Dog Picky Eater Tips: Best Foods and Feeding Strategies

Are you searching for the best dog food for picky eaters because your pup hasn’t liked anything you’ve tried to feed them? You’re in the right place! 

Keep reading to learn all about what to feed a picky dog, what to put on dog food for picky eaters, the best food for picky dogs, the best dog food toppers for picky eaters, and much more.

Recognizing Picky Eating in Dogs vs Normal Eating Habits

How can you tell whether a dog is being picky about food, has an underlying medical condition, or is actually eating normally? After all, a dog racing to gobble their food as quickly as possible isn’t necessarily “normal,” either (it may be a symptom of resource guarding and is a risk factor for bloat since dogs that scarf their food tend to swallow a lot of air).

Normal Dog Eating Habits

Some dogs eat their food relatively quickly, while others prefer to nibble throughout the day. As long as your dog maintains a healthy weight and eats most of their daily food, their eating habits can be described as “normal.”

Picky Eating

Picky eaters might refuse to eat their regular meals but will still happily eat treats or table scraps. Since the dog is only refusing to eat some food and not all food, this is typically a sign of picky eating.

Bad Batch of Food

If you’ve recently opened a new bag of your dog’s usual food and they either refuse to eat it or start to have digestive issues, you may have a tainted batch of food, which has become a serious issue lately. Don’t force your dog to eat this food, as it could make them very sick.

Signs of Potential Health Issues

If your dog suddenly stops eating their regular food and nothing else has changed, they may be suffering from a potentially serious health problem and should be seen by a vet as soon as possible. Dogs that only eat soft food and refuse hard food may have dental problems, which should also be checked out by a veterinarian.

Understanding Picky Eaters

Lots of things can cause dogs to become picky eaters, including:

• •Genetics

• •Bad memories of past stomach problems caused by the food

• •Too many table scraps or treats

• •Anxiety

• •Lack of routine

• •Not liking certain types or flavors of food

• •Lack of privacy

• •Age

• •Health issues

Optimal Dog Food for Picky Eaters

The best food for picky dogs tends to be a complete and balanced raw diet. Why? Because dogs evolved to eat raw meat, not highly processed, carb-filled crunchy balls. You can tell by looking at a dog’s digestive tract, which is still nearly identical to their wolf ancestors’ digestive systems.

Like wolves, dogs have pointy teeth (no flat molars for grinding plant matter) and hinged jaws that only move up and down, indicating that they’re best suited for ripping and tearing meat. They also have highly acidic stomachs for destroying any bacteria that may live on raw meat and short digestive tracts best for extracting nutrients from muscle meat, organ meat, and bone. (Herbivores and omnivores require much longer intestines to process vegetation properly.)

Many dogs seem to instinctively know what they’re meant to eat, which is why they turn up their nose at kibble and go crazy for whole foods. Need proof? Here are real reviews from We Feed Raw customers:

“When I fed my dog his first meal, my picky eater went WILD. I have never seen him adjust to new food so effortlessly. Saying that he LOVES this food is an understatement.” -Heidi

“Wowza! After 5 months of trying every brand out there, freeze-dried, kibble, other raw, and cooked, my Ollie is finally eating! He actually stands by the kitchen now waiting for his meal.” -Terri

“I have been trying for years to find a healthy food diet for my dog, Rosy. I was so excited when Rosy ate her portion and begged for more! It is such a relief to find a healthy food plan that she enjoys—rather than having to wait until she is starving and make her eat something that is healthy that hates.” -Theresa

Effective Use of Dog Food Toppers for Picky Eaters

While changing to a raw diet may be the best way to get picky dogs to eat, adding toppers to their current food can also work really well. If you can’t afford to feed a fully raw diet, mixing some We Feed Raw with your dog’s kibble can be a great way to encourage them to eat with less of a hit to your budget.

Some other excellent dog food toppers for picky eaters include canned pumpkin, fresh vegetables, sardines, phytoplankton, raw egg, anchovies, cucumbers, bone broth, plain yogurt or kefir, and blueberries.

