Best Dog Food for Picky Eaters: Turning Snouts Up

“Dogs eat everything.” 

You may have heard of this before. It’s true that most dogs are naturally curious about stuff and will taste, chew on, or eat most things — even those that aren’t edible. And of course, you’ve got the voracious eaters who will inhale their food and be done in seconds. 

But not all dogs are like these because you also have the picky eaters. And these dogs definitely DON’T eat everything. In fact, feeding time can be quite difficult for pet owners who find their pups sniffing and tossing their heads at the meals they are served. 

When you’ve got a picky pooch, it’s hard not to worry that your pup is not getting all the nutrients he needs. How do you make sure that all of his needs are met and that he’s kept at a healthy weight? And if he’s got other medical conditions to think of, it’s even more difficult not to fret. 

When it comes to dogs that are picky eaters, finding something that they enjoy and will actually eat can be quite a challenge, whilst still offering the right levels of nutrients and benefits.

That is why we have put together a list of the best tasting dog food for picky eaters, to help you find the perfect choice for your furry four-legged friend. With so many options around, it can be hard to know what’s best, so take a look below for a little help!

 

Overall Best Dog Food For Picky Eaters

Ollie Lamb with Cranberries

This is a thoughtfully crafted, vet-formulated recipe made with freshly cooked, human-grade ingredients you can trust.

 They slow-cook every batch to lock in maximum nutrition and flavor, creating a meal that’s as nourishing as it is delicious.

Featuring premium lamb and antioxidant-rich butternut squash, green beans and cranberries, each ingredient is carefully sourced from our trusted growers and producers around the world, ensuring only the highest quality goes into your dog’s bowl.

Everything is carefully selected from reputable farms in the U.S and Australia. Each partner must go through an extensive certification process to become a supplier. 

And because your pet deserves the best, they prepare everything right here in their US kitchens, so you can serve every bite with confidence.

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Other Top Dog Foods For Finicky Pups

Fresh Food

These are super healthy meals that are customized to your pup’s specific age, weight, breed, activity, and allergies. They’re often made in small batches to make them as fresh as possible when they get to you. And the moisture level for these is often around 70% and upwards.

1. Spot and Tango Fresh Turkey and Red Quinoa

Spot & Tango is a company that reimagines dog food through personalized meal plans, real ingredients that do not contain anything artificial, and a quick delivery system straight to your doorstep.

This wholesome and carefully crafted recipe designed to nourish your pup from the inside out. Made with premium turkey as the first ingredient, this lean protein is rich in essential amino acids to help support strong muscles and lasting energy.

Added turkey livers provide a natural source of iron and vitamin A, promoting healthy blood and vision. To round out the meal, superfoods like spinach deliver a boost of antioxidants and vital minerals, helping to support immune health, while carrots are packed with beta-carotene for healthy eyes and skin.

For slow-burning energy and digestive health, they’ve included fiber-rich sweet potatoes and chickpeas, both excellent sources of complex carbohydrates and plant-based protein.

Red quinoa, a gluten-free ancient grain, adds even more protein along with essential nutrients like magnesium and B vitamins to fuel your dog’s day.

Lastly, a touch of apple provides natural sweetness and extra fiber to support healthy digestion. Every ingredient works in harmony to create a fresh, vet-developed meal that’s as delicious as it is nutritious, ensuring your dog gets real food with real benefits in every bite.

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2. Nom Nom Pork Potluck

Nom Nom provides customized and pre-portioned meals based on your dog’s unique dietary needs, so there’s no more guesswork about how much to feed.

This is a delicious, vet-developed recipe that offers a fantastic alternative to traditional chicken or beef meals—perfect for pups who need a protein switch or simply crave something new.

Made with high-quality ground pork, this recipe provides a rich source of protein and healthy fats to help maintain strong muscles and lasting energy, while being gentle on sensitive stomachs.

Wholesome russet potatoes add easily digestible carbohydrates for sustained energy and are packed with potassium to support heart health.

