Healthy Dogs

When Your Dog Is a Picky Eater

Make Sure You’re Giving Your Dog a Healthy Diet continued...

Check the ingredients, and make sure corn doesn’t top the list. Murray says, “Corn isn’t an ideal diet for a carnivore.”

If you’ve tried three brands and both canned and dry food, it’s time to look for another reason your dog refuses to eat. Most likely, he’s holding out for table scraps.

Reserve treats for times when praise is necessary, such as in training. But remember, not all rewards have to be edible. “If your dog loves attention, a scratch behind the ears is a treat,” Murray says.

If you find that food treats get the best results, create some boundaries.

For instance, only give a treat after a trick, and always do it in the backyard.

Also, limit treats to three a week, and put them in a separate container so that the entire family knows how many have been given.

“It’s one thing if your dog knows he only gets certain things while he’s training,” Murray says. “But it’s another if you’re sitting in the kitchen reading a magazine and give your dog a treat because he looks cute.”