What makes a "picky eater"?

Question

I often see people saying their dogs are picky eaters. Either with food type, kibble size, kibble shape, etc.

I personally have never had a dog that was a picky eater. As an adult, I'm on my first dog, but I grew up on a farm and at any given time, we had around 4-12 dogs. They've always just eaten whatever we put in their food bowls.

Have I just lucked out? Are there actually "picky" dogs? Or are the dogs only picky because the owners cater to them that way?

A more concise way to phrase the question: Are picky eaters born or made?

Answer 1

People make picky eaters! Then make excuses for why their dog is one!
A normal dog will eat anything if it's hungry and most of the time will over-eat if allowed to! A dog cannot tell if the food you give it is good or bad! They wouldn't eat garbage, human snacks like salted crisps or corn snacks, onions or chocolate, meat that's 'off', or poisonous substances if they did!!!!
In nearly 60 years of always having at least one or two dogs around, usually more when a child, as I virtually lived on my Uncles farm and he bred and trained Border Collies, and both my Grandfather and Uncle were dog handlers in the Military, I've never had a fussy eater. I've seen and fed dogs on table scraps, canned foods, dry complete foods (not even available when I first kept dogs), and raw and they ate what they were given! Even the 2 dozen or so Cats I've had were never 'picky' eaters!
As a Community care worker I've also met many 'picky' eaters but all have been owned by people who 'babied' their dogs, some would feed them unsuitable snacks all day and then wonder why 'poor little fido' wasn't hungry or had a little 'tummy upset'. Suggest the idea of fasting the dog for a day (most Vets first recommendation) and you'd be greeted with, 'Oh No, that's so cruel' Most of the dogs in question could survive a week on the amount of fat they are carrying!
Most breeds go from a plump puppy to a leggy adolescent before they gain the weight of the normal adult. This though is when owners panic, they overfeed the dog which then developes the 'wolf' behaviour of gorging itself one day then not eating (hunting) for two! They then blame the food and try different things and different methods of coaxing the dog to eat! Results one 'picky' eater who often becomes an overweight picky eater!

Answer 2

Was just discussing this the other day -- picky eating is usually a learned behavior. There might be a very slight predispositional situation that helps the behavior evolve but essentially it is trained. There can be the occassional medical problem that can lead to anorexia in any animal but a healthy animal will eat sufficient food. People will think they aren't at a weight they desire them to be so they will try to get them to eat more and simply make it worse. I haven't had any dogs that were picky eaters that I have reared but have gotten a few in that were and it was simply a matter or retraining them.

add: For all those thinking for some reason that dogs won't eat a particular food because YOU think it is 'crap' - think again... put that dog out on the street for a few days and it will indeed eat crap, literally -- dogs will eat anything that is semi-edible and that doesn't make them vomit. Dogs have survived and thrived on garbage piles and out of dumpsters -- if your dog doesn't 'like' a particular dog food the odds are you have trained it to be a picky eater. There is hardly anything a wild canine won't attempt to eat... and a non-made-neurotic domestic one will be no different.

Answer 3

I think picky eaters are made...or at least their tendencies are exacerbated by fretful owners.

The moment a dog ignores its kibble, many owners start jumping through hoops trying to find something the dog "likes the taste of". Let's not forget that dogs will eat roadkill. Spoiled garbage. Anything. Taste clearly doesn't matter to a dog.

I had a male Siberian many years ago who went into a "picky" and skinny-as-hell stage (as many adolescent Siberians do) at about 18 months old. I hadn't dealt with it before, and I stressed and researched and bought whatever I thought he might eat. He'd go for a few days, then decide the new food didn't do it for him anymore. So we'd get something else. Same thing. Eventually, after I'd had him tested and checked for everything under the sun, I called a mentor who simply said, "Healthy dogs won't starve themselves to death. Don't baby him."

So we stopped. He got his dinner just like everyone else, and the bowl got picked up after 10 minutes whether it was empty or not. After about 2 weeks, he was back to eating his full dinner. He wasn't fast or happy about it, but he ate. He eventually passed through the phase and gained his weight back.

Being "picky" defies a dog's survival instincts, which are deeply ingrained. However, they can learn to play their owners pretty well. :)

Answer 4

Most dog owners with picky eaters make the mistake of feeding them what they eat. There is nothing that will spoil a dog to not eating dog foos worse than start to feed them people food. Our dogs love their dog food(Nutro). The only exception to the non-picky eaters in our home is a new mommy. Sometimes the only way to get them to eat after the pups are first born is to give in and feed them people food for the first few days.

Answer 5

Lets not forget OVERFEDING. I heard this"hes a picky eater" from an owner who's dog could practatly have a table set on its back .... to be followed by 6 people muttering behind their back " yeah he wants his young swelte figure back"
This can even aply to a thin dog - I usually feed puppy all they will eat in a 1/2 hr and continued this past puppyhood with a young thin dog I had - she only ate well perhaps 1 meal in 3. When it hit me she had follen into a wolves eating pattern (gourge today don't bother to eat tomorrow) I started limiting each meal - she suddenly deveolped into a good reliable eater (and gianed weight). IF i had instead started coaxing her on the off days or switching food no doubt she'd developed into a very pickly eater.

NOTE: now a ill dog may NEED coaxing for valid reason

Answer 6

Picky eaters are both born and made. My dog was born picky. once she first got in heat is when she started being picky. Its sad to say this but she use to starve herself just to try and get threw a small crack/hole so that she could go out and get laid. Sometimes I'd have to hand feed her just to get her to eat. She's also picky about teh brand of food she eats. i can't give her anything else. I think that its a personality and taste preference thing.

When I was taking my nutrition class we were told that animals aren't usually born picky, they become picky by the way their owners raise them. We were also told that a type of breed has a lot to do with it, and that out of all teh breeds husky's are more likely to be picky eaters...which is funny b/c my dog is half husky.

Just wanted to add I have had 9 dogs in my life so far and teh one i have now is the only picky eater i have every had.

Answer 7

well, being a trainer, i come across a ton of questions about diet. i think theres a major difference between a picky eater by choice, and a picky eater by force. for example, when someone says to me "my dogs picky, i've tried "this" and "this" and this" (all really crappy brands), and he wont eat" , then i say, maybe its cuz its crap. or, other people who don't realize that sometimes, dogs and cats will naturally skip a day in eating, and instead of giving them another day or so, they rush out and buy another food thinking that their pet is being picky. but i know a woman who has tried almost every premium brand under the sun, and her dog really just doesnt like them. so, i definitely think it can be both ways.

Answer 8

Picky eaters are DEFINATELY made. For example, between my fiance and I, we have 3 dogs. Two mixes, which are mine, and a dachshund, which is his. My dogs have always eaten whatever I have given them. They get no table scraps (unless it is plain carrots or green beans). His dog, on the other hand, gets bits of whatever my fiance is eating, whenever he is eating.

When I put his food down, he will sniff it, and walk away. He shows no interest in dog food, and I am positive it is because he is getting fed from my fiance's hand.

Answer 9

Picky eaters are mostly made. When the dog discovers he/she has a choice for food he gets pickier and narrows down his/her food choices.

Answer 10

picky eaters are made. At some point people offer table scraps, cat food, or different brands, etc. The dog learns that if they dont eat one thing, the owner will feed them something else.


A healthy dog will NOT starve themselves.. they would eventually eat what is offered to them