Fresh green beans bring a boost of fiber to aid digestion, along with essential vitamins for overall wellness. Nutrient-dense squash contributes antioxidants like vitamin C to promote immune health, while kale—a true superfood—delivers a powerful dose of vitamins A, K, and calcium to support healthy bones and vision.

Gently-cooked to preserve its natural nutrients and flavor, it is crafted in small batches for ultimate freshness, giving your dog a complete and balanced meal that’s as nourishing as it is tasty.

Tummy aches due to sensitive stomachs being irritated are now a thing of the past. Not only is the dog food good for getting fussy eaters to eat, it’s also excellent for their digestive health. 

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Dry Dog Foods

Dry dog food looks like small biscuits in varying shapes and sizes. Though it’s called dry food, kibbles contain moisture of around 10%. In dry dog food, dough is extruded through small holes under pressure and it is cooked as it is pushed through.

Because of the cooking process, much of the moisture and some of the nutrients are lost so some brands opt to add vitamin and mineral supplements.

1. Jinx Salmon, Sweet Potato & Carrot 

Here we have another thoughtfully crafted, grain-free recipe designed to nourish your dog at every stage of life while being a smart choice for pups with allergy sensitivities.

Made from high-quality salmon as the star ingredient, this formula provides a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids to support healthy skin, a shiny coat, and overall joint health.

Complementing the salmon is turkey meal, an excellent, concentrated protein source that helps maintain strong muscles and lasting energy.

Instead of grains, this recipe features wholesome, fiber-packed chickpeas, lentils and ground peas, which deliver plant-based protein, essential amino acids and sustained energy while helping promote healthy digestion.

With natural sweet potatoes and carrots, this kibble is loaded with antioxidants to support immune health and provide a delicious touch of sweetness your dog will love.

Every bite of this kibble is designed to deliver balanced nutrition with clean, high-quality ingredients—making it the perfect everyday meal for dogs needing a gentle, allergy-friendly option that doesn’t compromise on flavor or health benefits.

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2. Get Joy Fresh Beef Freeze-Dried Food

This is a is a premium, scoopable meal crafted for dogs who deserve the very best in both nutrition and convenience.

This pantry-friendly formula is carefully freeze-dried to preserve the natural goodness of its fresh ingredients, with absolutely no fillers, preservatives, or anything artificial—just real, whole foods you can trust.

Made with high-quality beef as the primary protein, this recipe helps support strong muscles and lasting energy with its rich amino acid profile.

Nutrient-dense beef kidney and beef liver add natural sources of iron, vitamin A, and essential minerals to promote healthy organ function, boost vitality and support overall well-being.

For digestive health, pumpkin flour provides a gentle source of fiber to help regulate digestion while delivering beta-carotene and antioxidants to support immune function.

What truly sets this recipe apart is its powerful blend of prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics, working together to nourish your dog’s gut health and maintain a balanced microbiome for optimal digestion and immunity.

With this food, you get the benefits of raw nutrition in a convenient, scoopable format that’s easy to store and serve—making mealtime as joyful as it is nourishing.

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3. ZIWI Peak Mackerel & Lamb

This is a top-tier, ready-to-serve meal that brings together the best of land and sea in every nutrient-dense bite.

Crafted with care, this recipe is gently air-dried to naturally preserve its wholesome ingredients while eliminating harmful pathogens—no refrigeration or preparation needed, just scoop and serve.

Made with 100% free-range meats and wild-caught fish, it delivers high-quality protein and essential nutrients without grains, fillers, or artificial additives.

Fresh, whole mackerel provides a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids to support healthy skin, a shiny coat, and overall brain and heart health.

Tender lamb offers a digestible protein that's perfect for building strong muscles, while nutrient-packed lamb tripe supports gut health with natural probiotics and digestive enzymes.

Lamb lung, lamb heart and lamb liver deliver a powerhouse of essential vitamins, minerals, and amino acids to promote energy, endurance, and optimal organ function.

