Wonder why your dog won’t eat? Typically, dogs tend to have large appetites, such that they are likely to gobble up whatever it is that you put in front of them.
Sometimes, though, you may notice that your dog isn’t quite as hungry as he is supposed to be. This can, of course, be pretty alarming to notice as a dog parent.
The first thing you need to do is identify the cause of your dog’s low appetite. Here are 10 reasons why your dog won’t eat.
Dogs often suffer from dental problems, many of which may escape your attention if you aren’t abreast of your dog’s oral health.
Unlike humans, dogs cannot communicate when they’re in pain – apart from some whining and whimpering here and there. If they have bleeding or swollen gums, you might not know about it for a while. There are a number of serious problems that can lead to swollen gums, such as a tumor in the mouth or gingivitis.
As such, the only way you’ll know that your dog is dealing with an oral health issue is when it stops eating.
There have been massive improvements in animal healthcare in recent years. As such, a number of new vaccinations and medications are being used to treat all sorts of illnesses and to preemptively stop them from occurring in the first place.
However, many of these medications have undesirable side effects; one of which is that your dog might lose his appetite.
For one or two whole days, your pup may just not eat altogether. You shouldn’t really be worried if this is the case because these side effects should wear out in a while, and your dog’s appetite will go back to normal.
Sometimes, your furry friend may eat something that is not good for them or their stomach. As such, they may encounter problems with digestion that may take some time to recover. If your pup has an upset stomach, it only makes sense that he will not feel like eating.
Sometimes, even if your dog is extremely well behaved and trained, he will be tempted to eat bugs and trash and any other thing that isn’t exactly good for his health. He is a dog, after all!
When this happens, your dog will start to experience sharp stomach pains and will most likely vomit out whatever he had eaten. In extreme cases of indigestion, dogs, like humans, will most likely experience diarrhea as well.
In any case, if your dog has stomach problems, it is unlikely that he will feel like eating for a long time until he starts to feel better again.
The type of food that you feed your pup will largely impact whether or not your dog wants to eat it. If lower-quality ingredients are used, your dog will not feel like eating the food that you put in front of it.
If your pup doesn’t seem interested in the food that you give him, it’s time to stop and think about whether you‘re even giving your dog high-quality dog food, to begin with.
Although dog food is made to have a longer shelf life, it can still sometimes go bad. Old food can be extremely unappetizing for your dog, which is why he may reject the food altogether.
Old food can smell bad, develop mold, and can, therefore, be extremely unappetizing for your pup. Old food also isn’t nearly as nutritious as fresh food.
Dogs love a proper routine. They tend to get comfortable in a certain lifestyle, which they then find very difficult to leave.
Once they have a fixed schedule, they do not appreciate any changes. If you change things up even slightly, it can make them unhappy and uncomfortable to the point that they stop eating.
For example, if you welcome a new family member into your household, your pup may get anxious. Similarly, if you change your pup’s daily exercise regime, or if you change his eating time, he may get anxious.
It might take some time for your pup to adjust to any major changes before he starts eating properly again.
This is perhaps the easiest to understand and relate to. Just like humans, dogs have their likes and dislikes when it comes to food. Over time, your pup may be able to form his own opinion about what he likes and does not like.
Your pup may, for example, enjoy certain flavors and not enjoy others. If your dog recognizes flavors that he does not like, he may automatically begin to avoid those.
For example, there may be certain vegetables that your dog may not enjoy, and over time, if he recognizes those vegetables in his food, he will begin to avoid them.
The best thing to do in this situation is to mix in some of the “unwanted” food with the food that your dog loves and is used to having. Over time, you can increase the quantity of the food that your dog doesn’t like so that he gets used to eating it.
Just like humans, dogs cannot eat the same thing day in and day out without getting tired of it. If you have been feeding your pup the exact same brand and variety of dog food for a long time, he’ll start to get tired of it!
It’s always good to mix things up and make your pup’s mealtimes interesting. For example, you can opt for wet dog food sometimes instead of dry dog food.
Sometimes your dog may simply be acting out when he refuses to eat food. In such cases, make sure not to spoil your pup excessively as this may simply backfire on you. If your pup wants to eat something that’s not healthy for him, don’t give in to the temptation, no matter how much he whines and moans.
While giving treats to your pup is important, giving too many treats isn’t exactly ideal. Too many treats at the wrong time will make your pup feel full and might cause him to miss his mealtimes. Once this becomes a habit, your pup’s eating schedule will get messed up, which will lead to health and behavioral problems down the line.
Not eating isn’t always a cause for concern when it comes to our beloved K-9 friends. However, if you’re worried that your dog isn’t eating the way it should, these 10 reasons why your dog won’t eat ought to help you get down to the bottom of the issue.
by Bobby J Davidson || You can’t buy love, but you can rescue it™ .
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