I have the world’s fussiest dog! Many owners claim their dogs are fussy, but I think few compare to Bart the fussy Vizsla.

Apparently, Bart failed to read the manual that says dogs should inhale their food, trick humans into believing they haven’t been fed or to stare at you with a desperate forlorn expression until you cave in and offer up a treat. Instead, Bart treats his food with suspicion and even spits out dog treats because he just can’t be bothered!

I therefore sympathise when pet owners struggle to get their canine companions to eat enthusiastically. The first thing to establish is whether the dog is unwell. This can usually be determined by whether the fussy eater has always been fussy, if their bowel movements are normal, if they are drinking normal amounts, and by their general body condition. If something is not quite right, a trip to the vet is in order.

The next thing to establish is whether the dog is underweight. Surprisingly, many fussy eaters are either in perfect condition or slightly overweight. In this case the reluctance to polish off food is simply that they have had enough, which doesn’t require any significant intervention. Skinny dogs (which Bart is) cause the most anxiety and deserve a more proactive approach.

No single solution for all fussy dogs
Generally, we don’t encourage owners to change diets too often. Constant variety can form habits and we often find dogs and cats train us to regularly offer them something different when they learn that turning their noses up at one meal results in something else being produced.

Some pets can also be sensitive to diet changes, so offering many different brands can end up causing digestive upsets. I usually advise a high quality, consistent diet – genuine fussy eaters will be fussy with most foods, so a varied diet often only works short-term before they go off it anyway.

Fussy eaters are much rarer in multi-dog households – one of the few things that gets Bart eating is when his mum wanders over to his full food bowl. Competition encourages dogs to eat – if you don’t want another dog (a bit of a radical solution), remove the food after 10-20 minutes. Dogs soon learn that food is not always available and are more likely to eat it when it is offered.

Some dogs eat better when only fed once daily, as they become hungrier, but for skinny fusspots I would put the food down 3-4 times during the day for 10-20 minute periods. Often once they start eating they will eat a decent amount, so sometimes it is okay to offer some food by hand or sprinkle a few treats over the food to get them going. Standing over the dog at mealtimes and fussing them can encourage them to eat their food but gets a bit tiresome!

There isn’t one single solution for all fussy dogs. If you’re struggling with a very fussy eater, come and have a chat and, if in any doubt, have your dog checked to make sure there isn’t an underlying illness putting them off their food.