To further enhance joint health and mobility, New Zealand green mussel is included as a natural source of glucosamine and chondroitin.

With this one, your dog enjoys a balanced, biologically appropriate meal made from ethically sourced ingredients, designed to mirror what nature intended—fresh, clean and packed with nourishment.

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4. Rachael Ray Nutrish Natural Chicken & Veggies Recipe

If animal rescue is something that means a lot to you, you will want to start buying it. Not only is it a healthy and tasty option for your picky eater, but all proceeds from Nutrish sales also go to food, medical supplies and treatments for animals in need.

This food contains simple and natural ingredients, making it suitable for dogs in every stage of their life. The number 1 ingredient is USA farm-raised chicken, as well as a range of wholesome additions such as brown rice, beet pulp, peas, and carrots.

This mix is full of fiber and prebiotics, helping a healthy digestive system, as well as poultry fat for omega fatty acids, assisting with a shiny coat and healthy skin.

Based on what many reviewers say, their picky eaters — who are not much on plain food — will go and wolf this food down. Apparently, for most dogs on this diet, it’s a tasty dog food that deserves to be eaten and scarfed.

It’s also a great food for the price, some purchasers say, and it’s tolerated well. Dog poops are more solid compared to when they were fed another recipe, and gas is reduced by a lot.

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5. Merrick Real Texas Beef & Sweet Potato Recipe

If your picky eater also has allergies, then we recommend giving this beef recipe a try. This dry food blend is a poultry-free recipe that’s packed full of nutritious ingredients, such as real deboned beef, sweet potato, apples, and blueberries, which offer a great taste as well as health benefits.

The great tasting dog food is designed for a picky eater with its 65% protein and healthy fat formulation. The remaining 35% is divided into fiber, produce, vitamins, and minerals. 

60% of the total protein is derived from animal sources so that you know it’s filled with essential amino acids that plant-based proteins generally lack. 

The recipe also contains guaranteed levels of chondroitin and glucosamine for hip and joint function, omega 3 and 6 fatty acids for healthy skin and coat, and taurine for supporting cardiovascular health.

Many pet owners, whose dogs would rather starve than eat something they don’t deem suitable, say that this Merrick recipe got their dog eating — and eating a lot. It’s terrific for sensitive dogs who can’t stand poultry, and it’s the only one that has worked for their pups after trying a lot of other dog food brands.

It is reasonably priced, decently formulated, and works for many canines.

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Wet Dog Foods

Wet dog foods are primarily made of animal protein and fat with maybe a few carbohydrates mixed in. These are cooked food but with generally more recognizable ingredients than dry kibble.

Because of its high moisture, fat, and protein content, wet food products are more palatable and easily digested by pups.

1. Nature's Logic Canine Rabbit Feast

Nature’s Logic supplies natural goodness for dogs through whole foods that are highly palatable and nutrient-dense. Picky eaters will love how the brand makes use of not only muscle meat but also organ meat in each delectable recipe. 

This particular meaty wet food recipe makes use of a novel protein, rabbit, which makes it ideal for sensitive canines. Although rabbit is supported by pork liver in terms of protein, remember that pork can also be regarded as novel because it’s not as used as much as other kinds of meat.

The food is low in carbohydrates, rich in protein, and does not contain gluten or grain. For fiber, it relies on pumpkin to keep your dog’s waste movement solid and regular.

This product is heavily praised by pet owners for its simple and limited ingredient formulation. Pets who’ve suffered from allergy issues for years have stopped being itchy and had their skin issues resolved with this diet.

Picky eaters get excited whenever this food is brought out. It makes for a great topper too if you want your pup to eat his regular kibble. The only downside to it that reviewers mention is its dry texture.

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2. Go! Solutions SENSITIVITIES Limited Ingredient Shredded Turkey

Picky dogs with allergies? No problem with Go! Solutions Sensitivities line. All the dog foods in this line use a single animal protein source to accommodate pups with allergy issues. Meat is always first and there are only a few ingredients in the whole formulation.

