15 Tips to Improve a Dog’s Appetite

Is your dog not eating? Stimulating a dog’s appetite is trial and error, whether it’s from an illness, a sensitive stomach, or some other underlying cause. Fortunately, you won’t need another once you find the right way. There are many reasons why your dog may not eat. It’s a must to discover why and re-establish your dog’s joy for food the right way.

Brown Dog Eating

Here are some tips to improve a dog’s appetite.

Feed Them Separately

A dog may not want to eat around an aggressive animal or other animals. If you’ve recently got a new addition to your home, your dog may not want to eat around them. Feed them separately. See if this changes how your dog consumes food.

Try Another Type of Dog Food

Especially if this is a new dog and their appetite isn’t quite there, you need to try a different type of food. Dogs may like chicken and beef but not seafood, for example. Experiment with what food you feed them to see what they respond to. Switch to brands like Open Farm dog food, which are made with high-quality ingredients.

Cut Back on Treats

Your dog may not eat its meals because it is already full of treats or because it knows better food is coming later.

Treat the Underlying Cause

If a lack of appetite is the result of a treatable medical condition, treat it or treat the symptom. Common reasons why dogs do not eat as much as they used to include cancer, kidney disease, liver disease, GI issues, inflammatory bowel disease, chronic pain, recovering from surgery, or dental issues.

Increase Comfort Levels

If an animal is somewhere new, it may be nervous or uncomfortable. Increase their comfort level by setting up their food near familiar smells or putting their food bowl near an area they feel comfortable in. Unfamiliar surroundings can make any dog wary.

Get Them Exercise

No underlying medical cause? You can stimulate your dog’s appetite by exercising it if it is healthy. Even an hour-long walk around the neighborhood will burn calories for your pup and get them itching to drink water and eat.

This might not always be something you can fit into your schedule. You should always walk your dog, but there may be days when you need to find additional ways to help them disperse their energy. A great way to do this is to section off a part of your backyard with a dog fence, so they can run around and have some fun in the outdoors. When they are outside, even in the back garden, they will be able to use up energy by sniffing around, which is really stimulating for dogs, run around, or play with their toys out there. As long as you have made the area safe and secure for your pet, this is a great way to get them exercising to help increase their appetite.

Stimulate Them Mentally

Sometimes, dogs have mental health troubles and depression, just like humans. Try playing with them more often. Get them some new toys. Look into what you can do to treat dog depression if you believe this could be a factor in them wanting to eat.

Add Water to Kibble

Add water to your kibble and let it sit for a few minutes. This creates a near-gravy effect that many dogs love. This can help dogs on a prescription or restrictive diet eat what’s in front of them without compromising their diet.

Try Some Fresh Chicken

Give your dog plain, skinless, and boneless chicken. See if it takes it. Some cooked chicken is the perfect protein for a sick or geriatric dog that is picky about eating. Avoid seasonings or spices.

Hand-Feed Your Dog

You may want to try hand-feeding your dog and encouraging them at meals. Just sit with them, pet them, and give them kibble by hand. If the lack of appetite is temporary or when you need to get them to eat, this sort of bonding activity can be beneficial.

Yum Up Your Dog Food

To make your existing kibble more appealing, add something yummy, such as canned pumpkin, lean meat, cottage cheese, or even some types of baby food—so long as it does not contain onion or garlic, which are toxic to dogs.

Warm Up Some Canned Food

Warming a can of dog food in the microwave or in a small pot releases fragrances into the air that your dog will recognize and be tempted to eat. Warm any wet or canned food you normally feed your dog slightly—it doesn’t need to be excessively hot.

Try Acupuncture

Dog acupuncture has been shown to decrease pain, inflammation, and nausea. It can also stimulate appetite in some dogs with reduced appetite due to diabetes, kidney or liver trouble, inflammation, or hormonal conditions.

Speak to Your Vet About Meds

Pet owners should speak to their veterinarian as a last resort about prescription medicines. Mirtazapine, Entyce, Cerenia, and Meclizine are all potential options. They generally aid in nausea, vomiting, and stomach upset, which can encourage a sick dog to eat more without feeling ill.

Provide Pet-Friendly Medicines

Some pet-friendly medications, such as CBD tablets or cannabinoids, such as dronabinol, can also stimulate appetite. This depends on the dog, though. For some, these medicines may not have such an effect.

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