

A change of home, separation from a beloved family member, the appearance of another pet - all this can affect the dog’s psychological state and provoke its refusal of dry food.

As a rule, after a couple of days the problem goes away on its own, and the dog catches up. You can support him by showing him a little more attention and care: play with him, cuddle him, walk longer than usual, offer dry pellets from your hands during training.

Age-related changes

With age, the sensitivity of taste buds inevitably decreases. Therefore, an older dog may refuse dry food, even if it has been enjoyed eating it for many years. Pre-soaking the granules often helps to solve the problem - this makes them seem more aromatic and attractive to the dog.

Power of Habit

If the dog previously ate only natural food, getting used to dry food will take time. The same applies to switching from one brand of diet to another.

Start mixing the new food with your usual food in a ratio of 25% to 75%, after 2-3 days increase the proportion of the new product by another quarter. And so on until the animal completely switches to the food you have chosen.

Dog refuses dry food: owner's mistakes

Typically, owners whose dogs refuse dry food for no apparent reason are committing one of 5 typical mistakes. Take a critical look: perhaps you are one of them?

No. 1. Mixed feeding

Some owners just can’t decide on the type of feeding, jumping from “drying” to “natural” and back. Such experiments often result in loss of appetite in the animal. After all, whatever one may say, natural food always has a more pronounced taste and aroma compared to dry granules.

If your pet is picky, you should forget about mixed food and choose one thing: either “dry” or “natural”. This is exactly the case when it will not be possible to sit on two chairs.

No. 2. Bad food

Many dogs refuse to eat food when it is of poor quality or spoiled. If the bag is left open for too long, the pellets will stale and become less attractive to the animal.

Choose only high-quality products with a high meat content for your pet and store them correctly. When purchasing, check the expiration date and integrity of the packaging. You should not take food that is offered in bulk at pet stores (it is impossible to know exactly how long this particular package has been left open).

If the kibble has an unpleasant, rancid odor, do not give it to your dog. Better take the bag back to the store. According to the law, the consumer has the right to contact the seller to return low-quality food products within the expiration date indicated on the packaging.

No. 3. Accustoming to piece-making

Do you often pamper your pet with treats from your table? Giving up dry food is a completely natural result. The dog quickly realizes: “Why do I need monotonous food from a bowl, because soon my beloved owner will probably offer something tastier?”

In fact, frequent feeding is not physiological for dogs, and also contributes to the formation of incorrect eating habits. Ideally, the dog should not receive any food between feedings. And it’s better to leave treats and treats for training outside: your four-legged friend must still earn them.

No. 4. Lack of feeding regimen

When the bowl is constantly filled, the dog quickly loses interest in it. If you want your pet to eat dry food well, follow the feeding rates recommended by the manufacturer. Healthy adult dogs usually need two meals a day. It is better if feedings occur at the same hours, for example, at 8 am and 8 pm.

Do not leave untouched or uneaten food in the public domain, but remove it immediately. Regardless of whether the dog has eaten well, the next feeding should be strictly on schedule.

No. 5. Insufficient walking

Often, poor appetite is associated with a sedentary lifestyle. If your dog regularly refuses dry food for no particular reason, try taking him for longer and more active walks.

Normally, for representatives of small and decorative breeds, the total walking time should be at least an hour a day, and hunting and working dogs will need 1.5–2 hours of daily activity in the fresh air.

Dry food is a real godsend for always busy, rushing owners. They require minimal effort and time spent feeding your pet, provided that we are talking about high-quality food, contain all the nutrients necessary for the dog’s health and are varied enough so that you can choose a diet that is ideal for your pet.

However, sometimes it happens that a dog flatly refuses to eat dry food - what to do in this situation? Before taking any action, you need to understand the reasons for your pet's behavior.

Why doesn't my dog ​​eat dry food?

Most often, the reason for refusal is an incorrect transfer to dry food from another type of food. Dogs, like people, are suspicious of anything new, especially when it comes to food that has an unusual smell and texture. Moreover, the older the dog, the more conservatism and stubbornness it can show.

The second and most serious situation occurs when the dog refuses its usual food. If you stored the packaging correctly and have no doubt about the good quality of the product, then you should be concerned about the well-being of your pet.

There can be many reasons why a dog does not eat dry food, which it has been devouring with appetite for the last few months or even years:

• problems with teeth or mouth,
• violations metabolism,
• digestive problems
• stress,
• heat,
• infectious or invasive diseases and much more.

It is worth remembering that many ailments in a dog manifest themselves in a decrease or complete absence appetite.

Finally, the reason a dog refuses dry food can also be simple overeating, that is, the pet is simply full or, not without reason, hopes to get something tastier than proper nutrition. Let’s say right away: this is the least of the troubles and responsibility for it lies entirely on the conscience of the owners.

Let's start by elimination - with serious reasons.

Health problems

As a rule, health problems manifest themselves not only in refusal to eat - the dog becomes lethargic, stops playing and is clearly depressed. First of all, measure your pet’s temperature - its increase will indicate the infectious nature of the disease.

If the temperature is not elevated, examine the dog's oral cavity - the gums should be pale pink, so a bright red color, especially in the root zone, may indicate the onset of inflammation. Problems with the gastrointestinal tract most often manifest themselves in indigestion - diarrhea, as well as vomiting, which is also not difficult to notice.

In any case, you should not make diagnoses yourself, and if you have the slightest suspicion of health problems, immediately consult a veterinarian.

When a healthy dog ​​refuses to eat dry food

Let's say your suspicions were not confirmed and the dog is healthy. As a rule, refusal of dry food occurs when switching to a new diet or even when changing the type of food. Here you will have to be patient - it will take time, love for your pet and perseverance.

Gradual training

The main point in this process is gradualism. To begin with, add a small amount of dry food to a regular portion of food and observe the animal’s reaction. Most often, a small addition of foreign food is accepted calmly by the dog and the dry food is eaten along with the rest of the food.

If the process has started, you can add a little more dry food to the next feeding. If the dog carefully avoids the bowl, it is better not to rush things and let the pet get used to the appearance and, most importantly, the smell of the new food. A dog's sense of smell is significantly superior to a human's and is the most small portion Food with a foreign aroma can make your pet wary.

Reduce the amount of dry food in the usual food to a minimum that the dog will not notice, and increase it very gradually, literally a few granules at a time. Sometimes soaking dry food helps - this makes it more flavorful and closer in texture to wet food.

Once your dog has started eating the dry food offered to him as part of his regular diet, begin to gradually increase the amount of granules while simultaneously reducing the total amount of his usual food.

With this approach, the dog can be switched to dry food in 1–2 weeks. The period may lengthen depending on the stubbornness of the pet, but sooner or later a positive result is guaranteed.

We show firmness

And finally, the last option. After the owners' festive feast, the dog, who had received a fair portion of treats the day before, does not even want to look towards the bowl with his usual food. At best, these are whims: it is difficult for the animal to understand why yesterday he got a piece of kebab, ham and cookies, and today only dry food. The pet demands the continuation of the banquet and in his own way is absolutely right.

One of the main rules of feeding animals is not to disrupt your pet’s diet. But if such a sin has happened to you, be firm: the bowl of food that the dog has refused is removed until the next feeding. Don’t worry: a hunger strike can’t harm your pet, but will only benefit it.

But if even after a day the dog does not want to eat dry food, it is best to consult a veterinarian, since it is possible that your pet will develop pancreatitis due to excessively fatty food eaten the day before.