Dogs are notorious for their voracious appetites and will consume whatever meal you offer them. That’s why you could have been told that “you eat like a dog” when you devour a large, juicy burger in a couple of seconds, leaving nothing but burger sauce on your face. What happens, however, when your real dog stops eating like one? When dogs lose their appetite, it causes concern among their owners. There are a number of reasons why your dog’s appetite may be waning, and we’ll explain what they are.
Why does my dog eat very less?
A short decrease of appetite in your dog is not anything to be worried about right away. Dogs, like humans, are sometimes not hungry or have lost interest in eating due to stress in their lives. A longer lack of appetite in your dog, on the other hand, is a severe symptom that something is amiss. What factors influence your appetite? An interplay between the digestive system, fat tissue, and the brain controls the urge to eat.
Exercise affects two main hormones that govern hunger, but in opposite ways. Ghrelin causes hunger by stimulating appetite, while peptide YY inhibits appetite. Most metropolitan populations’ sedentary lifestyles, as well as the pets who inhabit their homes, have probably led to a lower use of metabolic calorie intake. Caloric utilization is further stalled when combined with a lack of regular exercise.
Foods having a high glycemic index, such as sweets, wheat, rice, white potatoes, and bread, cause a temporary “sugar high.” This is followed by hunger, which leads to a desire for more food. Furthermore, well-intentioned humans may share inappropriate meals with their “hungry” dogs to prevent them from begging, such as bacon, burgers, or fries, exacerbating the problem.
Other reasons on why your dog eats less
• Your dog is stressed or has hormonal changes
Dogs are sensitive animals that like a specific kind of surroundings. When their sense of order is disrupted, it may be a highly stressful condition for your dog, and he may stop eating. A hormonal imbalance in your dog may be caused by a variety of factors. Moving to a new home, being separated from their pet parents, introducing a new family member, abandoning their litter, losing a fur companion, or being abandoned in a kennel or someone else’s care are all examples of situations when pets may be abandoned.
• Your dog dislikes icky food and prescription diets
Some people believe that dogs would eat anything, but this is not always the case. Dogs can smell whether the food in their dish has gone rancid because their noses are more sensitive than humans’. Make sure any dog food you’re feeding your pet hasn’t expired by reading the label. Make sure nothing is rotting, moldy, or has been left out in the open for too long if you’re serving your dog fresh food.
• You’ve overfed your dog
Many dogs nowadays are overweight and overfed. The feeding instructions on the back of commercial dog food play a big role in this. Although some rules advocate serving your dog 4-5 cups of food, not all dogs can complete that much. Forcing your pets to eat more than they need may result in intestinal issues and lethargy, leading to further appetite loss. It’s all about calorie awareness, just like it is with food. If the dog consumes more calories than it expends, the dog will become fat or refuse to eat when food is offered.
Additionally, overfeeding may occur when you give them too many dog treats to praise them for excellent behavior or just to show them some extra affection. Treats should not account for more than 10% of their daily calorie consumption. Don’t give your dog all the dog treats he wants, no matter how tempting it seems. Your dog will get reliant on those goodies for nutrition rather than the genuine food they should be consuming.
• Your dog just does not like eating large amounts of food.
Some dogs just do not have a voracious appetite, and you need not be concerned. They are in perfect condition. They were just born that way; it’s in their DNA. Huskies, for example, were developed to run and carry sleds all day thousands of years ago. Their bodies have acclimated to working all day and without taking any breaks for lunch, so their metabolism is very efficient, and they can go about their day contentedly even with just a little quantity of food in their system.
Furthermore, your hound is derived from wild-hunting ancestors who can only eat when they discover food. That implies dogs’ bodies are well suited to a life of fasting and feasting. Your dog’s body is an expert at saving energy, and once it’s gone, it’ll eat on its own.
• You have spoilt your dog
We understand how tempting it is to get carried away with indulging our cherished pets. We want them to enjoy all of life’s luxuries and live like kings and queens of the home. Providing your dog with too many food alternatives, on the other hand, may result in a miniature fur monster. This is particularly true for tiny, hairy dog breeds such as Shih Tzus. They are as demanding as they are adorable. You may notice that they aren’t eating their normal dog food and decide to offer them a delicious steak instead. If you continually putting something more appetizing on your puppy’s meal, he’ll develop an attention-seeking attitude that says, “If I don’t eat this, my owner will give me something better.”
Giving them sweets before their meal times will make them lose their appetite as well. That is why dessert is never served before supper. When they beg for a better meal, try not to be fooled by their puppy-dog looks. Dogs will never starve to death and will eat only when they are hungry.
• Your pet is sick
Your dog is most likely unwell, which is why he has lost his appetite. When looking up numerous symptoms for dog ailments, the most prevalent one lacks appetite. Whether it’s bacterial or viral infections, dental problems, or more serious ailments, dogs will refuse to eat if they sense anything is amiss within their bodies. If your dog’s lack of appetite is followed by additional symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, bloody stools, or other alarming indicators, take them to the veterinarian right away so they may be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.
Final words
Keep these in mind and treat your dog accordingly to help it recover appetite. You should be proactive when you see the initial signs of your dog not eating food. Then you can overcome negative effects that may happen as a result of it.