The fussy eater's guide: when your dog won't eat the new food
A dog that refuses a new food is meeting something unfamiliar. It doesn't mean the food is wrong. Here's how we get fussy eaters there, slowly.
Why a dog walks away from a new bowl
A dog that has eaten one dry food for years knows exactly what dinner smells like, feels like and tastes like. Fresh food is wetter, softer and warmer, and it smells of actual meat. For some dogs that's instantly wonderful. For a cautious dog it's simply new, and it won't eat it until it feels safe.
So the job is to make the food familiar. That takes time.
Take it slower
The usual switch mixes the two foods over about 7 days. A fussy eater can take 10 to 14 days instead. Start with a teaspoon of steamed NomNomPaws next to the usual food, not on top of it, so your dog can investigate it on their own terms. Once that disappears, mix a little in, then a little more each meal.
A pack will last more meals this way, and that's fine. If your dog stops eating the mix, go back one step and try again. Keep the total amount of food the same as before; only the mix changes.
Serve it warm, never cold
A warm bowl smells stronger than a cold one. Thaw the pack in the fridge overnight, steam it for 15 to 20 minutes until it's cooked through, then let it cool until it's just warm to the touch. Cold food is a common reason a fussy dog turns their nose up.
Once your dog is eating the mix, stir the warm NomNomPaws through the usual food so the whole bowl carries the smell.
A routine helps more than coaxing
Feed at the same times each day. Put the bowl down, leave your dog to it, and take up whatever is left after 30 minutes. No coaxing and no hand-feeding. If they ate nothing, feed the usual food at the next meal and go back a step with the mix.
Keep treats and table scraps out of the picture while you switch. A dog that's had a snack at four o'clock has every reason to skip an unfamiliar dinner at six.
Find the recipe they already love
Some fussy dogs have a protein they're sure about. If yours is a chicken dog, start with a chicken recipe from their series and leave the others for later. The 7-day Fresh Start plan lets you mix recipes, so you can put one or two familiar ones in and discover the favourite without committing to a month of anything.
Tell us your dog's weight, age and what they eat now on WhatsApp, and we'll help you pick where to start.
When to message us, and when to see the vet
If your dog won't eat the mix at all, feed the usual food and message us; we'll find a slower way to switch together. No appetite for a whole day, or vomiting or diarrhoea for more than two days: go back to the previous step, and if it continues, check with your vet. Blood in the poo: check with your vet. A fussy eater is normal; if the signs above continue, that's one for your vet.
Everything here is feeding guidance from a kitchen, not veterinary advice. Pets on medication, pregnant, very young, very old or unwell: ask your vet before changing their food.
Last updated 26 October 2026
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