There are no common allergens included, like grains, gluten, wheat, corn, animal by-product, growth hormones, or artificial preservatives. 

This recipe is chock full of the good stuff. It uses cage-free turkey as its only animal protein source. The fat it utilizes is salmon oil, known for being a rich provider of omega fatty acids. There’s pumpkin to aid in your dog’s digestion and cranberries for his immune system.

For picky eaters who often get upset tummies, this wet food formulation helps them eat and stay healthy. The fussy pups are observed by their owners to really like the food, particularly the chunks of meat that they can chew on.

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3. Weruva Awesome Bouncy, Chicken Breast & Riceberry Recipe

Weruva is a U.S.-based company that crafts its dog food with purposeful, high-quality ingredients and produces its recipes in a human-grade facility located in Thailand.

The featured product is a wholesome, flavorful meal crafted to provide both nourishment and taste in every tender, shredded bite.

Made with high-quality chicken breast as the star protein, this recipe supports lean muscle maintenance while being gentle on digestion.

The addition of chicken broth enhances hydration and flavor, making it irresistibly savory while helping to keep your pup well-hydrated.

For energy and fiber, a nourishing blend of ancient grains like brown rice, rice berry, and red rice provides essential B vitamins and antioxidants to support overall vitality and digestive health.

Enriched with fish oil, this recipe offers a natural boost of omega-3 fatty acids to promote healthy skin, a shiny coat, and heart health.

Anti-inflammatory turmeric and soothing ginger are thoughtfully included to support joint health and aid digestion, making this meal especially beneficial for dogs with sensitive stomachs or aging joints.

To top it off, green-lipped mussel provides natural glucosamine and chondroitin to help maintain healthy hips and joints.

Completely free of gluten, carrageenan, wheat, corn, soy, and meat by-products, it delivers clean, functional nutrition you can trust—perfect for adult dogs who deserve a comforting, nutrient-packed meal with real benefits in every bowl.

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Raw Food

Raw food is one of the newest ways dog owners are feeding their pups. And also one of the healthiest. Because raw food does not go through a cooking process, the ingredients contain all the nutrients they started out with. 

It can be homemade or bought prepared. Commercial raw dog foods are usually safer because these have been subjected to a strict processing (air-drying, freeze-drying, etc.) where harmful pathogens are eliminated. 

1. Stella & Chewy's Tantalizing Turkey Dinner Patties

Stella & Chewy is online pet retailer Chewy.com’s own premium brand for pets. It’s focused on giving dogs a premium meal based on the nutrition of raw and a whole-prey diet. The brand’s philosophy is based on the belief that dogs will thrive on the same diet that they eat in the wild.

The formulations crafted by Stella & Chewy use sustainably-sourced ingredients and a single protein source. Bones and organ meats are also utilized, aside from muscle meat. 

This turkey recipe uses ethically-sourced ingredients like cage-free turkey. The turkey here is the only source of animal protein, which is ideal if your pup is sensitive to other types of animal meat. Turkey organs like liver and gizzard supply fat for more energy, while turkey bones provide a rich source of calcium and phosphorus.

Like most raw food products, there are no fillers, artificial colorings, or preservatives included. 

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2. Instinct Variety Raw Boost Mixers Chicken Recipe

Instinct is a brand of pet foods that believes in the power of raw nutrition. Raw is packed with proteins, provides whole food nutrition, and is minimally processed so that your pup gets only the purest form of food. 

Instinct builds its products around raw food to harness all of its benefits, like increased vitality, improved coat and skin, better digestion, smaller poop, and relief from sensitivities. 

This recipe is not a complete meal but rather a mixer that you add to your finicky pup’s regular diet. It’s the perfect dog food for picky eaters because it adds taste and variety to any meal. The protein-rich make up of the formulation will also appeal to the instinctual cravings of canines for meat.

