My puppy won't eat without gravy. How can I fix his picky eating?

Hi there! Scooby sure sounds like he's becoming a very picky eater! A lot of dogs do this, and the more you give in, the more they will demand new and different foods mixed in and people food. The best way to break the behavior is to offer him his food, and no matter how long he takes to eat it, wait it out. Eventually he will realize that that's what he's getting to eat and that's it! If some people still have trouble at this point, I tell them to try balanceIT.com. it is a website that teaches you how to make a home cooked diet for your dog and also offers a supplement you can add into the food to make sure that they ate getting enough of the minerals and vitamins that they need. From the way it sounds, no matter what you add to scooby's food he's going to want something different in a few days, but you can try some plain low fat Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or pumpkin mixed into the food, or even just some warm water to help bring out the fragrance. Also make sure of course that scooby is up to date on his vet visits, vaccines, dewormings, and other preventive care, and that he is not having any signs of illness like diarrhea or vomiting. If he absolutely will not est, a vet visit is in order, but it doesn't seem that way.

What a cute puppy! With him being 7 months old and a small breed dog, I think that Lucas is slowing down on his growing. This can cause a reduction in his appetite. I find that the more that we change a dog's food- the more pickier they become. I would stick with one brand, offer 1/3 of slightly less than the daily recommended amount (they sell dog food, so the more he eats the more you buy) three times daily. Give him a set amount of time and then pick up the bowl. This will create some urgency. He will eat if he is hungry. The more we change and add things, the more he will wait to eat to see what good stuff will be added. I would keep track of his body condition score- you should be able to feel his ribs with a little bit of fat cover, but not see them. As long as he is in good body condition, I would not worry. Some dogs are not food motivated and will just eat what they need. If you have any questions about his weight or body condition score, you can ask your veterinarian. I don't think that grain free food are necessary. Dogs are omnivores.

Kyro is very handsome! I would feed him according to the package instructions on the bag. He is a puppy and is still growing, so it's not recommended to restrict his food. I would cut of the treats though, including the Milkbone, bully stick, and grain free treats. Treats should only be given occasionally not daily, and too many treats can lead to weight again. As for the roast beef and gravy, he really doesn't need that on his food, he should only be getting dog food. Try gradually cutting back on the amount of roast beef and gravy you add to his food until he is eating the dog food only. I hope this helps!

My best recommendation is to have Rocky on a large breed puppy formula of high quality dog food. My preferred brands include Hill's, Royal Canin and Purina. Because all puppy foods differ in their caloric content per cup, feed the recommended amount based on his weight that is listed on the back of the food bag. I would also recommend weighing Rocky every 10-14 days because he will be gaining weight quickly and you will need to adjust the amount of food you are feeding him based on his weight. Eating his poop is a normal puppy behavior and probably not because of hunger or decreased nutrition. It is however this is a habit that needs to be broken so clean up his feces as often as possible and correct the behavior whenever you see it. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

What Ozzy has done is train you to feed him what he wants when he wants. You can break this habit (and save money amd food) by choosing just one diet that he eats. Dogs thrive on routine, so if he isn't on a feeding schedule, start one. Prepare his food at the scheduled time and leave it down for 30 minutes before picking it up whether he has eaten or not. If he spills the food, clean it up without a word. Repeat this at the next mealtime. Do not offer any food or treats between meals. Don't worry, he will not starve. Once he realizes no other choices will be made available, he will begin to eat. Be patient and be firm.

Picky dogs can be so frustrating! I personally am not a fan of grain free diets. The truth is, they are a marketing fad. The reality is that only 5% of dog allergies are caused by food, and of that 5%, the majority is protein related. Grain allergies are extremely rare, and I never recommend feeding a grain free food unless the dog has a proven food allergy to grains. Grains are beneficial to dogs, as it helps fill them up and keeps them satisfied for longer. I recommend switching them to a brand such as Royal Canin, Hill's Science Diet, Purina ProPlan, or Iams. Whether or not you make the switch of foods, it's time to get tough with them if you want them to eat only dry dog food. They won't starve themselves, they will eat it eventually. You just have to be strong and not give in. Start by putting their food down in the morning for 15-20 minutes, taking it away after this time period even if they haven't eaten. Then no more food until dinner time. This is extremely important, they have to learn they need to eat the dog food or they don't get anything else. At dinner time, again put their food down for 15-20 minutes, taking it away after that time even if they haven't eaten. No more food until their dog food the next morning. Do not give in to them, no meat, cheese, or raw egg on their food. They will get hungry enough to eat the dog food only as long as you stay strong. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Even with the vitamin supplements, this is not likely a complete and balanced diet. There is not anything you can give him to improve his appetite. This is likely behavioral and nature. It’s hard to get a pet adjusted to eating pet food once they are used to eating something like human food or jerky treats. You may try cooking his food or try different commercial diets to find one he likes. If you want to cook his food, you will need to contact a veterinary nutritionist to make sure that the diet is complete and balanced. A recent survey found that the vast majority of the homemade diets found online were unbalanced. Any food you choose needs to be AAFCO tested and certified. This information will be on the packaging. You will also need to decrease the amount of jerky you are giving him. Best of luck.