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Zack Keithy, our author, is a certified veterinarian technician (UC Blue Ash) for over 6 years (contact him here). The articles written here are based on his expertise and experience, combined with a review by our expert vet reviewers including Dr M. Tarantino. Learn more about us here.
Are you struggling with a picky eater who just won’t touch their Royal Canin food? When I had my first dog, she was exactly the same way, and I totally didn’t understand why. I always thought that if I gave dogs anything to eat, they would wipe it off their bowl right away.
Well, that didn’t happen, and luckily, I have since figured out why.
If your dog does not like Royal Canin dog food, there could be a few reasons why, such as a sudden change in diet, not liking the new taste, or even possibly a health condition that deters it from eating.
In this post, I will share these in detail and give you some advice on how to transition food for your dog smoothly.
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- Why Do Dogs Not Like Certain Brands of Dog Food?
- Can a Dog’s Taste of Food Change Over Time?
- How to Get Your Dog to Eat Royal Canin Kibble?
- How Much Time is Needed to Transition to New Dog Food?
- Potential Issues When Changing Dog Food
- What Other Types of Food Can You Give Your Dog Besides Dry Kibble?
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- In Conclusion: My Dog Doesn't Like Royal Canin
Why Do Dogs Not Like Certain Brands of Dog Food?
Just like their humans, dogs consider the taste and texture of what they are eating.
If you give your dog a brand of dog food that doesn’t suit his preference, your dog will surely ignore and hate that dog food brand.
It could also be that the brand of dog food you gave your dog triggers an allergic reaction or intolerance of your dog that’s why he doesn’t like it.
Another reason is that dogs can be sensitive to dietary changes, and abruptly switching to a new type of food might cause gastric problems and make your dog reluctant to eat.
Besides that, dogs can also be picky eaters just like us! Perhaps you’ve been serving your dog the same brand of dog food over and over that he no longer likes trying out other dog food brands that offer new tastes.
And lastly, have you or a family member been feeding your dog table scraps? If that is the case, it might be very difficult for it to accept something new right away.
Doggy says, you might be keen to read this too: Are Goldendoodles picky eaters?
Can a Dog’s Taste of Food Change Over Time?
A dog’s taste in food changes over time as they get older and their bodies adapt to the changes brought about by their growth stage.
Your puppy’s taste of food will change as he grows to be an older doggy, and your adult doggy will have a different taste of food once he becomes a senior dog.
A medical condition can also be a root cause for the change in his taste in food.
If your dog develops an allergic reaction to a certain dog food, you’ll certainly notice that he is eating less and less of that dog food flavor and brand.
You will also want to pay attention to emotional factors that might cause stress. When that happens, it is highly likely that its diet will be affected.
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Doggy says, you might be interested in reading this too: Can dogs eat deer meat?
How to Get Your Dog to Eat Royal Canin Kibble?
If you’ve just transitioned from another dog food brand to Royal Canin kibble, your dog might have a hard time adjusting to the new taste.
Here are some simple but useful things you can try to make your dog eat Royal Canin Kibble.
Mixing New Food With Current Food
Mixing Royal Canin kibble with the current food your doggy loves is a great idea to smoothly change your dog’s food over time.
In your dog’s bowl, mix 75% of the current food and 25% of Royal Canin kibble.
Your dog might notice something different with the flavor and smell but he will still get to taste his usual dog food so he’ll continue eating until the bowl is empty.
Do that for a couple of days.
You can then adjust the mix to 50-50, and slowly increase it to 25-75.
If your dog doesn’t put up any resistance, you can then stop mixing and just serve Royal Canin kibble altogether.
You gotta understand this is a process that takes time.
You have to let your dog get used to the additional taste of the mixed foods before you can serve the Royal Canin Kibble.
Patience is a must to make this process successful!
Mixing With Wet Food or Broth
Royal Canin kibble might appear too dry for your dog which is why you’re having a hard time making him eat it.
Mixing the kibble with wet food or broth is an ideal technique to add more texture and make it more palatable for your dog.
Puppy and senior dogs will be able to chew the kibbles easier with wet food or broth in the mix!
Of course, you still gotta be careful doing all this mixing.
Start with a small amount of wet food or broth mixed with Royal Canin Kibble until your doggy’s tummy gets used to this mixture of food.
When you’re sure your dog has no problem digesting the combo of Royal Canin Kibble and wet food or broth, then start giving him a larger portion in his food bowl.
Making sure that the wet food or broth you are mixing matches the nutrition needed by your dog’s size and age is also important!
How Much Time is Needed to Transition to New Dog Food?
The time needed to transition to new dog food is at least a week or 7 days.
These 7 days are enough to give your dog a chance to adjust to the new taste and texture of new dog food.
On the first two days, mix a lesser amount of new dog food with your dog’s current food.
On the third and fourth days, you can start mixing equal portions of the new dog food and the old one.
The fifth and sixth day allows you to serve a greater amount of the new dog food and a lesser amount of the old food.
By the end of the week, you can already start serving the new dog food as it is to your doggy.
Watch your fur baby closely while transitioning to new dog food for potential digestive issues.
If a problem arises, it’s best if you consult the vet.
Potential Issues When Changing Dog Food
Changing dog food can cause digestive issues for your dog.
The transition might not go well in your fur buddy’s little tummy and he might have a hard time digesting the new dog food.
This can lead to vomiting and diarrhea.
Your dog might also lose appetite on the first few days of changing his dog food.
When a decrease in appetite continues, you’ll expect your dog to lose weight too.
Allergic reaction to the new dog food is also possible especially if your dog has sensitive health.
When transitioning to new dog food, it’s always best to start out slowly.
What Other Types of Food Can You Give Your Dog Besides Dry Kibble?
Wet food and homemade food are always great substitutes to give your dog besides dry kibble.
Wet food is moister and has more flavor than dry kibble, which your dog can find more delicious.
Homemade food is a convenient dog food to serve your dog.
Just boil some meat and throw in minimal seasoning, and you’re good to go.
I personally go for Ollie fresh dog food.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What to do if my dog doesn’t like his new food?
Mix the new food with your dog’s current food if he doesn’t like his new food. This will give him some familiarity but also a little introduction to the new taste and smell of the new food.
Is Royal Canin recommended by vets?
Yes. Royal Canin is recommended by vets because the company produces optimal and healthy dog food.
In Conclusion: My Dog Doesn’t Like Royal Canin
No matter what brand of dog food you are giving to your dog, just remember to transition it slowly in order to give him or her time to adapt.
If it does not work, you can always revert back to the old one you were using, or if you need a more detailed approach, a check with the vet will be very helpful.
Check out more articles about dog diets such as Zesty Paws mobility bites review, Hill’s Science diet vs Blue Buffalo, is YuMOVE good for dogs, and many more on our blog.