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Working With Finicky Eaters
Many Chihuahua Puppies are happy to eat anything
placed in a bowl in front of them while others start that way but
gradually become discriminating nibblers and finicky eaters. If your
Chihuahua suddenly goes from being a good eater to a very finicky
eater, it could be a sign that your Chihuahua is ill so be sure to
have your veterinarian examine him to rule out medical problems.
Establishing good eating habits helps prevent your Chihuahua from
becoming a finicky eater or a dog with an appetite problem. Once your
Chihuahua is no longer a puppy, feed him only one meal or two
small ones daily. Feeding your dog continuously or too frequently often
results in a pet that becomes a fussy eater or appears to be a finicky
eater, when he is really just full. If your Chihuahua refuses to
eat the meal you just gave him, do not immediately give him something
else to eat instead, as this will soon turn into a habit and you will be
the one trained, not your dog. Avoid standing and watching your
Chihuahua to see if he is going to eat his meal because your dog
will often think there is some more food coming or he has done something
wrong and will refuse to eat. Most dogs kept on a regular feeding
schedule have a more dependable appetite. Some Chihuahua s like to be
with the family when they eat so feeding them at breakfast or dinnertime
when everyone eats works well with many dogs. Just like children who eat
too much candy or junk food and turn their nose up at a proper balanced
meal, feeding your pet too many treats or people food often results in a
dog that turns up his nose at dinnertime. Giving your pet a treat
occasionally or a tiny bit of people food once in a while is not
normally harmful but remember that unlike people food or treats, dog
food is specially formulated to meet your Chihuahua s nutritional needs
and provides the minerals, vitamins, daily protein, and other
nutritional requirements necessary. Feeding them too much people food or
treats is unhealthy for your pet and often helps turn him into a finicky
eater.
If your Chihuahua has turned into a finicky eater and he is
physically healthy, you need to work on getting him back on a sensible
schedule and proper dog food. A varied diet is fine but if you
continuously try different foods because he will not eat or is fussy,
this just prolongs the problem. Early in the morning put down your pets
food, show him and then leave him to eat. Return after half an hour and
check to see if he ate any. If not, remove the food and at the end of
the day, put down a new bowl of fresh food. Repeat this and it will not
take your dog long to figure out that he needs to eat. Remember that you
are not starving your dog but offering him food twice daily and he will
soon choose to eat.
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