Pet Allergies

What To Do If Your Puppy Or Dog Won’t Eat?

What To Do If Your Puppy Or Dog Won’t Eat?

Most of our beloved pooches are voracious eaters. It is a rare thing to find a canine that is completely unmotivated by food! So when your dog noses listlessly at the food bowl or simply doesn’t seem interested in food, alarm bells should start going off. Yikes. Is Fido sick? Is it the food? Or what’s going on? Fret not. Just like humans, a loss of appetite can be natural, but might also indicate a more severe medical problem. 


Figure Out Why Your Dog Or Puppy Won’t Eat 

 

It may be a medical condition, or it may be simply a matter of the food you're providing. To help you figure things out, consider these seven questions.


1. Is The Food Fresh?

A healthy dog might ignore a stale food bowl. After a month, a large bag of kibble will lose its attraction and may become rancid. Canned food is only good for three to five days after it's been opened, and it needs to be kept refrigerated.


2. Do You Over-Treat Your dog?

Although it is tempting, don’t feed too many treats! Treats and kibble have different tastes, and you may be providing so many treats to your fur baby that they are not hungry at mealtime. Treats and snacks should not account for more than 10% of your dog's daily calories. Also, try to feed hypoallergenic treats to reduce the risk of allergens. 


3. Are They Missing People's Food?

Have you been combining part of your delicious food with that of your canine, and now that you've chosen to stop, they're refusing to eat? Pets don't want to go back to their regular food if they've been eating treats or table foods with their meal and that's become their routine.


3. Did You Change Their Feeding Schedule?

If your four-legged pal follows a strict food schedule and you have modified it suddenly, he or she may not adjust to the new one right away. 


3. Is Their Dog Food Bland?

There are hundreds of different diets to select from when it comes to feeding your dog but you should go for the best dog food on the market. However, even the best dog food might not suit picky eaters, so if push comes to shove, drizzle some natural beef or chicken broth over their kibble. 


4. Are They Sick?

It could be a clue that your canine is sick or has a food allergy if he refuses to eat his regular meal. Many dogs are allergic or intolerant to the meat ingredient or cheap fillers like corn and soy sometimes used in commercial dog food. Chicken and beef are two of the most common culprits for food intolerances! If your dog has been unwell recently and vomited his or her regular kibble, he or she may begin to refuse it. 


Try switching up their dog food and whenever possible, feed them the best dog food for allergies which come from very sustainable sources to reduce the risk of sickness or allergens. 


5. Are They Bored Of Their Food?

For a few days, add low-fat cottage cheese, low-sodium broth, boneless chicken, or beef. However, don't do this for too long or your dog will develop a habit of expecting it. Start reducing the extras once they've returned to normal eating habits.


How To Make Your Dog Or Puppy Eat 

There’s nothing more saddening to us than a listless, lethargic pooch with no appetite. It is critical to take immediate and effective steps to urge your dog to eat and enhance his or her appetite. Long periods without food might result in serious conditions that are difficult to recover from. Here are some tips that you can try to encourage your pooch to eat.

- Make the switch to organic, preservative-free foods manufactured with high-quality ingredients. This can be a game-changer in terms of enhancing your dog's digestive functions while also significantly increasing their appetite and overall health. 

- Feed only hypoallergenic & sustainable dog food to reduce the risk of an allergic reaction to cheap ingredients that might be making your dog sick. 

- Avoid the two most common causes of allergies - chicken and beef. Try switching to alternative protein sources like insects or sustainable fish

- Healthy dog treats that enhance the immune system should also be included in your dog's diet.

- Maintain their dental health to avoid plaque, tartar, and dental disease, which could cause them pain and as a result, a refusal to eat. Long-lasting dental chews can be used to help your dog's dental health while also providing a tasty flavor that may rekindle his appetite.

- Make sure they get their daily exercise by taking them on walks. A lot of moving around and playing will make them hungry, but it will also keep them healthy and keep their weight in check.

- If all else fails, entice their appetite by adding some wet food or broth to flavor their kibble.

 

    Change Their Protein Source 

    Food allergies in dogs are more common than you think. You can get your veterinarian to test for a food allergy, or get a DIY home allergy test kit. The two most common culprits for allergies are chicken and beef - two protein sources most used in commercial dog food. 


    Insect Protein! 

    The best dog food for allergies, insects are an excellent source of protein, in addition to higher levels of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, as well as vitamin B12, magnesium, and loads of other vitamins and minerals.


    These nutrients promote a healthier and more active lifestyle and can be a good alternative to the regular diet of your dog. 


    And the eco-friendly dog owners will be pleased to know that insect farming produces fewer emissions, uses less water, and occupies less land than animal production, making a huge impact on the carbon footprint of you and your pooch. 


    About Wilder Harrier 

    Our sustainable dog food is made from farmed insects that emit 99% less greenhouse gasses than conventional protein sources. These insects can provide a protein content of over 50%, significantly more than other commercial kibble. 


    In addition, our fish kibble is made from Asian Carp, a highly invasive species initially bred in captivity but now spreading through the US and destroying the sensitive ecosystems of several waterways. 


    Dogs seem to love the taste of our food, but don’t take our word for it, give it a try! You’ll not only be doing your dog’s appetite a favor, but also showing our planet some lovin’.

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