My dog is a picky eater. What should I watch out for?Updated 8 months ago
Not necessarily a need to worry!
The occasional pickiness of a dog can be frustrating for the owner but may not bother the dog himself in any way. Of course, any abruptly started symptom, that may be caused by a disease, also the sudden absence of appetite, or is associated with other symptoms of any disease, must always be determined. Luckily there is usually no need to worry about the selectivity of an otherwise healthy adult dog.
Securing nutrient intake
The owner of a picky dog is required to have a little willpower so that instead of a healthy diet, the dog’s daily energy intake does not become too much leaning on the calories from treats and leftovers. For example, two sausages sliced for a dog leaving its food in a cup already meet a third of a 5 kg-pound dog’s energy needs, without, however, bringing the dog the nutrients it needs.
What is the palatability of dog food based on?
The taste and aroma of dog food are built on up of several different factors.
- Food raw materials and their quality, as well as the treatments applied to the raw materials
- Cooking process; for example, the temperatures used and the coating of the kibble
- Food composition and texture; among others mm. the moisture content of the canned food or the size of the kibble and form
- Dog senses; taste and smell, especially the latter is important for the dog's selection of food in the selection. For example, in older dogs, sensory impairment can also result in reduction in food palatability.
- The dog's previous eating experiences and learned preferences
- Anatomy of the muzzle and teeth and the so-called mouthfeel; ease of picking and chewing food, feeling of food in the mouth
- Physiological and hormonal factors; for example, stress can reduce an appetite in a dog as well
- Environmental factors that affect the appetite of a dog living in a herd may be different from that of a solitary and even the ambient temperature of the living environment can affect appetite