Best dog food for fussy eaters that even the pickiest pooches won’t want to turn down

Containing highly palatable salmon, the Cooper & Co Fussy Dog Food is made with picky pooches in mind. It’s packed with flavour so your dog won’t be able to resist it while it’s also gentle on sensitive tummies. It’s completely free from grain, wheat, corn, soy, dairy and eggs so it’s a good option for dogs for dogs with sensitivities, intolerances or allergies. This kibble is carefully cooked to ensure it maintains its nutritional value and taste. It contains 50 per cent salmon, which is a great source of Omega 3 for improved joint and coat condition, along with sweet potato, spinach and fennel to ensure the recipe is packed full of vitamins and minerals to promote a strong and healthy heart.

Dog parents rave about how even the pickiest eaters can’t resist the fresh taste of salmon this food provides and they also appreciate the added bonus of this food being grain-free, which has helped several dogs with itchy skin or digestive troubles feel their best once again. A few reviewers have mentioned that their pups didn’t take to the food at first but after a bit of encouragement, they couldn’t get enough.

If your four-legged friend has a habit of turning their nose up at dinner and loves wet food, give Pooch & Mutt’s Multipack Wet Food a try. This grain-free food is specially crafted for pooches who have sensitive tummies or have been advised by a vet to avoid cereals. This means there’s no wheat, rye, barley, oats, maize, sorghum, millet, triticale or rice included, but that doesn’t have any effect on the taste of the meals though. Instead, the recipes are packed with all the good tummy-friendly stuff - vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to help keep them happy and healthy.

To combat your pup’s fussy eating habits, this multipack comes with four different flavours to try; Chicken, Pumpkin & Pea, Chicken & Beef, Turkey & Chicken and Turkey & Duck. This variety will stop your pooch getting bored with what’s in their bowl at mealtimes and is sure to entice them to come back. Customers say the tempting aroma and the juicy texture of this food alone is what lures their pup to clean their bowl. The food comes in easy-to-open cartons, but be mindful of having somewhere to properly store it if you have a smaller dog as they probably won’t eat 375g worth in one meal.

Inspired by the comforting goodness of Shepherd’s Pie, Lily’s Kitchen Lamb Dry Dog Food is packed with freshly prepared lamb, vibrant fruits and vegetables, and a sprinkle of botanical herbs to make your pup’s mouth water. The aroma of this delicious blend of ingredients should be enough to entice them to eat, but you can also add a little water to help release the flavours further for those particularly picky pups.

One of the biggest draws of Lily’s Kitchen is that each recipe is made with wholesome, natural ingredients so you can be confident that you’re giving your pooch only the best nutrition. While there are other varieties of this food available, customers of dogs with specific intolerances appreciate that this food is made with lamb as other recipes include chicken and beef which are common allergens for pups. Some reviewers found the kibble size to be quite big for small dogs and were disappointed that while Lily’s Kitchen does have a small dog recipe, it’s only for the chicken flavour and not the lamb. Overall though, dogs seem to love this Lily’s Kitchen food and can’t get enough of this deliciously natural and grain-free lamb recipe.

Sometimes, dogs get bored of eating the same kibble every single day and will prefer fresher food that smells and tastes incredible. Butternut Box is one of the UK’s go-tos for fresh dog food deliveries and is also the one that I use to feed my miniature dachshund Waffle. They create human-quality meals packed with fresh meat, fish and vegetables but it’s not a raw diet. Each meal is gently cooked to perfection, locking in flavour while providing the right balance of vitamins and minerals for your dog’s health. Each Butternut Box is tailored to the needs of your specific pooch so you need to fill in information about their age, breed, and any dietary requirements to ensure the food has everything your pup needs to grow happy and healthy.

I signed up for Butternut Box when Waffle grew bored of the dry kibble I was feeding her. Even though she grazed occasionally, she was a little underweight so I knew she needed something more enticing to get her to gobble everything in her bowl. A friend suggested Butternut Box and we’ve been loyal customers ever since. When the delivery first arrived, the pack suggested warming up her new food slightly in the microwave to make it smell exciting and she gulped it down (and has been wagging her tail at every mealtime since!)