The dog food topper is full of beneficial ingredients, from cage-free chicken and chicken liver to carrots, apples, blueberries and butternut squash for overall health and well being. There is also dried chicory root, for prebiotic support and healthy digestion, as well as many other raw whole foods to satisfy your furry friend's appetite.

Dog parents say they highly recommend this food for picky eaters. Their stubborn pups who are difficult to feed are now excited for mealtimes to come. Crumbled or just mixed in, their dogs would dive right into their bowls for this dog food topper formulation. 

Another good thing about the mixer is that it can be used as a training treat too. Pups eagerly follow instructions just to get a taste of the kibble.

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What Should You Look For?

It can be frustrating when you’ve laid out what you think is tasty and healthy dog food and your pup won’t even so much as go near his bowl.

But here are some steps you can take to ensure that the dog food you select is at least more enticing and palatable to your pup than what you might have picked out otherwise. 

1. Meat first ingredient. Although dogs are omnivores and not carnivores, meat makes any dog food more palatable so a recipe that’s high in animal protein will stimulate your dog’s appetite more than one that’s based on carbs. 

It’s not enough that you choose a recipe that lists meat as a first ingredient. Check the other ingredients that follow. Some brands try to hide the fact that their formulations are lacking in animal protein by listing a meat product as the first  but following it up with different kinds of carbohydrates next. 

If there are lots of carbs, veggies, or fruits in the first five ingredients, check how much animal protein was used by the dog food brand. Some will usually announce it in the label as, “Made up of 75% animal protein,” or something like that. This means that even if there’s only a single animal product in the ingredients list, it makes up a big volume in the recipe. 

2. Animal fat. Dogs are hardwired to detect animal fat in their food. If your pet is a high-energy canine, it’s totally fine to go with a dog food that contains a high fat content. Fat gives dog food a more delicious taste, plus it gives your pooch a concentrated form of energy. 

It can take the form of chicken fat, or fish oil in the ingredients list. Some recipes use plant-based oils as fat sources instead but these don’t make the food more tempting for picky dogs. 

3. Wet dog food over dry. There are plenty of dry dog foods that are high on meat and flavor, but wet food is usually more palatable to dogs because it has less carb ingredients and more protein and fat. 

If you do need to choose a dry dog food to feed (because let’s face it, kibble is more convenient), make sure it’s protein-dense to entice your picky pooch to scarf down. You can also add a little broth to the dog food to make it more palatable or put mixers or toppers on top.  

4. Make sure it’s healthy. Sugar and artificial flavorings may whet your dog’s appetite, but they’re not healthy for your dog’s digestive health or his overall health for that matter. Too much sugar can cause the same problems in your dog as it does to people — obesity, tooth problems, and diabetes. 

Artificial flavorings, meanwhile, can exacerbate allergies or be carcinogenic. High-quality dog foods do not need these flavors because they are naturally palatable. It’s only when brands cut corners and introduce fillers into food that artificial flavors become necessary.

And steer away from artificial preservatives or colorings too. Colors do not attract dogs to food. They’re there to attract you.

5. Pick a protein your pup likes. Most dogs have food preferences, and it’s best if you can accommodate those. If he likes seafood over poultry, then it would be in both of your best interests to select a fish-based food.

Reasons Why Your Dog May Not Be Eating

There are a few reasons why your dog may not be eating, including:

Feeding circumstances: A change in feeding circumstances is a common reason as to why your dog may not be eating or finishing his regular dog food. This could be a range of things, such as a change in environment, feeding at a height that causes discomfort or feeding in circumstances where your dog feels uncomfortable e.g. in the presence of an aggressive dog.

It is best to think about when your dog stopped eating and if any changes happened around that time – if they did, try and return feeding time to ‘normal' and see if this changes anything.

Hormonal Issues: Unspayed females are more at risk of hormonal-related anorexia, although it can also occur in neutered males and spayed females. This type of picky condition usually ebbs and flows over time.

