Something many dog owners ask themselves is whether their dog is bored with their food. Having the human experience of enjoying a variety of tastes, this is a valid question to ask. Below I discuss how dogs sense their food and how to deal with your dog who comes across as being fussy.
How Your Dog Experiences Food
Dogs don’t taste food as powerfully as humans do. In fact, humans have approximately 9000 taste receptors while dogs only have around 1700. That is only one-sixth of the taste humans have.
What dogs lack in their ability to taste, they make up for in their extraordinary ability to smell. Have you ever noticed how excited your dog gets when the kitchen is full of aromas?
So even though it is unlikely that your dog is bored with the taste of their food, they may be less attracted to its aroma. It is thought that fresh foods have better aromas. If your dog is on kibble, you could try pouring hot water on it to bring out its aromas.
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Your Dog Is Adventurous
One way in which dogs are different from their wolf ancestors is their tendency to act on their curiosity. Instead of being cautious about something unknown, a dog will try new things if they are given the choice.
Having the ability to adapt to changes in their environment is a reason dogs breed so successfully.
So when you offer your dog a new flavor of food, he/she will be glad to accept it due to their inherent attraction to novelty.
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Having said this, when you keep changing your dog’s food, you may unknowingly teach them to be fussy.
Dogs are intelligent and are capable of manipulation to get attention. You may find yourself feeling burnt out if your dog traps you in a spiral of inventing new ‘exciting’ flavors.
Next Time Your Dog Acts Bored With Their Food
Next time your dog looks unimpressed with the flavor of the day, don’t assume the reason is that they are bored with their food. Examining your dog for possible health issues is the first thing that you should do.
If health issues have been ruled out, give your dog 30 minutes to eat their food. Next, take their bowl of food away and, if they did not eat anything, don’t offer them any more food until their next scheduled mealtime.
Repeat this process at their next mealtime. Dogs who have mastered the skill of manipulation may take longer to get used to your new behavior. Your dog will eventually stop using the ‘fussy eater’ method of getting attention and will resume eating happily again.
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Although dogs generally don’t get bored with the taste of their food, you should still introduce variety in their diets for better nutrition. On the other hand, too much diversity can also cause an upset tummy, especially if your dog has not been exposed to different food. Keeping a balance is best to support a healthy microbiome.
8 Benefits Of A Fresh Food Diet For Dogs
We are all taught that feeding our family fresh food is healthier than processed food. What about our furry four-legged members of the family? What about a fresh food diet for dogs?
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