Teaching Pups to Eat Dog Food

We recommend a veterinary exam to determine if your pet's finicky eating has a medical cause, Jesse. Your vet will be able to diagnose and treat or rule out any possible medical conditions. If there is no medical diagnosis, your dog may just be a finicky eater. This can happen when pets are too often given people food rather than their own. Although it may be challenging to get your puppy to eat his food, it is possible to make the adjustment, and it is also very important that the transition be made. High-quality, nutritionally complete puppy food contains the nutrition your puppy needs to grow into a healthy adult dog.

Pets often find wet food more palatable than dry, so you may consider purchasing some high-quality, nutritionally complete wet food to feed him. If he’s accustomed to eating mostly people food, you will need to cut back gradually, feeding him increasing amounts of puppy food until this forms the main portion of his diet. You may also want to try a product such as a gravy flavor enhancer, which can be added to regular pet food.

Please also remember that treats should make up no more than five to ten percent of your pet's daily caloric intake.

For more information, please read our Top 10 Tips for Feeding Your Puppy.