Do Dogs Get Tired of Eating the Same Food Time and Time Again?

Can you imagine having to eat the same food every day for the rest of your life? Even if it’s a dish you love to eat, you would get tired of it if you had to eat it every day. That’s why people cook different dishes every day. They also turn to restaurants when they get bored of homemade meals.

But what about your pets? Do they feel the same about the food the way humans do?

Eating Habits of Dogs

When you bring a dog home, you will have to learn everything about it, so you can take care of it properly. Although you can turn to the vet to talk about the health issues of your dog, it will be up to you to take care of its diet. But don’t worry if you can’t figure out the eating habits of your dog straightaway. They will become clear to you with time.

Meal Times

One of the things you will have to establish is proper meal times. You don’t want to leave the food bowl out all day for your dog. If your pet can get to their food all the time, they will become fussy. They can also develop weight problems by overeating.

Set regular meal times for your dog by feeding it at the same time every day. You can give your dog 15 to 20 minutes to eat its food before taking the bowl away. You can protect your dog from obesity if you give it food at the same time every day.

Number of Meals

The number of times you must feed your dog per day will depend on its age. If you have gotten an adult dog, then you can feed it twice a day. But when it comes to puppies, that’s not enough. Puppies are at their growing age, which is why they need to eat more. But since their stomachs can’t take a lot, they can only eat in intervals.

So, if you have puppies, make sure to feed them three or four times a day. Keep following this routine until your puppies turn six months old. Once a puppy reaches the six month mark, you can start feeding them two to three times a day.

Dry or Wet Food

When you go to the store to buy dog food for the first time, you will have to choose between dry and wet food. Both wet and dry food have the same nutritional value and provide a balanced diet. The choice lies with you and your dog. The dry kind is cheaper and does not have to be refrigerated.

On the other hand, wet food is a bit expensive but fresher. It is also easier for dogs to eat wet food as compared to dry food. If you are not certain which would be better for your dog, you can always consult with your vet.

Do Dogs Get Tired of Eating the Same Food?

As you start learning about the eating habits of your dog, you will begin to have many questions. For instance, you would want to know what’s the favorite food of your dog and do dogs get tired of the same food or not. Most of these questions can only be answered over time. It also has to do with how picky your dog is.

Unlike humans who have 9000 taste buds, dogs only have 1700. As a result, dogs don’t really feel the taste of the food the way people do. However, the sense of smell of a dog is nearly 100,000 times stronger than that of humans. So, it is the smell of food that excites your dog more than its taste.

If you notice that your dog is not eating its food with interest or skipping meals altogether, the problem could be with the smell of the food. They may also crave something with a different smell. However, changing the food of your dog regularly isn’t always a good idea.

Why You Shouldn’t Change Your Dog’s Food Regularly?

Just because your dog is being picky, it doesn’t mean you must give in. The reason why you shouldn’t change your dog’s food regularly is to protect its health. The stomachs of dogs are sensitive and need time to get used to their nutrition. If you keep changing your dog’s food regularly, its stomach will always be stressed.

Regularly changing your dog’s food will not only weaken its digestive system and also damage its overall health. However, if your dog develops an allergy towards a certain type of food, then you should change its diet straightaway.

Reasons Your Dog May Not Be Eating

Just because your dog isn’t eating its food, it doesn’t mean it’s bored of the taste. The reason could be something else entirely. If you want your dog to start eating properly again, you must find the reason behind its aversion to food. Once you have figured out the problem, you can start working on the solution.

Tummy Ache

Sometimes, dogs skip meals for a day when they are bored or craving attention. If your dog is drinking water and behaving normally during this time, then there’s nothing to worry about. But if it doesn’t eat for two days, then it is time to turn to the vet.

When dogs have a tummy ache, they may not eat at all. They may also be less active than they normally are when they are in pain. If you take your dog to the vet, it will be fine in no time. So, don’t delay going to the vet if you notice your dog acting differently.

New Surroundings

If your dog is sensitive, it can get stressed quickly, which in turn could reduce its hunger. If you have moved to a new house or left your dog with a friend for a couple of days, it can stress the dog out. In that case, your dog may stop eating for a couple of days. If that happens, you should stay calm instead of acting differently around your dog.

If you keep on behaving how you usually do around your dog, its sense of normalcy will come back. Doing so will help them adapt to their new surroundings. And once your dog has adapted to the new place, your pet will go back to eating normally.

Dental Disease

If your dog has developed a dental disease, it will experience pain while eating. So, it may avoid eating because of the pain. There is nothing you can do for your dog if it’s suffering from a dental disease other than take it to the vet. The vet will examine your dog’s teeth and suggest a treatment plan.

Once the dental disease is treated, your dog can go back to eating its food without having to worry about toothache.

Once you bring a dog home, you will have to treat it like a child. Like children, some dogs are picky while some are okay with everything. Take your time to learn about the needs of your dog, so you can provide it with a comfortable life.