How can I get my dog to eat hard food?

beacon or hamburger grease. its great for their coat and makes their food tastyyyy!

If you haven’t already, try sprinkling it with water. That’s worked for me in a similar situation. You could also try mixing the two types of food, gradually increasing the dry/wet ratio.

Start by mixing a small amount of dry food in with his canned. Over the course of a couple weeks, gradually decrease the amount of canned food. Eventually, you should be able to get him onto dry only. Stick to your guns. Unlike cats, dogs have no real physiological constraints about missing meals – he’ll eventually give in and eat it.

I have tried mixing it and he just licks the wet food off. I almost wonder if his jaw still hurts but it has been six months at least. The hard part is sticking to my guns. I have kinda gone overboard on trying to give him a better life than what he had before me and I give him people food.Today he had a hotdog and a piece of laughing cow cheese. It wouldn’t be so hard if he wasn’t always a foot away from me. I’ll try mixing the food again.

Have you talked to the vet?

This is a different situation, but maybe it would work. When we first got our puppy, she refused to eat hard food. The vet suggested mixing it w/ water and even warming it a bit and to gradually back off of this until you are just doing hard food.

In your case, I might put a “dollop” of the canned food under all of this stuff….at least the dog will have to dig through to get to it….and might start to get used to the smell and taste of the new food.

I just cooked a burger so I am going to put some fat on it. The vet told me to mix the food. I think he is just a piggy and I am too easy on him. Thanks for the help.

Start with wet food and dry food together, slowly tip the ratio from very little dry food to mostly dry. When it is only dry food, add some olive oil. He’ll be fine, and full.