When the dog does not want to eat food, the first reaction of every guardian is to worry about the health of the puppy, which may be compromised. What few know is that, in some cases, this selective appetite can be triggered by several other factors. To get around the problem, it is up to the guardian to look for alternatives on how to make the dog eat food, since this is an indispensable foodto keep our pets healthy and with strengthened immunity.

If you've ever been in a similar situation, there's no need to despair if something like this happens again. To help you with what to do when your dog doesn't want to eat food, we've got you covered. Paws of the House has prepared an article with several useful tips, just follow along!

My dog doesn't want to eat: why does this happen?

There are several reasons that explain what happens when a dog does not want to eat. It is common to think that this has to do with the health of the animal - and indeed the lack of appetite is often related to some illness - but there are also cases where the dog does not want to eat simply because of food selectivity. Some situations that can influence this are:

• Offering snacks or human food in large quantities;
• Storing dog food improperly;
• Leave food available for your pet at all times;
• Changing dog food suddenly;
• Very hot temperatures can take away the animal's appetite;
• Your pet's emotional state can also impact their appetite.

How to get my dog to eat food: avoid too much human food and treats in your pet's diet

If the idea is to learn what to do to get the dog to eat food again, the first step is to try not to interfere too much with the dog's natural diet. That is, do not offer too many snacks on a daily basis, because this can end up making the animal unaccustomed and, consequently, is what will make him reject the food. Snacks are not prohibited, but it is good to offer them in a low quantity and in a small amount.Keep an eye on human foods, which not only make your pet unaccustomed to them, but can also contribute to canine obesity.

Softening the food is one option of what to do to get the dog to eat food again

To open the canine appetite and avoid the situation of "dog does not want to eat", an alternative is to moisten the grains of food with a little cold or warm water (never hot!). Wet food tends to arouse more interest in pets, but you do not necessarily need to invest in a more expensive wet food for this. In addition to water, another option is to do the same procedure with a little water.of beef or chicken broth, as long as the liquid does not contain any type of seasoning or oil. Adding other ingredients can be harmful to pets.

How can I get my dog to eat food again? 3 other ways to help your pet

1) Check that the dog food is stored correctly. If not, often the dog does not want to eat because the food has lost its original taste and texture, and the food is no longer appetizing to him. To prevent this from happening, always choose airy places away from sun exposure to store the food.

2) Establish schedules for the dog's meals. A mistake many owners make is to leave the food available all the time for their dogs. Besides being something that takes away the taste and crunchiness of the food, this also ends any chance of a healthy eating routine. The ideal is to offer the food twice a day, in the morning and in the evening, with pre-established schedules.

3) The place where the dog eats needs to be quiet and at an appropriate height. If you don't know what to do when your dog doesn't want to eat, it's worth paying attention to whether your dog has an appropriate space to eat his meals. This also interferes with the pet's lack of appetite. He needs to feel comfortable and, just like us, eat without external interference. The height of the feeder should also be in accordance with the size of the animal.

Even so, the dog doesn't want to eat - maybe it's time to change the food!

If even with all the tips above the dog does not want to eat, another suggestion is to change the pet food. Dogs with a demanding palate may end up getting sick of the food after a while. In such cases, it is worth investing in a feed of another brand or another flavor to arouse the dog's interest again. But remember: the change of food cannot occur suddenly,because this can cause imbalances in the pet's body. Try to follow the guidance below to make the process easier:

• First two days: 75% of current ration + 25% of new ration
• On the 3rd and 4th day: 50% of current ration + 50% of new ration
• On the 5th and 6th day: 25% of current ration + 75% of new ration
• On day 7: 100% of new feed

If this doesn't work and the "my dog won't eat" situation remains, it's worth consulting a veterinarian to assess your pet's health status.

My dog ate too much food: what to do?

The dog not wanting to eat is a possible situation, but the reverse can also happen and he eats too much. In such cases, the ideal is to observe how often this occurs and seek the help of a veterinary behaviorist. Binge eating, also called polyphagia, can be a serious problem in dogs and is usually triggered by emotional disorders. It is good to haveextra attention in these situations because this can do a lot of harm to the animal's health, as rapid feeding increases the chances of more serious problems, such as gastric torsion in dogs.