Dogs are not finicky eaters by nature. We inadvertently create this problem by substituting food for love. We think that every time our dog does something cute, we should give him a treat. After a while, our dog wants nothing but treats, especially if they come from our plate or the refrigerator!

Choose a well-balanced food for your dog. Feed him twice a day, whatever he does not eat a one feeding, serve it at the next feeding. You can tell if you are overfeeding him by checking his stool. If the stool is large, soft, and looks like dog food, you are feeding him too much. The stool should be small and firm, indicating the food was thoroughly digested. Do not worry if your dog passes by a meal or two. He will adjust his intake of food by his level of activity. If your dog suddenly quits eating for several days, you may want to have him checked by a veterinarian.

If you feed your dog a variety of food in hopes that one will appeal to him, he will demand a greater and greater variety, and you will have created a finicky eater! Choose a high-quality food and stick to it. Do not feed tablescraps or give in-between meal snacks to your dog. Instead of using special treats as training lures, use his own dry kibbled food and conduct training sessions just before meals. This food comes out of his regular ration.

Dogs become finicky by being given too great a variety and by overfeeding. Many quality dog food companies have age-level diets. For example, for the elderly dog, there are maintenance diets designed for his needs. These foods are good choices for your dog going through the various growth stages. If you do change foods, do it gradually by adding a bit of new food each day to the old food. The reason for this is that the digestive flora get used to one food and a rapid change can cause diarrhea and digestive upsets.

If you choose a high quality food, there is really no need for vitamin supplementation. You will pay more for good dog food, but you will use less because a small feeding amount has more nutrients and is more thoroughly digested. Check with your veterinarian for your dog’s dietary needs.