Overcome Your Puppy’s Loss Of Appetite: A Complete Guide
By: Liaba Tariq
Nothing makes a pet parent happier than seeing their puppy thriving, happy and healthy. It causes an emotional strain on us when we notice our puppy retreating from food and experiencing a loss of appetite.
In most cases, a loss of appetite can be a sign of an underlying health condition so if you’re struggling with this problem, read this blog till the end to learn how to overcome your puppy’s loss of appetite.
What Causes A Loss Of Appetite
1. Underlying health problem
Dogs refuse food if they are feeling unwell. This can point to dental disease or any other illness. Pushing away food in such circumstances is very detrimental to their health because they won’t have the energy to fight back or keep their immune system strong enough.
If you think your dog might be battling a sickness, you should immediately head to a licensed vet and get your puppy a full checkup.
2. Behavior issues
Dogs can go through phases that make them picky eaters, refusing to eat the food you put before them. Their picky nature is a strong contender as to why your dog refuses to eat and now that we know the main reasons why your dog won’t eat, let’s get to solutions!
How To Overcome A Loss Of Appetite
1. Get them physically active with rewards
A way to trigger appetite is to physically exert a dog. When your dog is active, he will become tired and feel hungry so he can gain back all the energy lost. It is very simple to do so. You should plan an hour-long walk before feeding hour or play with them using toys such as the flirt pole.
Once your dog successfully engages in such activities and proceeds to eat, you should reward it with some of its favorite dog treats. That helps your dog feel appreciated and encourages such behavior.
2. Change the food brand or type
Experimenting with food types and brands can be a good idea if your dog doesn’t like the food being offered. As you do so, avoid food toppers as they cause more harm to your dog’s health than benefit. What you can do is work towards changing the flavor of the food, moving to a portion of better quality food, or alternate between wet food and biscuits.
3. Emphasize on comfort
A comfortable environment can make all the difference for your puppy. Animals tend to eat only when they feel safe in their surroundings so if there is another animal or element such as loud noises, it can be a reason why your puppy is not ok with eating in that place.
Secondly, you should make sure he has access to clean water and food, with a bowl that he can easily reach into without straining himself in the process. You can experiment with the size of the bowl as well as a quieter location to notice any positive changes.
Simultaneously you can try feeding your puppy by hand as it encourages stimulation and some dogs prefer their owner’s intimacy during feeding sessions.
Conclusion
If you have a puppy who is refusing to eat, we know just how stressful it can become for you. But the good news is that you can get your puppy back on track by using the tips mentioned in this guide!