How to Get a Picky Dog to Eat: Strategies and Tips

Here are some helpful tips for getting picky dogs to eat.

Stick to a Schedule

As much as possible, feed your dog at the same time(s) each day so they know when to expect their food. Set your pup’s food down and leave it there for no more than 20 minutes before picking it up again. Feed your dog whatever they didn’t eat at the next mealtime, and be sure not to give them any treats between meals so they learn that they can’t just hold out for something “better.”

Change the Texture or Temperature

If you’ve been feeding kibble, try softening it with warm water or bone broth. If you’ve been feeding canned, fresh, raw, or other soft food, try warming it up or mixing in something crunchy (like raw carrots). Since the bones in We Feed Raw are so finely ground, you can lightly sear our patties, which can entice some picky pups who may be initially turned off by cold food.

Try a Different Protein

If you’ve always fed your dog chicken or beef, try different proteins like lamb, turkey, duck, or venison. They may just not like the protein you’ve chosen to feed them.

Act Like the Food Is a Treat

Our dogs tend to want what we have, so pretending to eat your dog’s food can sometimes be enough to convince them to eat it. You can also try feeding them from a spoon to make the food seem like more of a delicacy.

Add Toppers

Whether you mix in some We Feed Raw, canned pumpkin, bone broth, raw carrot chunks, anchovies, or another topper, sometimes that can convince a dog to lick their bowl clean.

Use Tough Love and Feed With Confidence

Dogs won’t intentionally starve themselves to death. When you set your dog’s food down, walk away confident that they will eat rather than nervously hovering and staring at your dog. It may take a few days, but they will eventually eat what they’re given rather than starve themselves.

Dietary Changes and Introducing New Foods to Picky Eaters

Changing any dog’s diet too suddenly can cause tummy trouble, so you should always transition picky eaters to new foods slowly over about a week. If you choose to switch your pup to We Feed Raw, we tell you exactly how to transition your dog over 10 days for the best results.

Raw Food for a Dog Picky Eater

While some dog breeds look nothing like their wolf ancestors, the digestive tracts of dogs and wolves are still nearly identical. Many dogs naturally understand that they aren’t meant to be eating highly processed kibble, and they struggle with pickiness until they are switched to a raw diet.

We Feed Raw makes a raw diet for dogs as easy as possible. We send you pre-portioned patties (that are nutritionally complete and balanced for dogs of all life stages, including the growth of large-breed puppies) and tell you how much to feed. All you need to do is thaw, portion, and serve.

And you don’t need to worry about our food making your dog or your family sick, because we use a cold-pressure process to inactivate any potential pathogens, making our food safe for your dog to eat, for you to handle, and for your kids to be licked by your dog after they eat.

Still not sure? Here’s just one of the many reviews from owners of picky pups who made the switch to We Feed Raw:

“My Mini Goldendoodle, Sunny, is a finicky eater. I saw the ad for We Feed Raw and thought I would give it a try. WOW…during the transition he was EXCITED to eat his food. Now he ‘reminds’ me when it’s time for him to eat. Thanks for such an amazing product!” -TH

Take our quiz now to start your pup on delicious We Feed Raw.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are dog food toppers for picky eaters?

Dog food toppers for picky eaters are tasty items you add to your dog’s food to encourage them to eat. Some fantastic dog food toppers include We Feed Raw, warmed bone broth, canned pumpkin puree, chunks of raw carrot, plain yogurt or kefir, blueberries, and sardines or anchovies (canned in water rather than oil).

How can a food topper benefit picky dogs?

A food topper can benefit picky dogs by adding a new flavor, scent, or texture to the pup’s food that entices them to eat. Note that the word “topper” is a bit misleading, since mixing toppers into the food usually has better results than just placing the preferred items directly on top of the food that the dog isn’t interested in.

Which are the best dog food toppers for picky eaters?

The best dog food toppers for picky eaters include canned pumpkin puree, small bits of raw carrots or cucumbers, bone broth, plain yogurt or kefir, blueberries, anchovies or sardines (canned in water rather than oil), and We Feed Raw.

