Seven out of ten parents claim their dog is equally as picky an eater as their child. A recent poll of around 2,000 dog owners discovered that 49% of respondents said they “always” or “sometimes” strain to get their canines to take their meals, and 48% said they frequently needed to add something to their dogs’ food to persuade them to take it.
Dogs are picky eaters
For most owners, their fluffy friends are fussy eaters because they prefer some foods over others (46%), are uninterested in the food (44%), or dislike particular ingredients (44%).
Almost over a quarter of the surveyed dog owners said they have close to 10 bags of leftover dog food sitting around in their homes, according to the study conducted by OnePoll on behalf of quality dog food company Jinx. They claim the problem stems from their attempts (and failures) to discover a solution that is effective for their dogs (28%). As a result, they’ve gone through at least eight different food types or varieties to get here.
Most dog owners (59%) repeatedly claim their pets get bored eating the same things. Finding a fresh alternative is challenging; participants generally agreed that adding diversity to their dog’s food is more difficult than theirs (71% versus 62%). With everything happening during the day, three out of every five dog owners (62) find it difficult to keep up with their pet’s dietary requirements and food choices.
Dog’s food preference changes with age
Half of those polled either didn’t even know or were not convinced that pets lose their taste with age when asked why their dogs can literally stop liking their food. Similar numbers (51%) were unaware that their smell works the same way. One out of six owners of older dogs, too, were unaware that their dog’s age might be a factor in their pickiness with food.
According to advice from pet owners, some of the tips include is to reduce the number of human offerings you give your dog (33%), adding toppings (33%), or gradually introducing a new diet by combining it with the previous (32%).
