Picky Eaters: Sophisticated Palates | Pet Wants San Francisco

Sophisticated Palates


Many of us have children with two—and sometimes four—legs, both of which sometimes share an inherently picky palate. Breeds such as Labradors or Beagles may live to eat, but smaller dogs such as Maltese, Yorkies, and Poodles can have what we affectionately call a “sophisticated palate.” The solution begins by investigating the sources.
 

Ordering Off the Menu

We inadvertently reward our pet’s attentive behavior during family meals with sumptuous samples that come from our dinner. Following dinner, time with family and friends usually includes repetitious tricks, which pay off with repetitious treats. It’s easy to show our pets how much we love them without realizing that we’re teaching them to prefer foods based on smell, rather than nutrition.
 

Patience Is a Virtue

If you feed your pet at the same time you eat, give your picky eater enough time to focus on their food before giving them enticing toppers. Often, this is the source of your finicky eater issues. As loving pet parents, we must realize that when they get hungry enough to eat, they will. Practice patience for a few weeks and you will be rewarded with an eating plan.

It is essential for them to know their proper food. If there are any troubling signs or issues, entice them to eat and contact your vet.
 

Tonight's Special: Variety

Here’s a great way to love your pet and let them show you their food preferences, too. Tonight, try fresh salmon meal and brown rice kibble in their bowl. Tomorrow, make it a bit of fresh chicken meal and turkey meal kibble. The day after, here comes fresh lamb meal and brown rice kibble. For the weekend, how about some fresh whitefish meal and duck meal kibble? What pet wouldn’t want to be eating at your house?

Here are some additional best practices to turn your pet's palate from picky to predictable:

  1. Keep them on a schedule. Have established feeding times.

  2. Serve the same portion of food with each meal.

  3. Switch from mass-produced kibble to fresh, small-batch kibble.

  4. Make small changes with their food over time. Mix the two and observe.

  5. Consider healthy rewards in their food to bring about the behavior you want. Healthy toppers such as canned or freeze-dried food with some goat’s milk usually hit the spot.
     

Pet Wants has a wide variety of slow-cooked, small batch, fresh and flavorful pet food choices. Become your pet’s favorite Chef and visit your Pet Wants. Bon Appetit!

 

We are not veterinarians or pet medical professionals. We have many years of experience and are well educated in natural nutrition and pet health. We are here to provide you with information and recommendations, but the advice from our nutrition specialists or guides is not a substitute for proper veterinary care. We offer carefully selected natural products, and we firmly believe you should work closely with your vet for any medical conditions or treatments.