How can I tell if my dog is a picky eater?

You can tell your dog is a picky eater if they hesitate or even refuse to eat their regular meals but happily accept treats or table scraps. Changing their food to a tasty raw diet or mixing in toppers may be enough to convince them to start eating their meals.

What type of food is suitable for picky dogs?

The best food for picky dogs is a complete and balanced raw diet like We Feed Raw because it closely mimics what dogs eat in the wild and contains higher-quality ingredients than canned or dry dog food, making it tastier (and healthier).

What should I feed a picky dog?

The best thing to feed a picky dog is often a raw diet such as We Feed Raw. Dogs frequently prefer this species-appropriate food over unnatural kibble. Even mixing some raw food into your dog’s kibble can help them want to eat more.

What are some strategies for a picky eater dog?

Some of the best strategies for a picky eater dog include switching them to a new protein, changing the temperature or texture of their food, sticking to a schedule, adding toppers, pretending the food is a treat, and changing to a species-appropriate and delicious raw dog food.

How do I get a picky dog to eat?

To get a picky dog to eat, try switching them to a raw diet, adding toppers, feeding them a different protein, pretending their food is a treat, sticking to a schedule, picking up the food between meals, and changing the temperature or texture of their food.

What is the best dog food for picky dogs?

The best dog food for picky dogs is We Feed Raw because it’s made from high-quality ingredients, species-appropriate, naturally low in obesity-causing carbs, similar to what dogs eat in the wild, and absolutely delicious.

My dog is a picky eater; what can I feed them?

The best thing you can feed your picky eater is a species-appropriate raw diet. We Feed Raw is nutritionally complete and balanced for dogs of all life stages, including the growth of large-breed puppies, and picky pups think our pre-portioned patties are delicious.

What can I put on dog food for picky eaters?

Some of the best things to put on dog food for picky eaters are We Feed Raw, anchovies, pumpkin puree, bone broth, carrots, plain yogurt or kefir, blueberries, and raw eggs.

Are there any home remedies for a picky eater dog?

The best home remedies for picky eaters are adding toppers to the food or switching to something like a species-appropriate raw diet in a flavor you haven’t fed them before, such as We Feed Raw’s venison, duck, or turkey recipes.

My dog is suddenly picky with food; what could be the cause?

If your dog has suddenly become picky with food, you may have opened a bad bag of food or your dog could be experiencing dental or medical problems. If nothing about your dog’s food or life has recently changed, you should take your pup to the vet to rule out a potentially serious health problem.

What's the best way to feed a picky dog?

The best way to feed a picky dog is to stick to a regular schedule, only leave their food down for up to 20 minutes per mealtime, avoid giving treats before meals, and either add toppers or switch to a tasty raw diet.

What should I do if my dog is being picky about food?

If your dog is being picky about food, you should either take them to the vet if the pickiness has come on suddenly and nothing about their diet has changed; stop feeding the food if you’ve recently opened a new bag of your dog’s usual diet and they don’t want to touch it; add tasty toppers; or switch to a delicious raw diet like We Feed Raw.

Any advice on how to get picky dogs to eat?

Some ways to get picky dogs to eat include adding toppers, switching to raw food, sticking to a regular feeding schedule, picking up your dog’s food between meals, and acting like their food is a treat.

How should I handle my picky dog eater?

You should handle your picky dog with a lot of love and understanding. You should also try switching them to a raw diet, adding delicious toppers to their food, not giving them treats or table scraps between meals, picking up their bowls after 20 minutes, and talking to a vet if your dog’s pickiness is new.

Why is my dog picky with food all of a sudden?

If your dog is picky with food all of a sudden, it could either be because you got a bad bag of their usual food or because they are suffering from a dental or medical problem. Try opening a fresh bag of food to see if that helps, or talk to your dog’s veterinarian.

How can I encourage my picky dog to eat?

You can encourage your picky dog to eat by switching them to a species-appropriate raw diet, adding delicious toppers to their food, pretending their food is a delicious treat, and not giving them treats or table scraps between meals.