# Tastiest dry foods for a picky eater? Maybe NUTRO ULTRA Small Breed Puppy Food?



## bluesky (May 8, 2014)

So my dog has been eating Blue Buffalo Small Breed Life Protection Formula Chicken & Brown Rice. He is 8 months now. Always been the picky eater. I started adding things to his food like sweet potato, rice, egg, salmon, cottage cheese, etc. When I put his food down he usually drinks some water first then sniffs the food maybe eats a little, walks away, comes back eats some more...and with some encouragement on my behalf will finish in 15 min as I do not like to free feed. (If he doesn't eat all food gets taken away and put down next at dinner time). 

I don't want to have to encourage him to eat, I want him to eat the amount of food he should in that amt of time. So I'm wondering if maybe it's time to switch food.

Is there a good dry food that is specially known to be more attractive to picky eaters? Maybe also softer in texture? (as I noticed my dog loves anything soft when it comes to treats rather the crunchier stuff). I've heard people have done good with NUTRO ULTRA Small Breed Puppy Food..any experiences with this food? 

Also thinking about maybe starting to feed him in his crate? He is crate trained and maybe if he is in there with just his food it might help?


----------



## DaisyShihTzu (Jul 10, 2014)

My Shih Tzu gave me a serious hard time when it came to feeding. We tried everything under the sun (multiple dry foods, canned food, home cooked food, soaking food in chicken and beef broth etc) she has been eating grated liver on top of Blue Buffalo Rocky Mountain Recipe for 4 months straight now without any problems..it really surprised me!


----------



## socorny (Jun 24, 2014)

A picky eater is made, not born. Stop catering to the dog and he/she will stop being fussy. Provide the food, leave it down for 20 minutes, if it's not eaten: take it away and don't give it back until next meal time. Easy.


----------



## BernerMax (Mar 15, 2013)

our 12 month old is literally scrawny. same thing he sniffs his food and walks away.... but, he has made it to 12 months. so something is perculating. I try not worry to much. I feed him raw in the AM and he sorta begrudging eats that (its a duckhead with neck or 2) ...
I dont pick up the food (but he has 2 other dogs to compete against, 1 is a nibbler but she takes her bowl to her bed to finish leisurely over the course of the day)...
our toppers include meat scraps, cottage cheese, whole raw eggs, gravy, innards, rice... and when we had more cash, a fistful of hamburger for each bowl.... he has been picky through all of it...


----------



## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

My mother-in-law's toy poodle has had homemade home-cooked meals her entire life. She is the pickiest eater I know, and since my MIL has known her (she was a rehome from a family member), Jenny has NEVER eaten kibbles. Until one day she started stealing some Performatrin Grain-free that was dropped on the floor while Snowball was trying to eat it. Jenny will gorge herself on it, if she's given the opportunity.


----------



## SydTheSpaniel (Feb 12, 2011)

My dog has been a picky eater for as long as I've had her, almost 6 years. When she adopted her she was being fed Beneful, so we quickly switched. She was eating TOTW for a few years but mainly just grazed all day, couldn't have eaten more than a cup each day. I made a switch to Evangers meat medley with rabbit.... and she actually -waits- by her bowl at meal time now. She never used to do that!


----------



## bluesky (May 8, 2014)

Thanks for the replies. I've also heard Orijen is one of the best brands but heard mixed reviews about given it too small breeds due to the high protein content. My dog is about 8 pounds now and will probably only mature to about 10-12 pounds. Anyone heard any experiences with this?


----------



## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

bluesky said:


> Thanks for the replies. I've also heard Orijen is one of the best brands but heard mixed reviews about given it too small breeds due to the high protein content. My dog is about 8 pounds now and will probably only mature to about 10-12 pounds. Anyone heard any experiences with this?


Just curious, are you reffering to this statement, from Dog Food Analysis.com: 



> The only caution we would make on this food is that the high protein content may make it suitable _for adult dogs only_, particularly in the case of large breeds.


I've never heard of high protein being a problem for small dogs. There are plenty of small dogs on this forum (well, their owners are) that eat raw, which I suspect is a lot higher in protein content than almost any kibble. I have only ever heard of high protein being a problem for large breed puppies. Which is what the above statement is saying - high protein foods may be best suited for adult dogs not puppies, especially in large breeds where puppies would do best with a different nutrient profile due to their high growth rate.


----------



## doggiepop (Feb 27, 2014)

maybe your dog doesn't like what you're feeding. switch brands. you may have to switch brands
several times before you find a brand your dog likes or a brand that works for your dog.


----------



## bluesky (May 8, 2014)

Yes, makes sense. I'm going to try Orijen or Arcana. Also I have some samples coming from Honest Kitchen or ZiwiPeak which both seem to have really great reviews. That's the closest I'll get to raw, don't think my dog will turn that down, let's see!

Anyone use dehydrated raw brands like Honest Kitchen or ZiwiPeak or any others you can recommend. I know it's more pricey but with my small dog that shouldn't be much of a problem


----------

