Huskies are a special breed of dogs that have unique requirements in terms of care. As a furparent, it’s your responsibility to provide them everything they need, whether that’s a loving, comfortable home or the best food possible.
That said, it’s not unusual for problems to arise every now and then. For instance, maybe your Husky has stopped eating their dry food, even if you try to hand-feed them. Like most furparents, this probably got you concerned and worried about your precious furbaby.
If you’re wondering why your Husky won’t eat dry food, then don’t fret – you’ve come to the right place.
5 reasons why your Husky won’t eat dry food
There are many reasons why your Husky won’t eat dry food. Here are some of the most common ones.
The food is low-quality
One thing you have to know about Husky breeds before we go further is that they’re good at holding off eating.
Historically, Huskies are descended from a breed of sled dogs found in the Chukchi Peninsula. These dogs were bred specifically to become working dogs and to aid the Chukchi people as they hunted, traded, and did other similar activities.
Since the entire area was often covered in snow, there wasn’t always a lot of food available. Due to this, these sled dogs developed a type of metabolism that could keep their energy up for a long time even without food intake.
In other words, Huskies are good at skipping meals, especially if they don’t like the food. This includes poor-quality kibbles. If your Husky thinks that the dry food you’ve provided isn’t good enough, they won’t think twice about skipping it and waiting for something better to come their way.
To combat this problem, simply replace his regular dry food with a higher-quality variety. Brands that have fresh ingredients listed first are better than those that have corn, rice, and other grains.
They’re bored
Just like people, Huskies can get bored of their food as well. If all they’ve been eating for a while is dry food, it’s not unusual for them to get tired of it eventually.
Luckily, the solution for this is pretty easy. You can add some wet food, gravy, or toppings to your dog’s regular dry food to improve its taste and texture. You can also add human food like cooked chicken breast and pig liver to switch things up.
If you still have some milk formula for dogs, you may also want to add warm milk to their bowl of kibbles. The kibbles will soften in the milk, making it more palatable and much easier to eat.
They’re stressed or anxious
Despite their wolf-like appearance, Huskies are actually quite sensitive dogs. They get stressed over things like moving houses, a new pet, or noisy people. They can also get stressed over minor changes, like simply moving their food bowl someplace else.
In addition to this, Huskies are also known to suffer from separation anxiety, which is a whole different topic altogether.
Of course, if your Husky is stressed or anxious, it’s very likely for them to stop eating not just dry food, but all kinds of food in general. Be very observant and watch out for other signs of stress and anxiety, like pacing, whining, panting, yawning, and licking, among many others. Luckily, this typically doesn’t last for more than a day.
They have dental issues
Dental issues are difficult for everyone, humans and Huskies alike. These issues can range from tooth decay, bad gums, and other related issues.
Since dry food is much firmer than wet food, any Husky with dental issues may find it much more difficult to eat the former than the latter.
Remember, your Husky won’t be able to tell you straight out if they have a bad toothache, so, once again, you have to use your observation skills. Symptoms include refusal to eat hard foods or treats, slow chewing, excessive drooling, and resistance whenever you touch their face or mouth area.
If your Husky is dealing with dental issues, the best way to help them with this is to simply go to the vet to get the proper treatment.
That said, prevention is always better than cure, so to avoid such issues in the future, make sure to brush your dog’s teeth regularly and to give them special treats that can help with their dental health.
They’re feeling ill
If you Husky has underlying health issues, it’s only natural for them to lose their appetite. This doesn’t just include dry food, but also all kinds of food in general.
One of the health issues that can cause a lack of appetite is Zinc deficiency. This is very common in Husky breeds.
Again, observation should be your strong suit here. If your dog still doesn’t eat after 2 days, there could be something else that’s up. Schedule an appointment with the vet for a thorough check-up.
How to get your Husky to eat dry food
Now you know why your Husky won’t eat dry food. To help improve their appetite, you can do the following:
- Provide high-quality dog food. As mentioned above, Huskies can easily pass up on dog food that they deem poor quality.
- Mix up their food every now and then. You can even add human food to make their food tastier for them.
- Create a strict schedule. Doing so will regulate your dog’s appetite.
- Ensure they’re getting proper exercise. Huskies need to burn off their energy to feel completely hungry.
- Keep their dental health in tip-top shape. A bad toothache can make eating dry food much more difficult than it should be.
- Have them checked by your local vet regularly. Making sure they’re always healthy is part of your responsibility as a furparent.
Final thoughts
As you can see, there are many reasons why your Husky won’t eat dry food. In this article, we learned the following:
- Huskies can afford to skip meals due to their excellent metabolism.
- Low-quality food, boredom, stress and anxiety, dental issues, and underlying health problems are some of the reasons why a Husky won’t eat dry food.
- To get a Husky to eat, you can switch their dry food, add toppings or wet food, provide a more comfortable space, and get them checked out at the vet.
Did this solve your problem? If you’d like to learn more about Huskies, don’t forget to check out our blog at Husky Habits!