How to get a Picky Pet to eat new things

Why is my pet being picky?
There are many reasons that a pet will get picky about the food they are eating and here are some things to consider. If you suspect any of these issues let us know and we'll assist you with transition, supplementation and/or behavioral issues.

1) “What the heck is in my bowl?” … Recognition: Sometimes pets don't recognize new foods with a different appearance as "food". Many pets are picky about a certain consistency or texture of a food and when a new food varies from what they're used to they won't even try it... even if it smells delicious. In many cases making a new food look similar to their old food makes it more appealing to them during transition. Forming new foods into balls or pellets so it looks like kibble, or adding water, or mashing a food to match a consistency can help get your pet started.

2) “Caviar or Grits?” ... Consistency: Many pets care more about consistency then flavor. If you have noticed that your pet prefers a certain type of food try a different food in the same consistency but a different flavor.

Some options to adjust consistency are (See "Trying new foods" for more details):

Making a Pate': make any food into a pate' consistency by adding a small amount of water and letting it soak then mashing it up.

Making a Chunky mix: Try temporarily adding chunky food blends into the food that you desire to switch your pet to. Try different soaking times or try lightly cooking the new food the first few times you feed it.

Making a Crunchy: Try balling up small amounts of food, or adding dry Ziwi Peak or Raw Bistro dehydrated, or slightly cooking a blend to get your pet to transition.

Pay attention to the temperature: Many pets don't like their food too warm or cold. Make sure that if you have a picky eater you take note of your pet’s preferences to temperature. Sometimes its important to check their teeth to make sure they don't have a dental problem (such as abscess or fracture) that needs attention that is causing their pickiness.

Pay attention to freshness: Many pets can tell once a food has been open for a period of time and no longer want to eat it. There are many reasons for this. With dry food the oils can go rancid after a period of time. With canned food oxygen may begin to break down chemicals used to denature the food and metal/plastics leach into the food over even short periods of time. With dehydrated and raw food they tend to get slightly crunchy around the edges, leaving a partially crunchy and partially squishy texture that some pets don't like. If your pet doesn't like their food if it's been open for more then one meal consider making each meal fresh or switching to a different product.

3) "Steak and Eggs, Please?" ... Established Behavior: You may have created a monster. It's very common for pet owners to worry when their pets don't eat. Sometimes your pets prefer the attention of your worry over their food. Many owners offer their pets enticements to get them to eat. Enticements given after you pet has snubbed their food just teaches them that snubbing their food means tastier treats. You might even give them additional attention and worry and try hand feeding them. The important thing to remember is that the more you baby your pet through eating the pickier they will be in the future. We're happy to help you figure out how to get around behavior based pickiness problems. See enticements under number 13 for tips about giving your pet extras without causing behavioral problems.

4) Bringing out the Dinnerware... What's in a bowl? : Some pets have poor vision and a deep or round bowl makes them nervous because it's dark and hard for them to see into. Many cats and dogs, don't like their whiskers touching the sides of the bowl and an oval shaped bowl or plate is the only thing that will make them comfortable eating.

5) "I'm in charge"... a bit of Trickery: Some pets don't like to feel bossed around. Your pet might feel anxiety and pressure about eating a new food. Often times if you put the food in an area that they don't normally eat they will feel it was their idea and try it.

6) "My dish stinks?"... Problems with the food: There could be something wrong with their food. Pets have the ability to smell far better than you do. They can smell when a food has an unacceptable odor so perhaps there is a problem with the food that you don't know about. It never hurts to take a food back to the store, even if you're not returning it, and ask the people there (that have regular interaction with the product) if it looks and smells how they would expect it to and if they have heard of any problems with the brand. Asking questions is the quickest way to diagnose problems with your pet.

7) Gurgle, Gurgle... Stomachache central: Their food might make them not feel well. Sometimes pets get an upset stomach or abdominal pain without vomiting or diarrhea. Pancreatic issues, stress and anxiety, H.pylori, and MANY other common issues can cause your pet to snub their food simply because they associate eating with a feeling of sickness. Sometimes you have to work them through a transition onto a better food for them to realize that a new food won't make them feel that way anymore. Adding Raw Goat Milk, Raw Cow Milk, Adored Beast products, Carna4 Sprouted Seeds, Herbsmith Microflora or In Clover Optagest is a great option to help with this problem.

