Product: PEDIGREE Dog Food Wet Beef Chunks in Gravy

Every dog owner would probably agree when I say feeding your furbaby can feel like a chore at times, especially for those who have a pretty picky pooch. But nothing that a little more patience can’t solve, right? Well, hindi lagi. Sometimes, it can just be seriously frustrating lalo na if you're like most owners who treat their dogs like royalty tapos they would just ignore the food prepared for them! Ka-stress di ba? Kaya naman if your dog’s perceived pickiness is not health-related, you’ll need more than your mahabang pasensya. Luckily, we’re sharing five tricks to help you get your dog excited about food again without breaking too much sweat.

Get your pet enough exercise

Oh, did I say less sweating for you? Oops!

Like in the case of us humans, exercise is likely to help build up and boost your dog's appetite. So try making some time to take your little buddy for a walk or kahit makipaglaro ka lang with them and their favorite toy before each meal to let them burn off excess energy and make them hungry enough to eat.

If you already walk your dog regularly, take it up a notch by making your walks longer. If, for instance, you don’t have that much time to spare, there are plenty of other ways to give your pup the physical activity they deserve, such as taking them to doggie daycare or letting them tire themselves out by playing with other dogs at an off-leash dog park (like BGC’s Central Bark!). Once they're tired, don’t forget to give them some time to cool off and let their stomachs settle first before offering them their food.

Apply the 15-minute rule

The next time they refuse to eat, I suggest you take away their food 15 to 20 minutes after you serve it and postpone their meal to the next day or next mealtime. It sounds kinda mean, pero minsan kasi, baka hindi lang talaga sila gutom. If that’s the case, skipping is fine as it can also help increase their craving. Just make sure to provide a fresh, healthy meal and not one left out overnight on schedule so you don’t prolong their agony.

Make mealtime fun

If you've got a pretty playful furbaby, you can take advantage of that!

You can let them eat their kibble from the floor by putting some on the ground a little at a time or pick up an appropriately-sized dog food-dispensing toy to make every mealtime fun.

Food-dispensing toys, however, are not for everyone. The larger the dog, the more food they need, right? Well, feeding toys can only hold so much. Yes, you can always do a refill, pero medyo matrabaho if you’ll refill it constantly for your big furbaby. Kaya naman feeding toys work best for small and medium breeds.

Switch to a tastier food

Your dog may be refusing to eat their food because they don't like how it tastes. If that's the case, you can try a different brand or a different type of dog food – maybe something tastier and more high-quality. That mostly means a higher price tag, but fortunately, not every good-tasting, high-quality dog food is expensive. Take Pedigree's beef-flavored chunks in gravy as an example. This bang for the buck option is good for your dog's skin, bones, and fur. This variety from Pedigree also promises to strengthen a dog's muscles and help with their digestion. Saan ka pa, ‘di ba? Pero let’s be honest, we all know you’d give everything and buy even the most expensive whatever out there if it’s for your furbaby. After all, they’re not just a pet but a part of the family, so nothing is more worthy than the health of your puppy.

Anyway, if you're up for this option, try not to make it so sudden. Kapag kasi binigla mo sila, there's a high chance that they will refuse to eat it and it can even lead to diarrhea. Kaya if you are transitioning your dog to a new food, do it ever so slowly by mixing a small amount of the new one you bought with their current and original dog food, and gradually mixing more of the new food and less of the old one as days go by.

Cut back on treats

Is your furbaby among the many dogs who prefer their favorite tasty treats or whatever you're eating than their regular, less exciting dog food? Well, if they are and they are also refusing to eat their allotted meal, you may want to resist giving them treats in between their mealtime. 

As we all know (or FYI if you're new to being a dog owner), treats should make up no more than around 10% of your dog's daily calories. Any more of this and you're just basically spoiling them and most likely ruining their appetite. So, the key here is discipline for you and your furbaby. If you do this, you're teaching them that they only get to eat at certain times and you're helping yourself become more resistant to their puppy-dog eyes because I know this is kinda hard to do, especially if you're like me – a very marupok na furparent who usually gives in to her furbaby's doe eyes. So, please do try to resist their classic wide-eyed gaze kasi if you do, they might just get the idea that they'll get something better if they just wait a little.

Now, if all else fails, you can always go see a vet to make sure your dog is doing fine!

Looking for options na pasok sa budget pero high-quality? Check out Pedigree on Shopee now or visit their website at https://www.pedigree.com.ph/ for quality dry and food for puppies, small dogs, and adult ones!