Her coat’s shinier and her energy levels are up so I know she’s getting the nutrition she needs. That being said, it’s not cheap – it currently costs me about £44 a month for a dog of Waffle’s size and I would definitely struggle to afford it if I owned a larger dog. However, for a fussy eater like Waffle, it’s been worth every penny. As it's food that arrives frozen for you to defrost for your pup, you'll need to make sure you've got enough freezer space to store all the meals.

Read mine and Waffle's Butternut Box review for more details.

The Pero Complete Meal for Fussy Eaters Gold is specifically crafted with one goal in mind and that’s to tempt even the fussiest of dogs to their bowl at mealtimes. Pasta is its main ingredient so it’s a good source of carbs to ensure your pup is full of energy when they need it the most. It’s also coated with cereal extracts to give it more flavour and a moist texture. As a complete food, it also contains all the essential vitamins and minerals your pooch needs to stay healthy and happy as they grow.

As a food that has carbs and wheat as main ingredients, you will need to make sure you’re not overfeeding your pooch as they will gain weight quickly if they’re not doing enough activity to burn it off. Reviewers have also said the kibble is on the larger side so if you’re looking for a food for a fussy large-breed dog, this may be the answer.

Finding the right puppy food is a really important part of any pup's lifestyle and will not only help them grow but will also shape future eating habits. If you have a fussy puppy that has a delicate tummy and sensitive skin, AVA Sensitive Skin and Stomach Dry Puppy Food is a grain-free recipe that is packed with protein-rich white fish to keep your little furball full and happy. It’s also boosted with AVA’s unique +Imuvita prebiotic blend that helps to promote a healthy gut and provide immunity support, helping your pup to grow up strong and full of energy.

Pet parents are full of praise about how great this food is for settling their puppy’s stomach, with many reporting their pup hasn’t had tummy trouble or itchy skin since switching. The small kibble size makes it easy for tiny mouths to get their teeth around too. As with any fishy food, the smell isn’t the nicest for us humans but your pup will love it – even the fussiest of pups won’t be able to resist it.

As our furry friends get older and slow down into their senior years, their tastes can become a little bit more selective. If your senior pooch is starting to turn their nose up at food they used to love, it may be time to switch them to a different senior recipe, such as this Barking Heads Wet Dog Food for Senior Dogs. It’s packed with optimal levels of protein and fat to keep your senior pup strong and of a good weight because as they slow down, older pooches are prone to piling on the pounds. Made without artificial colours, flavours or preservatives, it’s full of healthy ingredients such as fruit and vegetables plus nutrients that address common challenges that senior dogs face, such as green-lipped mussel extract for joint support.

Customers rave about how this food has reignited their dogs’ appetites and they also appreciate that it’s crafted with natural, wholesome ingredients. Some buyers wish the portion sizes were a little more generous as each pouch contains 300g. While this may not be enough for a full day of meals for a bigger pooch, this could be ideal for those with smaller pups who don’t need as much food, or being served alongside dry food to give your picky pooch a bit of variety in their bowl.

Pooch & Mutt’s Primal High Meat Dry Food is a highly nutritious and delicious kibble that is packed with an impressive amount of meat. It has an 80 per cent meat content, made from lamb and ostrich, with added superfoods like pumpkin, turmeric, and spirulina for healthy digestion and glucosamine and chondroitin to maintain joint health. The higher meat content makes it ideal for working dogs to maintain their muscle condition and give them calories for their active life. It’s also grain-free so it’s ideal for those with sensitive tummies.

The high-quality ingredients and the energy-packed formula are what customers love. They’ve also reported seeing an improvement in their coat condition and muscle tone since they switched to this food. Some owners have found this food to be too rich for their pup to begin with due to the high protein content but after a slow transition, they got used to it in the end.