One trick that often works well is to warm the food before serving it; it helps engage their sensitive sense of smell. I’ve seen it work best by putting the can of food in a pan on your stove and warming it like you would any food. You can add some of their favorite things, such as green beans or cheese, while it is warming if you want to. My dog loves carrots! Test it with your fingers before setting their bowls down to make sure it is not too hot. An alternative warming method is to put filtered water in your tea pot, heat the water (not to a boil) and pour that over the can or kibble in their bowl. Just stir the water for a bit and, again, check with your finger to make sure it is not too hot. Finally, you can microwave the canned food.
Warm food is very comforting to dogs because, in addition to the fact that fresh kills in the wild would be body temperature not room temperature, the dog’s own body temperature is warmer than ours; typically 101 to 102 degrees.
Just be patient. Some dogs take longer to adjust to changes. If you know you are feeding them healthier food, then don’t worry if they act finicky and don’t feed them extra treats so that they are not hungry. Remember the bit of wisdom that no dog ever starved next to a full food dish!
