Dogs have a reputation for eating all the time. Some dogs are known to eat the food right off of the table, out of their bowl, or out of your garbage. YUCK!
Well, believe it or not, there are some dogs that don’t eat anything. While some people don’t like to eat fast food or leafy greens because it doesn’t taste good to them. Well surprisingly, dogs are the same way! Some dogs have likes and dislikes. Some love the taste of chicken; some despise it. And similar to humans, some dogs might just prefer fancier food.
Thankfully there is good news if your dog is a picky eater. We’ve put together a list of the best dog foods for picky eaters. Even if you’ve been unsuccessful in trying to trick your dog into eating their kibble, or you’ve begged your vet to help you to no avail, there is a solution!
Best Dog Food for Picky Eaters
1. Blue Buffalo
Blue Buffalo Freedom
Features
- STARTS WITH REAL CHICKEN: A recipe that starts with real chicken as the first ingredient, this dry dog food features the high quality ingredients you’ll feel good about feeding your best friend without the grains that contain gluten
- GRAIN FREE DOG FOOD: BLUE Freedom grain free adult dog food is specifically formulated to meet the nutritional requirements of adult dogs to help provide energy for an active life; Plus, it contains omega 3 & 6 fatty acids to support skin and coat health
- ANTIOXIDANT-RICH LIFESOURCE BITS: A precise blend of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals carefully selected by holistic veterinarians and animal nutritionists to support immune system health, life stage needs and a healthy oxidative balance
- A NATURAL DOG FOOD: BLUE dry dog food is made with the finest natural ingredients enhanced with vitamins and minerals; BLUE contains NO chicken (or poultry) by-product meals, corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors or preservatives
- Contains one (1) 4lb bag of BLUE Freedom Grain Free Natural Adult Dry Dog Food Chicken
Natural ingredients are important for your dog. Even if they are a picky eater, you need to make sure that the food they are eating contains nutritionally dense kibble that is filled with natural ingredients such as Blue Buffalo. Having unnecessary fillers can make your picky eater sluggish and cause health issues.
Key Specifications
- Size – 12.5 Ounce Can
- Why We Recommend – The dog food has real meat in the sauce.
A popular brand of dog food is Blue Buffalo, and the wet formula is one of the most popular with picky eaters because it’s super flavorful and moist. Dogs often go crazy for this formula because of the hearty, meaty chunks.
When you’re on the lookout for your picky eater, you want to make sure that first and foremost there aren’t a bunch of fillers bulking up their food. Similar to our human food, when there are a lot of bulking agents, we end up with something far less flavourful. But thankfully, Blue Buffalo is made with real chunks of meat that will hopefully turn your picky puppy into an eating machine!
Free from the pesky grains and gluten that could make your dog sluggish. As the owner of a fussy furry fellow, you know that it can be quite the challenge to get your dog to eat enough food to keep them healthy, full of energy, and at a good weight. And that is why choosing a food high in the necessary nutrients is of optimal importance!
A lack of energy can mean that your playful puppy doesn’t that the energy to run around, play with their toys, or go on walks – which is one of the most enjoyable parts of dog ownership.
Blue Buffalo’s formula is perfectly designed with wet dog food providing a great mix of high-quality protein and complex carbohydrates. This will make it possible for your dog to run around and play with you and the kids all day!
Pros
- Contains real meat
- Does not contain grains, corn or soy
- Comes in exciting and various flavors
Cons
- Some dog’s digestive systems are sensitive to wet food
If you’re lucky enough to know which flavors that your dog prefers, you’ll be happy to know that the Blue Buffalo comes in a wide range of flavors. With beef, chicken, lamb, and even turkey on offer; even if your picky eater doesn’t have a favorite flavor yet, why not try them all out and discover the flavor that they love the most!
2. Fromm Four Star
Fromm Four Star
Features
- Dog Food, Dry Dog Food, Four Star, Fromm, Game Bird, Grain Free
Like humans, dogs require a bunch of vitamins and minerals to stay healthy. If your dog is picky, we understand that you may be worried that they are not getting the proper diet. Well, that’s where our next brand comes in – Fromm Grain Free.
Key Specifications
- Size – 4 lbs bag
- Why We Recommend – It has the most natural and organic ingredients.
