"I've never seen Thor saying no to his meal," Mikaela said to herself after her dog refused his usual dinner. So she skips to Thor's beloved treats. Next meal, same story, and so on, until her bewilderment turns into worry. Has her dog gotten tired of their food, or is there more to this story?

We never think of dogs as being picky when it comes to food — they'll just gulp down everything on sight (unless it's something they genuinely dislike)! After all, they don't appreciate the food for its taste — the average dog has only 1,700 taste buds compared to our 9,000! — but for its smell. That's what makes fresh diets so much more yummy and health-friendly for dogs! Your dog gets to enjoy the appetizing fragrance of fresh ingredients naturally, as opposed to manufactured dry kibble, which cannot be palatable without sprayed-on animal fat!

So, when a dog stops eating the same food, we can't help but ask: Is there something wrong with the food?

Our experience from dealing with countless dogs tells us that two factors generally cause this change in preference:

1. You have switched foods in the past, and your dog is waiting for you to switch again.
2. There's an issue concerning your dog's health.

Dogs are Not As Afraid of Change As Their Ancestors

But before learning why your dog stopped eating their everyday food, let's add a bit of context.

We're led to believe that dogs understand food as their ancestors did. However, wolves are always cautious around new objects in their environment, which is why they're consistent about their food choices.

Dogs, however, are at the opposite end of the food preference spectrum. Due to evolution, they've learned that curiosity is a virtue, which is what makes them such good house pets. That's why dogs will explore their surrounding environment and indulge in different foods.

Repeated Dog Food Changes Create the Problem

Considering their innate curiosity, it's only normal for your dog to choose a new food instead of their old one! So, every time you replace your dog's food under the assumption that they're tired of it, you're encouraging their picky behavior — every new food will feed your dog's appetite for novelty.

Once they get bored and learn they'll get different food when refusing the old one, your dog's behavior will turn into a pattern. Domesticated dogs are brilliant and extremely capable of manipulating humans, which is why it's incumbent upon us to break the cycle and teach our dogs that refusing to eat the same food is not going to fly anymore.

Refusing Food Can Point to a Health Issue

Just because your dog refuses to eat their meal, you shouldn't conclude that they're bored with their food and rush out and buy a new flavor. First, you must assess their health and make sure that's not the reason behind their loss of appetite. For example, your dog might have eaten something in the yard that didn't sit well with their stomach or is simply dealing with separation anxiety.

The following health issues can cause a loss of appetite in dogs:

• Dental disease
• Diabetes
• Diarrhea
• Digestive issues
• Intestinal parasites
• Kidney disease
• Nausea
• Stress

What to Do if Your Dog Doesn't Like Their Food Anymore

Once you've established that your dog is just being finicky about their food, it's time to take action. For the upcoming meal, offer your dog their normal portion of their regular food. Remember that dogs appreciate smell over taste, so add warm water to the food to help release the aroma. You can also top it up with something palatable, like sardines or bone broth (for hydration).

Give your dog 10 to 15 minutes to eat. If they don't touch the food, remove the bowl. Repeat that process during the next mealtime.Through this approach, you're teaching your dog to eat what is being offered when it is being offered. Dogs will not starve themselves to death — eventually, they'll cave in and eat the same food. The second you put your foot down, your dog will understand it's either your way or the highway!

Add Variety to Your Dog's Food Bowl With Volhard!

One of the many downsides of feeding kibble to your dog is that it doesn't leave room for any variety — your dog won't expect anything but the same preprocessed meal sprayed with chemicals every single day!

That is why switching to our Volhard Natural diet is worth the effort! Your dog will always find fresh, mouth-watering, natural ingredients in their food bowl. The beauty of Volhard is that you won't have to go to the store and buy new types of food all the time; all you have to do is change the protein to add new flavors to the food bowl! With a simple protein rotation (e.g., beef, chicken, pork), your dog's thirst for novelty will always be quenched — they'll never know what to expect! For more advice on transitioning your dog to our Volhard diet, make sure that you contact us and check out our blog!

Volhard Dog Nutrition and its expert nutritionists are now offering online consultations to help more dog parents discover why, what, and how to feed their dogs the healthiest of foods! Speaking to a Volhard nutritionist will help you understand the inseparable relationship between healthy food, a healthy body, and a healthy mind. If you're interested in contacting one of our Volhard nutritionists, don't hesitate to access our consultation page

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