8) Dinner and a Show... Playing with your food: Sometimes when pets eat too fast they get sick to their stomach. Slowing down their consumption can be the difference between a picky eater and a great eater. When it comes to cats and dogs playing with food can mean a long, healthy life. For cats it can be helpful to toss freeze dried nuggets that they can feel like they are chasing and catching. Feeding a full meal inside of a toy can slow your dogs' meal time to a safe, choke and bloat free speed. Ask us for assistance in finding ways to get your pet to play with their food and decrease their pickiness.

9) "No thanks, I already ate"... Lack of appetite: Many pets don't ever get a chance to develop an appetite when they are free fed. While it's hard for humans to understand, cats and dogs would not nibble on small amounts of food throughout the day like humans do. Physiologically it is healthiest for dogs to eat twice a day and for cats to eat once a day. Continued feeding can cause pH imbalances, kidney problems, metabolic problems, poor digestion, etc. Additionally, if your pet is free fed it could take you longer to notice if your pet is sick or if there is a problem with their food that needs to be addressed.

10) "I'll take some Trickery for $400, Alex"... sneaking it in: Cats like to have clean feet so sometimes getting a little food on their toes forces them to try new things. You can also try to pry open their mouth and put new food in - some pets just don't know that new things are food. Don't force it into their throat. You are simple trying to get it to touch their tongue so they taste it (smelling it and walking away does NOT mean they don't like it. You don't really know that they don't like it until they actually try it and then don’t want to eat it again). Get them to understand that although it doesn't look the same as food they are used to it is actually edible.

11) "But I had that last night... and for the last four years!!!"....Rotation : Offering a healthy rotation of foods (meat proteins, bases and even brands) helps compensate for deficiencies and toxicities of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and enzymes. It also helps prevent the development of allergies. Most pet foods are supplemented with synthetic vitamins, minerals, and amino acids where the main ingredients are deficient. Synthetic supplements can be contaminated, overdosed, rancid, etc. They do not work synergistically with each other and contribute to many long term health problems if the diet is not varied and rotated. 

12) "I'll take some MSG, sugar, salt and a propylene glycol sauce, please"... Dealing with addiction: Many pet foods add addictive ingredients such as MSG (listed as hydrolyzed protein), table sugar, table salt, sweet tasting propylene glycol (a derivative of antifreeze), other "spices" and synthetic chemicals for "enhancement". These ingredients are used to cover the taste of poor quality ingredients and get pets addicted to foods. If your pet is eating a food they are addicted to and you want to switch them it might help you to think about it like McDonald's. Junk food is not ok for every meal and in the case of a pet (who doesn't have to deal with temptation) it's not necessary to feed it at all. You can switch!!!!... its up to you to be strong and firm for your pet. Don't forget that your pet is not going to stumble upon a food they "just can't resist" if it's not in your home.

13) "More, Please?"... Enticements: Solutions Raw Milk - unpasteurized, cultured goat milk assists with digestion and often times makes a picky eater feel better when they eat. It has cinnamon (for regulating insulin levels) and honey and has an ice cream type flavor. The taste and the anti-inflammatory benefits often significantly help with picky eaters and help can even make overeaters feel more satisfied. Ask us for assistance in finding additional enticements that will benefit YOUR pet if you need to.

Entice on your terms, not theirs-No matter what you add to your pets food make sure that you NEVER add enticements to their food as a result of them snubbing it. This will only exacerbate your problem as your pet will learn that snubbing their food will bring better, yummier food. They can have yummy food and enticements but ONLY if you add it before you give them their meal.

14) Maybe next time... try and try again: Sometimes you try something and it doesn't work and then you try exactly the same thing a year later and it works miracles. I couldn't get my cat to try Ziwi Peak for ANYTHING a couple years ago. They didn't change anything about the food but when I tried it again a couple months ago he went crazy for it all by himself. I didn't have to do anything but put it in his bowl and he likes it so much he'd eat the whole bag if I left it out. Sometimes preferences change so its always reasonable to ask for a sample of something you haven't tried in a long time that didn't work for you when you tried it in the past. It might be different this time. And if it's not at least you ruled it out!

15) I have other things to do and new food isn't very interesting... considering confinement: It's not uncommon for pets to get distracted by other things, especially if they aren't hungry or don't recognize the new food as edible.  Putting your pet alone in the bathroom for 30-60 minutes when trying out new foods can be the difference between a successful and unsuccessful transition.  Especially with cats, if they are given the opportunity to walk away from a food they often won't even try it... so how would they know if they like it??? If you put them in alone in a bathroom to just sit and zen with their new gourmet meal they are far more likely to try it out once they forget about the other pressing concerns in their life (scratching your stairs, hunting bugs, getting chin rubs).

