NUTRITION GUIDES

picky eater guide

For a healthy dog who has always been picky, the feeding routine is often part of the problem. A dog who holds out for something better has usually been taught that holding out works. It can come undone about as fast as it was learned.

Below is what to do at the bowl, and the one number most people get wrong.

Before you start, which one is this?

This started in the last few days

A dog who was eating fine last week is a different problem. Read this first.

Snacks, and why the bowl comes back full

One of the most common reasons a dog walks away from their food is simply too many calories throughout the day. Snacks and treats can add up fast, often making up a much larger share of their daily calories than you realize. When mealtime comes around, they may just not be hungry.

Treat budget ESTIMATE

0kcal

Keep treats, chews, toppers, table scraps and other extras within about 10% of their daily calories.

Count a normal day

And yes, it all counts.

Treats. Chews. Table scraps. Dental treats. Pill pockets. Toppers. That bite of chicken while you are cooking. If it has calories, add it to the budget.

Our treats

Everything else Cheese, peanut butter, chews, table food and eight more

High moisture options like cucumber and celery can provide satiety without the calories.

Figures are typical, so round up when you are guessing and add anything missing to the closest thing on the list.

This sounds different from normal pickiness.

A dog who has always been picky may have learned some very effective feeding habits. A dog whose appetite suddenly changes deserves a different approach. If your dog normally eats well and their appetite has suddenly changed, or if they are showing other signs that something is wrong, do not treat it like a behavior problem.

The signs to watch for

Call your veterinarian if you notice

Vomiting, diarrhea, or straining
Lethargy, hiding, or signs of pain
Drooling or difficulty chewing
Weight loss or visible ribs
Drinking more than usual
A sudden change in appetite

Don't wait it out if your dog is

Under six months old
Under 10 pounds
Pregnant or nursing
Diabetic or taking medication that requires food
On a Fresh Rx or other prescribed diet

A healthy adult dog may occasionally skip a meal. Eating very little for up to 24 hours is usually not an immediate concern.

The Kitchen Timer Rule

Food goes down. Set a timer for 30 minutes. Food comes up 30 minutes later. Nothing else is offered until the next meal.

The goal is not to make your dog hungry. It is to make meals predictable again.

Serve the meal and set the timer. If they have not eaten when it goes off, pick the food up and move on.
No replacement meal. No upgraded option. No handful of treats because you feel bad.
Offer their next meal at the normal time, and offer the same food. Nothing new gets added to make it more interesting.
No treats, chews or table food between meals for the two weeks. This is the part everyone skips, and it is the part that works.
Refrigerate uneaten fresh food promptly and use a clean bowl at the next meal. Fresh food should not sit out for more than thirty minutes at a time.

Track it

Two weeks is a long time to hold a line by memory. Log each meal with one tap and this page keeps the record, tells you what your own two weeks are saying, and prints a page you can hand your veterinarian.

Nothing is sent anywhere. It saves to this browser, and to your account when you are signed in.

Feeding log

Day	Meals	Treats

Logged by the owner on wynwooddogfood.com. Ate it = finished, Left some = partly eaten, Left it all = refused.

Wynwood Tips

Warm, not hot

Aroma plays a big role in palatability. Gently warming fresh food can make it smell stronger and more appealing. Warm, not hot.

Walk first, feed second

A short walk before meals builds an appetite the same way it does for us, and it gives the meal a cue that arrives at the same time every day. The routine matters as much as the walk.

Check the portion before you blame the dog

If they leave about the same amount every night, the portion is probably too large. Always use a kitchen scale rather than judging by eye, and weigh the same way every meal.

Be boring about it

Same place. Same times. Same food. No audience. Dogs read attention as negotiation, and a picky eater is usually a dog who has learned that waiting produces a better offer.

Do not negotiate with the bowl.

If they learn that ignoring dinner produces chicken, cheese, treats, or a completely different meal, they have a very good reason to keep ignoring dinner. Consistency is what resets the pattern.

Switching flavours the moment they hesitate. This teaches the hesitation.
Hand feeding to get them started. It becomes the only way they will eat.
Adding something tastier on top every night. The topper becomes the meal and the food underneath becomes the thing to avoid.
Leaving the bowl down all day. Food that is always there is never interesting, and fresh food should not sit out.

Questions we get

She ignores dinner but never says no to a treat

That is useful information.

A dog who ignores their normal meal but is immediately interested in treats may still have an appetite. Sometimes the issue is that they have learned holding out gets them something better.

For the next two weeks, count every extra calorie and stick to the meal routine. If their appetite has changed suddenly or something else seems off, call your veterinarian.

Can I mix something in to get her started?

During a switch, yes, that is exactly what the transition is for. As a permanent habit, no. If something goes on top every night, the food underneath becomes the part to hold out on. See How to Feed Fresh for the switch itself.

He eats kibble fine but is picky with fresh food

Sometimes the adjustment is the routine, not the food.

A dog who is used to grazing on kibble throughout the day may take time to adjust to measured fresh meals served at specific times.

Keep portions appropriate, limit extras, use a consistent feeding window, and give the routine some time before assuming you need another food.