Dog won’t eat food without chicken in it

[Anonymous]

Our formerly not-picky dog stayed with a friend for a couple months at the beginning of the pandemic and she got used to the high life! She was getting rotisserie chicken on the regular, and we have weaned her off her chicken-only meals, but she refuses to eat her kibble unless it’s laced with a couple of really small pieces of chicken.

I don’t usually shop at stores that have rotisserie chicken regularly, and I don’t enjoy eating it myself. I bought some raw chicken, cooked it, and have been adding small bits to her bowl, but this is getting old.

I need her to just start eating regular food again. She turns up her nose at her bowl for a day or more if we don’t cave, then she gets sick to her stomach. She really has us over a barrel. Any advice?

[Anonymous]

Our dog was euthanized this week and we've been adding sauteed ground turkey to her food for at least 4 years to entice her to eat. It was a hassle at first but eventually we got used to it and it wasn't that hard to make and have on hand.

[Anonymous]

My dog is like this too. I gave up and try to keep this or that handy in a little Tupperware for her, and mix a bit into her food each time. Salmon skin, cooked chicken bits, a little ground beef or ground turkey. Whatever we make for ourselves, I keep a bit of the unseasoned meat aside and use it for a few of her meals. Good thing she’s so cute!

[Anonymous]

I bet she will take a bit of salami, cheese, etc. It is a ritual now for her. Just add a few crumbs of what you are eating. Not the hill I would die on.

[Anonymous]

You can add a bit of wet dog food on top of kibble for taste if you don’t have chicken handy.

[Anonymous]

Wet the food with a bit of chicken broth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wet the food with a bit of chicken broth.

I would do this. I always add a bit of water to dry kibble anyway. But if you have already weaned her down to small bits of chicken, this might help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wet the food with a bit of chicken broth.

You can also add a little bit of chicken or turkey gravy (the canned or jarred stuff) to the food. Dogs love the texture and flavor of the gravy. The vet told us this is totally fine.

OP, if your dog insists on chicken, there's no need to add rotisserie chicken or cook it yourself--just buy some canned chicken.