Extra tips about switching

Switching off of Dry Food:

Research on the gut biome of dogs shows that fasting for 24 hours will significantly alter gut biome - ultimately "prepping" the pet for a transition to fresh feeding. The easiest way to transition is fast for 24 hours then begin the new diet immediately, starting at 25-30% of the total caloric intake the first day and increasing slowly for several days following. You may supplement with anti-diarrhea supplements for up to 10 days if you have a particularly sensitive pet. 

Alternatively, you may choose to mix foods. Incrementally increase new food over the courses of 1-3 weeks if desired.

 

Switching off of Canned Food:
Quality canned foods can be very pricey and are still a cooked/processed product. If you're trying to transition a picky eater to less expensive and healthier dehydrated or raw from a canned diet try starting with just enough of the new food to thicken the old food. Sometimes starting with an amount small enough that they won't even know they're eating it will help (just a pinch, then a sprinkle...). Then slowly increase the new food and decrease the old food over the period of 1 week -3 months. Don't forget, however, that the caloric content of dehydrated and raw is much higher then that of canned so you have to be careful to not overfeed.

Ok, you know how to get them to try new things... now how do you transition them?

You'll know it is time to increase your pet's ratio of new food when they have solid stool. Some pets may take 3 days to transition and some take 3 weeks. You must transition at a rate that is comfortable by observing your pet. Only you, the parent, can do that so increase according to what you think is best based on your pet's tolerance.

Alternatively, you can switch "cold turkey."  Transitioning rapidly is usually easier on young pets than it is on older pets because their digestive systems have not had time to accumulate large amounts of toxins and indigestible material and it has not acclimated to only one metabolic pathway. Often times, eating poor quality food can be likened to always hitting construction on the shortest drive to work every day.  Eventually the driver just stops attempting that route and takes a longer, less ideal route to work to avoid the construction. The pathways for metabolism and digestion mimic this in the sense that fresh, natural foods (those that the body is evolved to utilize) are unavailable, like the construction area on the road, so the body seeks new ways to utilize what IS available.  In senior pets, offering a new way of functioning can be more dramatic than it is for younger systems. Most puppies and kittens have little to no issue with switching cold turkey. We recommend expecting and allowing a little loose stool or diarrhea (as long as it's not to the degree of causing dehydration) for up to 3 days during a transition to allow their body to purge old, undigested food. Providing Elemental Provisions The Regulator** with foods for up to 10 days can assist in the transition.

Optional speeds of transition:
"Immediate"- Add Elemental Provisions The Regulator** or other supplements if necessary
"Moderate" or "Slow"- mix 25% "new" food with 75% "old" food for 2-7 days. Increase "new" food 25% and decrease "old" food 25% every 2-7 days (or when your pet's stool is solid). Add suggested supplements if necessary. (For extra sensitive pets increase new food in 10% increments instead of 25% increments.

Please note:
Upon switching from a highly processed food such as kibble or canned, to a dehydrated raw or raw food there may be some detoxifying and clean up of accumulated food debris. Your pets stool volume may temporarily increase or they may develop diarrhea. This is actually a healthy response by the digestive system as long as you transition slowly enough and supplement properly to prevent severe diarrhea. Processed food leaves "residue" in the system... material that is neither absorbed nor passed due to inefficient digestion. Dehydrated raw or raw food is optimally absorbed and what minor material that is not utilized by the body passes through, eliminating a major burden on the digestive system and consequently the immune systems. This leaves the body able to perform other necessary tasks, which may include a "spring cleaning" of the colon. This in turn creates a healthy environment in the gut and makes it less susceptible to parasites and bacteria, which live in the mucus sludge of the colon. As stated above we have products which can minimize the discomfort (for humans cleaning up) and negative side effects of this otherwise healthy process.

**Elemental Provisions The Regulator is considered the "miracle cure" for diarrhea.  However, it does not cure the CAUSE of diarrhea, rather it manages the symptom of diarrhea while the body acclimates to a new food or while other support is given to resolve the cause of the problem (e.g. problems such as giardia or pancreatitis). Should it be required to control diarrhea or constipation for more than 10 days you should consult a medical professional or nutritionist to address any underlying cause. While these products are safe to give in large doses long term, it is important to address the cause of concern rather than using these types of supplements to prevent symptoms. Please come in, call or email Hero's Pets with any questions, comments or concerns.