Drug Reaction: If your four-legged friend is on any medication, this can cause them to be put off their food. It does not have to be a drug that they have just commenced taking – it could be something they have been taking for a considerable period. Either way, seek professional help for further assistance.

Teeth/Gums: If your furry friend is suffering from tooth problems or gum disease, this may be the reason why they are not eating. Both can be quite painful and cause a lot of discomfort, meaning they may be put off their food. If you think this may be the cause, take your dog to see a veterinarian and they will be able to advise a solution.

Medical Attention: Another reason may be medical – if your dog is suffering from nausea or they are in pain, they may not be interested in their food. If this is the case, it is best to go to your veterinarian as soon as possible and they can assist.

Picky Eater: Some dogs are just naturally fussy eaters! It may sound funny, but some dogs are picky eaters and will continue to be for their entire lives. If this is the case, it is best to find something they like and continue with it for as long as possible.

 

Create Better Eating Habits in Your Dog

There are some ways you can help your pup develop better eating habits and, hopefully, lessen their pickiness.

1. No table scraps. Don’t dole out scraps from your table to your pooch. This might cause him to eschew his dog food in favor of human food, which is much saltier. Not to mention human food has lots of extra ingredients in it, like spices and herbs, that are not suitable for dogs to eat.

2. Stick to a schedule. Consistency is key for your canine. Feed puppies as recommended by your vet and adult dogs around once or twice daily. If you can, try to make it around the same time you always give your pup a bowl. 

Try not to leave out food for more than a short period of time so that your pup will know to eat everything when his bowl is filled.

3. Keep your food separate. Never feed your dog directly from your plate. He should associate his food with his bowl. Otherwise, this will reinforce a begging behavior and your dog will think that he can eat his food and his owner’s too.

4. Praise him. Lavish praise on your pooch when he finishes his food. Or scratch him behind the ears and pet him. Reward does not have to mean treats. Reserve those for training time, but if you really have to, only do it occasionally and not all the time.

FAQs

How Can I Make My Dog Food More Appetizing?

There are a few different ways in which you can make dog food more appetizing:

• Try mixing wet and dry food
• Sprinkle a collection of herbs over the food
• Mix in some chopped vegetables with dry food for added flavor

How Do I Get My Picky Dog To Eat Dry Food?

If you have a picky dog that just won’t eat dry food, try a few of these options:

• Add yogurt and mix in with the dry food
• Add liquids such as warm water or gravy to dry food, and allow to sit for a few minutes before serving
• Add solid mix-ins to the dry food, such as eggs

How Long Will A Picky Dog Go Without Eating?

If you are worried about how long your picky dog has gone without eating, these are some rough guidelines to follow:

• A healthy dog can go around 2 days without eating
• A dog can fast for up to 7 days (but this is not recommended)
• If your puppy has not eaten in 24 hours, seek veterinarian assistance as soon as possible

If you are unsure, make a trip to your vet and explain the circumstances. They will be able to assist further!

Why is my dog not eating his food anymore?

There is a range of reasons as to why your dog may not be eating their food anymore:

• Drug reaction
• Teeth issues and/or gum disease
• Changes in the environment
• Feeding at a height that is not suitable and causes discomfort
• Feeding in situations that they are not comfortable in eg. in the presence of an aggressive dog
• Medical attention may be needed, such as pain and/or nausea
• Some dogs are just picky!

If you are worried in any way, again speak to a professional and they can provide some further guidance.

In a nutshell

Although having a dog that is a picky eater can be quite tricky there are heaps of options available on the market for tasty choices.

Some dogs may respond well to high-protein, grain-free options, while others may prefer wet food or recipes with added flavors and textures.

Transitioning gradually and experimenting with different brands or formulations can help find the right fit. Ultimately, the best choice is one that keeps your dog both satisfied and healthy, providing essential nutrients while catering to their specific taste.

The health and happiness of your furry friend are super important, as they are a part of your family, so you want to ensure you feed them food they will enjoy!