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Here are some tip and tricks to make sure that your fur friend is eating their food with no fuss.

First and foremost, if your dog refuses to eat, take them for a checkup at the vet. Make 100% sure that them not eating has nothing to do with them feeling ill. Once you have ruled out any kind of illness, you can move on to some steps to combat food rejection.

Try mixing things up – Just like humans, dog’s can have very discerning palates. It may just be a simple case of them getting bored from eating the same thing day in and day out. It’s important to realise that these are intelligent creatures that have tastes and preferences just like we do. Try a different variety and see if this gets their taste buds tantalized, and then make sure you mix it up every now and then so that they get some delicious variety to keep them interested.

Be engaged! – In case you didn’t realise, dogs love attention! We aren’t saying that every meal needs to be a cheer fest of praise, but giving them some positive reinforcement when they do eat their food may just encourage them. You want them to feel like eating is the very best thing that they can do, and showing this in your tone and mannerisms is a great way to get them going. Each time you feed them and they eat, couple it with a verbal reward –“Good boy!” Repeat after meal time and make a big ado about them eating – You will see from the wag in his tail whether its working or not. It’s also a great idea to implement a play time session about 20 minutes after a meal. Haul out the ball and play with them regularly when they finish their food, this will create a correlation between eating well and play time rewards, a sure way to get them to finish their meal and be excited about it.

Never scold at mealtimes – Don’t ever use harsh words or scold your dog if they don’t want to eat or are not responding to your praise. No matter how frustrated you feel, it’s important to remember that your words and tone carry a heavy weight with your dog and they have an incredible memory. Any type of negative reinforcement will be remembered long after the meal is forgotten. Positive words and reinforcement is truly the key.

The bottom line when it comes to a healthy relationship with food for your fur friends is that keeping a healthy and natural balance will keep them interested in their meals. It fat, carbs and other nutrients are properly balanced then their bodies will respond positively and there should be no eating issues. It’s worth investigating a premium brand that offers all the nutritional support that your dog needs to stay healthy and full of beans. Just like people, dogs deserve a nutritionally sound diet that is also pleasing to the palate.

You will come to see that a combination of a loving home environment, plenty of exercise, regular checkups and a great quality diet are the keys to a life filled with waggy tails of health and happiness.