When Kristina’s young pups, Teddy and Rufus, started to become fussy about their Lyka, she reached out to Lyka’s Customer Care team for help.

They listened carefully to her experience, then shared some handy tips and tricks (that actually work!) to get them chowing down at mealtimes again.

We know that dealing with a finicky eater can be difficult, especially when you know that the quality of food is top-notch. Kristina got her boys back on board with their Lyka diet, and shared her story with us, so you can learn from her experience, too.

Too many treats to eat

When Teddy and Rufus first started their Lyka journey, their diet included other food and treats. Kristina soon realised that this was like giving junk food to a child and then trying to feed them a healthy meal. It was destined to fail!

Not only did the tasty extras impact their appetite, but this also gave them upset stomachs and regular diarrhoea.

The recipe for success

A dog’s sense of smell is up to 10,000 times stronger than ours, and is closely linked to their sense of taste. Like us, all dogs have personal preferences for certain tastes and smells.

Teddy and Rufus both preferred to eat the Lamb and Turkey recipes, so Kristina played to her strengths and omitted the other dishes from her Lyka order. It meant dinner time wasn’t a battle of wills.

A good routine and feeding environment are key!

To encourage her boys to enjoy mealtimes even more, Kristina established a new routine and fed them at the same time every day, so they knew what to expect.

“Splitting Lyka up into small servings — breakfast, lunch and dinner — has worked well and satiates them throughout the day so they’re not craving treats or barking for more food.”

Along with smaller, more frequent meals, a short feeding window was another successful strategy for Kristina.

“I would normally put Lyka out, they would sniff it and walk away. I would leave it out for a couple of hours hoping they’d eat it. Now if they don’t eat it within 10 minutes, I put it back in the fridge and take it back out at lunch or dinner time, so they know it’s only there for a short period. If they were being particularly fussy, I would remove Lyka altogether and they wouldn’t eat dinner. By the next morning they’d be famished and would chow down their Lyka.”

A short feeding window is an effective way to encourage your dogs to eat their food when it’s served, whether that be once, twice or three times a day. Keep the food fresh and delicious by returning it to the fridge no more than 15 minutes later, then serve it at their next mealtime.

Kristina also noticed that cheeky Rufus would always try to steal Teddy’s food, which made him feel anxious, territorial and hesitant to eat. So she separated the boys at mealtimes so that they could focus on enjoying their food, rather than on each other.

Interactive toys for more exciting meals

To encourage Rufus and Teddy to enjoy their food again, Kristina started to hand-feed them until they were ready to transition back to their bowls.

“I also bought a slow feeding mat to make it a fun eating experience for them.”

If your pupper is fussy about their food or disengaged at mealtimes, interactive feeding toys can pique their interest and stimulate their mind. It becomes more of an engaging experience than simply eating to fuel their bodies.

Through trial and error, Kristina found a combination of effective solutions that helped combat their fussiness. She has successfully rekindled Rufus and Teddy’s love for Lyka and their enjoyment of mealtimes.

As Kristina says, “It’s happy days from here!”

Lyka support for puppers and their parents

All dogs deserve to live their happiest and healthiest lives and we’re here to help you and your pup achieve that.

Our fresh, human-grade meals are complete and balanced for optimal health from the inside out.

Plus, our Customer Care team is always available to provide you with support and advice to make your pupper’s transition to fresh food smooth and successful.