FROMM is a family-owned business that operates out of the state of Wisconsin, the USA that put a lot of thought into the ingredients and recipes that they use; with the idea that they won’t make anything they wouldn’t want their own dogs to eat.
With all of their dog foods providing and surpassing the nutritional levels as stated by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles.
It is common knowledge that all dogs love to eat and chase ducks, your dog may even chase after a duck or two when you head out on walks to the local park – and that’s because they are naturally drawn to them.
Well, being a family-owned business and watching their own puppies chase around ducks, FROMM know this, and that’s why their first ingredient is duck.
This can make the world of difference to a picky eater because since this is the ingredient that is most concentrated throughout the kibble, hopefully, they’ll be eating this up and having a full and happy belly in no time.
If your picky eater has a poor digestion system because of years of not eating properly, well you are in luck with this dog food as it’s filled with probiotics that will help to heal your dog’s gut and boost their immune system so that they’ll be back on track for full-on health in no time.
Pros
- Duck is the first ingredient listed
- The great ingredient list
- Contains superfoods and antioxidants
Cons
- Since it is a small business, the price may be more expensive than other brands on this list
Also, if your dog is allergic to gluten, this grain-free brand will make their allergies go away. FROMM is filled with nutrients that will give your dog a longer life expectancy.
3. Taste of the Wild
Taste of the Wild
$51.99
Features
- For Pet Type(s): Dogs
- Completely Natural
- Appropriate for all ages and breeds
The next brand we recommend is Taste of the Wild, known to be a great flavor for the pickiest of pooches.
Key Specifications
- Size – 30 lbs bag
- Why We Recommend – The brand has lots of meat flavors, which will be enjoyable for your dog.
As humans, we know why we don’t eat certain foods. Your child may not like their carrots because they hate the taste, or you might hate eggs because they have a weird consistency that freaks you out. Well, believe it or not, dogs are the same way. Some dogs love to eat anything that gets put in front of their mouth, while other dogs are more particular in what they eat.
With a full flavor because thanks to the ingredients including fresh duck, USDA backed chicken, lamb, and real cheddar cheese. Your dog will feel like they are eating junk food, but in reality, they are eating a meal that is healthy for them and packed full of nutritious ingredients!
Dog food has gotten a bad rap recently because many brands have notoriously used fillers in order to make a cheaper product, because of this – many owners are realizing that their dogs knew this before they did – and disliked the cheap foods, not because of the lack of nutrients, but the lack of taste that was another byproduct of using fillers.
So, take a look at the food you’re using right now. Does it contain more fillers than high-quality protein and fats? Have you read reviews from other owners? As a responsible dog owner, we know that you want the best for your four-legged friend, so make sure that you’re feeding them the cream of the crop!
But not all picky eaters are because of flavor, in fact, your dog might be allergic to something in his current food and avoiding the discomfort that comes with eating it.
Pros
- Contains omega fatty acids like omega-3 and omega 6
- Supports bone health
- Supports dental health
- Contains no fillers
- Great for dogs with sensitive stomachs and more allergies
Cons
- Still contains a small number of grains like rice, barley, and oatmeal
Taste of the Wild does not have any corn or wheat in their food. In fact, it’s chock a block full of great quality ingredients that will help your dog to live his healthiest life!
4. Honest Kitchen
Honest Kitchen
Features
- MAKES 40 LBS OF FOOD: Just add warm water for a wholesome & delicious meal that rehydrates to 4x its weight. A 10 LB box makes 40 LBs of fresh food! Serve alone as a complete easy homemade meal, or use as a topper to dry food.
- FREE RANGE CHICKEN & ORGANIC WHOLE GRAINS: The Honest Kitchen Whole Grain Chicken dog food is made with real whole food ingredients like free range chicken, organic oats, carrots & bananas, which are gently dehydrated for maximum flavor & nutrient retention and easy digestion.
- SUITABLE FOR PUPPIES & ADULT DOGS: Complete & balanced nutrition for adult dogs and puppies of all breeds and sizes, including large breed puppies, as well as adult mothers (gestation/lactation).
- HUMAN GRADE: Unlike most pet food, which is feed grade, this recipe is 100% human grade – made with human grade ingredients and produced in a human food facility. That means higher quality ingredients and more safety standards, just like you'd expect from your own food.
