Keep pet food consistent, with predictable mealtimes
By Michelle Posge, DVM
Friday, July 24, 2009
Published in the "Your Pet" column of The Nashua Telegraph.
The column runs on the second and fourth Fridays of each month.
Are picky eaters born or made? Mothers of young children are not the only ones to ponder this question. Some pet owners struggle with eating behavior problems, as well.
Feeding is one of the main responsibilities of pet ownership. Starving an animal or contributing to malnourishment is inarguably neglectful and abusive. But is it enough to provide nutritious kibble in a bowl and let the pet take responsibility for eating? Many dog and cat owners disagree and make it their duty to ensure the food provided is palatable, as well as nutritious. For some pet owners, it is not enough to provide healthy nourishment, the pet must also relish its food. This is where the trouble begins for some.
There is a huge market for pet food and treats. The variety of available pet food is astounding. You must choose a manufacturer: name brand, generic or boutique. Then texture: dry, moist or canned. After that, things are narrowed down, but each brand usually has several lines and flavors to choose from. Of course, you could opt out of commercially prepared diets altogether, and start cooking homemade meals for your pet. So, it is easy to see how someone could get overwhelmed and question the choice in pet food, especially if the pet doesn't seem to like it.
So back to the store for more food, and again and again, until you find something that your pet will eat. But maybe that food is appealing only for a short while, and your pet stops eating again. The cycle starts over, and as time goes on, compromises are made about choosing healthy food. There is a willingness to feed treats or human food just so the pet will eat something.
Thus the trap is set. The pet has learned a couple of important things that will affect its eating behavior. First, it will get to choose from many different dietary options. Second, there will eventually be another option if the first is not appealing. It is beneficial to wait and see what might be coming later.
What pet owners don't often know is that cats and dogs are able to skip a meal or two easily without a negative impact on their health, and a finicky pet is willing to do this if there is the slightest possibility that something better will come its way. It makes sense. Personally, I am not going to eat a hot dog when steak tips are on the grill, even if the hot dog is ready first.
It is also important for pet owners to realize that the daily caloric requirement for the average couch-potato pet is easily met with a surprisingly small amount of food. To put things in perspective, a standard-sized dog biscuit is like the same as a candy bar in terms of calories. Would you feed a child a candy bar or two if he didn't eat his breakfast, lunch or dinner? Would you expect him to eat healthy meals if he ate candy bars between meals? Treats and handouts sabotage a diet for a pet just as easily as it does for a child.
If you want to promote good eating habits in a finicky pet, the following tips can help:
• Feed a consistent, veterinarian-approved diet. Avoid switching foods too often.
• Feed meals at predictable times. Twice daily is sufficient for most pets.
• Choose a quiet place for feeding where there are few distractions. Stay with your pet if it eats better in your company.
• Measure the amount of food and know how much to feed to maintain a healthy weight.
• Only offer food during mealtimes. No snacks or treats.
Essentially, to create healthy eating patterns for a picky eater, the food should be offered for 10-15 minutes and then it is removed until the next scheduled feeding time. The pet will eventually recognize the pattern and realize that it must eat when food is available, regardless of what being offered. When starting a meal-only feeding schedule with a pet, you should expect to see a skipped meal or two, sometimes more. This is OK in a healthy adult animal, but contact your veterinarian for advice if your pet does not eat for more than 24 hours.
Most pets will not starve themselves, though, they just need to understand that there will be no alternatives available and be hungry enough to eat. It is definitely an exercise in tough love and not easy for some pet owners to do. Just remember, you are doing it for the health of your pet, and your pet depends on you to make the good choices regarding nutrition.
<<Back to more articles
