Just like us, our furry friends all have food preferences. For instance, I can’t stand cucumbers, and my dog Arlo won’t even give them a proper sniff.
However, put a rotisserie chicken in front of both of us and we’ll be mutually drooling. Sometimes though, preference can turn into picky, and that is the journey I’ve been on with my dog.
Is your dog a picky eater? Having a picky eating pup can be very frustrating, especially when all we want is for our dogs to be happy and healthy, with a balanced diet.
But luckily, nowadays, there are so many wonderful options for our furry picky eaters, that it can be easier than we think to get even the pickiest of pups to look forward to meal time. So from a first hand picky eater mom, here are some of the best food options I’ve tried!
Make Food For Your Picky Eater
This is probably the most fool proof way to get your pup to be excited for meal time. Making your own dog food is a great way to know exactly what nutrients your dog is getting, and you can cater it to exactly what your dog wants/needs.
However, if it were that easy, everyone would do it, so know that it does take dedication.
Homemade Dog Food Recipe
(yields 8 servings of 1 cup portions)
- 3 pounds ground turkey or chicken
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 carrots (shredded)
- 1 cup peas
- 1 cup spinach
- A sweet potato (mashed)
- Boil peeled sweet potato until very soft, can be punctured easily by a fork.
- Mash sweet potato with potato masher or fork. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in large pan or stockpot on medium heat. Add ground meat and brown for 3-5 minutes.
- Then, add carrots, peas, and spinach, and let heat through for 3-5 minutes or until spinach has wilted.
- Lastly, add mashed sweet potato to ground meat mixture, and combine.
- Serve your pup! Serving amount depends on pet’s weight.
| Pros | Cons |
| Very enticing to pups
Customizable to your dog’s preferences/dietary needs No hidden chemicals or ingredients Superior, customizable nutrients |
Time consuming to dog companions
Can be expensive if you don’t shop in bulk You must plan ahead and be organized to make ssure you don’t forget the ingredients |
Kibble Toppers
If making all your dog’s food doesn’t fit your budget or lifestyle, then adding some yummy human-grade extras to their store bought kibble can be a great alternative.
There are so many healthy options, but when I tried this with my picky eater, I chose to give him Organic Chicken Bone Broth, Organic Kefir, and Pumpkin Purée (mixed with some water for better, more squeezable texture).
I found the best way to get this in his food, was to put each ingredient into separate culinary squeeze bottles, and for each meal (breakfast and dinner) I would squeeze about a tablespoon worth of each onto his dry food.
A few other options you can try, based on your dogs preferences and dietary needs are Goat’s Milk, Raw Eggs, Cottage Cheese, Fresh or Steamed Veggies (that you know your dog enjoys), Fermented Veggies, and Sardines.
| Pros | Cons |
| Makes dry food more enticing
Customizable to your dog’s preferences/dietary needs Budget friendly Added nutrients that may not be in dry food |
Can get soggy or go bad if sitting in bowl for extended time
Add-ons can expire if not used quickly enough |
Raw Diet
A really great option when it comes to picky eaters, and what I eventually decided was the best option for my picky pup, was a raw diet option.
There are so many health benefits when it comes to a raw diet, and buying it at the store can save you the time it would take to make your dog food at home.
Although it can get expensive if you are going the full raw diet route, there are so many options when it come to raw, that can fit every budget and lifestyle.
Raw Food Blend Option
I will start by saying that this option and particular this brand has been what has worked for us, and is only slightly more expensive than what I paid for our previous non-raw dry food. You can find these at local pet food stores like Bend Pet Express.
Stella and Chewy’s Raw Blend
Another great option is:
Instinct Raw Boost
Full Raw Option
These are wonderful options if you’re looking to go the full raw diet route.
Stewart’s Raw Natural Freeze Dried Raw Food Blend
Instinct Frozen Raw Bites
Supplemental Raw Option
I and Love and You Freeze Dried Raw Topper
Stella and Chewy’s Meal Mixers
| Pros | Cons |
| Options for every budget Enticing for dogs Time saving Packed with nutrients Typically softer than kibble |
Can get expensive Frozen option doesn’t travel well |
If you enjoyed these recipes, try out some easy pumpkin recipes on your dog!
Author: Gracie Baker
Gracie moved to Bend in early 2019, and within a few weeks of seeing what a dog-friendly place the city was, knew she wanted a furry friend. After scouring the shelters for months, she began to lose hope that her and her partner Jacob would find their perfect pup. But one day while perusing the website of Brightside in Redmond, she saw a beautiful young Australian Cattle Dog pop on to the adoption page, his name… Arlo. It was love at first sight, and the rest is history. Arlo is the absolute sweetest creature and a complete love bug. Friends with everyone he meets, Gracie and Jacob love taking him everywhere they go, whether it be to their neighborhood dog park at Hollinshead, or for a pup burger at 10 Barrel. Arlo’s favorite place to go adventuring is at Good Dog! and he has been sure to make friends with all of the bartenders at The Lot, in order to get unlimited treats. Gracie, Jacob, and Arlo love Bend, and hope it will be their forever home.