- WE SAY NO TO: This recipe contains no preservatives, by-products, fillers, GMO ingredients, corn, wheat or soy.
The Honest Kitchen is a new and revolutionary dog food brand. They create products that are delicious and healthy for your furry friend. But they do things a little differently at the Honest Kitchen… they don’t use any preservatives whatsoever! How do they do this? Well, it’s actually pretty simple.
Key Specifications
- Size – 10 lbs bag
- Why We Recommend – It meets the requirements and standards of the AAFCO.
Using human-grade ingredients, they dehydrate their dog food allowing it to be rehydrated before feeding and making for a much purer and natural product.
Honest Kitchen created and made sure that their food is balanced to meet the standards of the AAFCO. This is a great indicator of nutritional worth because you always know what your dog is eating and that it’s good for them!
What we love the most about this pet food is that the meat is healthy and locally sourced. The Honest Kitchen brand is made with meat that is homegrown, organic and has no hormones, or antibiotics. This can lead to a longer life expectancy for your dog a win-win for you as the pet owner and your four-legged friend.
Pros
- Contains whole foods and whole grains
- Meat does not have extra hormones
- Budget-friendly
- Tastes like table scraps
Cons
- Dogs may not like dehydrated food at first.
- Can take time to introduce this new food
Also, if your dog only likes one particular type of meat, then you are in luck. The Honest Kitchen has a wide variety of whole foods and locally sourced meats. These meats and flavors include cage-free turkey, free-range chicken, cage-free duck, and range-raised beef.
5. Rachael Ray Nutrish
Rachael Ray Nutrish
$44.67
Features
- Contains (1) 40 Pound Bag of Dry Dog Food. For a limited time, you may receive either bag while we update our packaging
- Farm-raised chicken
- Natural dog food with added vitamins & minerals
- No poultry by-product meal, filler, wheat, or wheat gluten ingredients
- Safely cooked with the world's best ingredients
Delicious food is always helpful when you are trying to get your picky dog to eat anything. As humans, if you want delicious and healthy food, you turn to a celebrity chef you trust. It’s no surprise therefore that the celebrity chef, Rachel Ray, has a dog food out. It is called Nutrish Natural.
Key Specifications
- Size – 10 lbs bag
- Why We Recommend – It is good for picky eaters that have allergies and digestive issues.
In this dog food brand, there is a wide variety of chicken flavors that can make your dog get excited to eat again. The chicken is farm-raised, and it is the first listed ingredient. It’s always important to this celebrity chef that your dog is not only served a delicious meal, but also a healthy one.
It’s hard when you have a picky eater as your dog. It’s even more difficult when they have a list of allergies and digestive issues. Rachel Ray’s brand of dog food is great for dogs who are sensitive to certain foods and also have digestive issues.
When your dog eats this food, their belly will be happy, full, and they will be filled with energy from the vitamins that are packed inside. With a whole list of vitamins, including B12, C, D3, E, and K. It also has calcium in it from the cheese! What a yummy (and healthy) surprise for your dog!
Pros
- Does not contain artificial flavors, preservatives, fillers, wheat or gluten
- A variety of flavor options like turkey, venison, beef, and chicken
- Good for picky eaters that have allergies and digestive issues
Cons
- Contains soybeans and corn
Another perk to buying this food is that a portion of the sales will be given to the Rachel Ray Foundation. This foundation helps and supports animals in need. So when you are buying this for your dog, you also know you are helping another animal in need.
Bottom Line
Your picky dog food has to be delicious and healthy. With all of those factors in mind, we choose Blue Buffalo as our winner.
It’s exciting that the product is made with real meat in a delicious sauce. This will make your dog feel like they’re eating a special birthday treat at every meal!
Blue Buffalo has created a tried and tested formula that will make sure your dog has a great mix of protein and carbohydrates in every meal. This will make it possible for your dog to run around and play to his heart’s content.
And for those owners that have known their dogs to like certain foods at first, and then go off of them – we’ve heard from fellow picky-eating-pet owners, and the majority have praised the food as being a taste that sticks!
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Nadia
Nadia is passionate about all things dog related and is one of the leading writers at Dog Struggles. Her attention to detail and expertise means you can rest assured knowing her product recommendations & reviews are the best of the best.
