How I Accidentally Created a Picky Eater — And Our 30-Day Reset

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When we brought Waylon home, I was determined to do everything right. Which, as it turns out, is occasionally how I get myself into trouble. While he was still eating puppy food, we started researching what we wanted to feed him long-term. And I don't mean I Googled “best dog food” and bought whatever showed up first. We went where the Great Dane people were. We joined Dane Facebook groups. We searched old conversations about food. We read what people were feeding their dogs, what they liked, what they didn't, and what worked for them. We tried to balance nutrition with something we could realistically afford to feed a very large dog. Eventually, we settled on Victor Beef Meal kibble. And because apparently I cannot simply feed a dog and leave well enough alone, I put just as much thought into his treats. Waylon's treat cabinet would make some humans jealous. Hip & joint cookies. Dehydrated duck feet. Freeze-dried beef liver. Lick mats with yogurt and fresh berries, or peanut butter and pumpkin. We rarely give him table scraps because most of our food has seasonings that aren't appropriate for him. But every now and then, I'd cook a few extra chicken thighs completely plain. And naturally I'd think: "I'll put a little chicken on Waylon's dinner. He'll love that." Oh, he loved it. That was the problem.

Apparently I Had Been Training Him. Just Not in the Way I Intended.

Somewhere along the way, Waylon figured something out. Why eat boring old kibble when there's a reasonable possibility that Mom might eventually crack and produce chicken? So he'd look at his bowl. Then he'd look at me. Then back at the bowl. Then back at me. And wait. I started trying different things to convince him to eat. A little something on top. Something different mixed in. Maybe he'd like this instead. Eventually, I was driving myself CRAZY trying to get this dog to eat his actual food. At one point I was making entire homemade meals for him…and His Majesty would turn his nose up at those, too. That's when it finally clicked. Waylon wasn't the only problem here. I had accidentally taught him that if he held out long enough, the menu might improve. And we needed a reset.

I refuse to eat this peasant food! Now cook me my steak, medium rare, please.

Operation: Eat Your Kibble, Sir

For the past two weeks, Waylon has gotten his kibble. That's it. No chicken on top. No negotiating. No upgrading the entrée because the customer is dissatisfied with tonight's selection. Has he expressed his displeasure? Absolutely. There have been fits. There has been staring. And then there are the eyes. You know the ones. The full Sarah McLachlan commercial eyes. "For just pennies a day, you could save this poor Great Dane from the perfectly good bowl of food sitting six inches from his face..." But I've stuck to my guns. His food is there. I'm not going to keep replacing it with increasingly exciting alternatives because he's waiting to see what else I might offer. And slowly, something interesting has happened. He's eating his kibble again.

Treats Aren't Gone — The Rules Just Changed

I'm beginning to reintroduce some of Waylon's treats because I don't think there's anything wrong with him having things he loves. I've just changed when he gets them. First, he eats his regular food. And treats aren't being used to convince him to eat anymore. They're rewards. Sit. Stay. Leave it. Come. Whatever we're working on, he does something for the treat instead of staring dramatically at his dinner until I produce a better offer. We're two weeks into this experiment, and I'm giving it a full 30 days before I declare Operation Eat Your Kibble a success. So far? I'm cautiously optimistic.

OK, I’ll try it, just this once…

The Lesson Waylon Taught Me

I started all of this because I love him. Every chicken thigh, lick mat and special treat came from wanting to give my dog something he'd enjoy. But somewhere between “Here's a little something special” and “WHY WON'T THIS DOG EAT?”, I created a problem I didn't realize I was creating. And that's probably my biggest takeaway from this whole experiment: Sometimes loving them well means not constantly giving them exactly what they want. Waylon can still have his duck feet. He can still have his liver treats. He can still lick peanut butter off a mat like he hasn't eaten since Scooby Doo first came on Saturday mornings. We're just putting some boundaries around all of it. I'll update this post when we hit Day 30 and let you know whether our hard reset actually worked.

Until then, please keep Waylon in your thoughts during this extremely difficult period of his life. He has kibble.

Apparently, it's devastating.

— Terry & Waylon
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A note from Giant Paws: This is simply our experience with Waylon, not veterinary or nutritional advice. Changes in appetite can sometimes signal a health problem, so talk with your veterinarian if your dog's eating habits change or you have concerns about their nutrition.