Try this for picky eaters!

[GoCougs]

When putting water in the food, let it soak for 20-30 minutes, and then warm it up for 20 seconds in the microwave. This make the food softer, and ease the discomfort on a puppy loosing teeth.

Also, you should leave the food down longer than 5-10 minutes. That's hardly enough time for a picky eater to decide to eats. 15-20 mins would be ideal.

I wouldn't recommend adding "goodies" to entice eating. This encourages picky eating, and doesn't solve it. You pup will begin to reject food just to see what you will put down next. Decided on a feeding program, and stick to it.

 

[jray]

In all of my research on dogs and reading many books you need to establish yourself as the leader of the pack. If you allow your dog to decide when they are going to eat you are giving up your responsibility as leader.

Both my dogs eat at the same time every day and eat it as soon as I give it to them. They know if they walk away from the bowl for more than a few minutes in the fridge it goes until dinner. I have never had a problem with them not eating. They have gone through stages of not eating everything but as soon as the bowl touches the floor they are gobbling it up.

I also home cook meals for them along with the kibble. I have 3 different recipes I use on a rotation. For breakfast I also have 3 different recipes. So I don't think there should be a problem giving them different varieties of a meal as long as the base of kibble is the same.

Jenny & Oskar

 

[ralew]

Wow!!!

Boris and Mocha have been funny about their food for the last month or so. I mix Wellnes and Wysong dry kibble, and sometimes they eat it all of just picks over it. But once I tried your suggestion of adding water and nuking it for 20 seconds they devour their food like they haven't eaten in weeks. What a cheap way to spruce up their already pricey diet. Thanks for sharing!