In today’s busy lifestyles, not all of us have the time to cook and – literally – hand feed our dogs from a menu according to their daily whims and wishes. Some people do though. And, not surprisingly, they are often the people who will argue their dogs won’t eat otherwise, without perhaps considering that it is a self fulfilling cycle – they have, perhaps unwittingly, made their dogs fussy eaters. So, what can we do with the dog who is picky over their food?Dogs tend to require about 18% protein for maintenance when they are adults, and 22% for reproduction and growth. Fat should be around 5% for adult dogs, and 8% for reproduction and growth. But the more fat that is in the diet, the more protein there should be. Fat makes dogs, as well as people, eat less by making them feel fuller. If they eat less, and there are less of other essential nutrients like protein and vitamins and minerals, the dog will not get the nourishment it needs. Understanding ratios and nutritional requirements is important if we are to fully understand why some dogs are selective in their eating habits.

Whether you feed your dog a commercial diet or home made dog food, there are a few things to keep in mind so you don’t end up with a fussy dog:

* dogs should be fed once a day once they are no longer puppies, or two small meals, no more. Feeding your dog too frequently when he is older can turn him appear like a fussy eater, when he is actually full. Eating should be an event. If your dog believes that food is on tap, wherever he wants it, he may react accordingly and become blasé about when he eats.

* feeding your dog too regularly can get him into the routine of expecting to eat at those times, too, and may lead to weight gain. Letting him get hungry, and feeding sensibly, will not harm him. In the wild, dogs would eat for once a day until they were completely full and they would eat a diet that was mainly made up of meat. You will often find dogs that don’t particularly enjoy kibble, will be more responsive to meat.

* Don’t stand and stare at your dog waiting for him to eat. He will likely think something is wrong, or something else is coming, and won’t eat.

* Don’t give into your dog and give him something else straight away if he refuses his meal, as he’s effectively training you and not the other way around!

* There’s nothing wrong with feeding your dog a varied diet, but don’t keep changing the food because he seems fussy and won’t eat it. Make sure nothing is wrong with him physically first, then if he is healthy, take charge of the situation. Put his food down, leave him to it, and then 30 minutes later go and check to see whether it’s been eaten. If it hasn’t, take it away, then at the end of the day put down some fresh food. Repeat the process, and take it away 30 minutes later if it still isn’t eaten. This way you’ll train your dog to eat his food, and not reinforce his behaviour.

Brian Kilcommons has a very interesting method for teaching dogs to eat their food. When the above fails, he prepared the dog food in front of the dog, making lots of ‘yummy’ noises whilst he did it. He made it slowly, and when the dog still wasn’t interested, he put it down in front of his face, then took it straight away and threw it out. He did this first at breakfast, then at dinner. At dinner, the dog in question was more interested, but he still threw it out after putting it in front of him. The next morning, the dog was jumping up and down whilst the food was being prepared. He put it down, pulled it away, then looked at him for about a minute, then left it for him to eat. That dog now eats anything put down for him.

* If your dog suddenly goes off his food, it could be because he has dental problems, or a stomach problem. Get him checked out by the vet.

* Some dogs do actually prefer a certain type of food, just as people do. Try your dog with a variety of foods, and if he only eats one type, and will starve himself if he doesn’t get it, the best solution can simply be to feed him that type of food that he enjoys. Sometimes the foods that our dogs enjoy might not always be the type that we want them to eat. For example, you may want your dog to eat an easily available commercial complete diet but your dog only enjoys food from a tin – ultimately, we all want happy, healthy dogs and we have to acknowledge that they are all individuals with different tastes and preferences.

* Don’t feed your dog a high fat diet, or junk food, including chocolate. It’s not good for them and, in some cases, can be fatal.

Nowadays we are much more aware of the advantages of natural ingredients. Healthy, natural ingredients should be high on your list of priorities when selecting a food for your dog.