Leo’s Journey from Fussy Eater to Foodie with ProDog Raw

Determined to help Leo enjoy his meals again, Sara turned to ProDog, where behaviourist Caroline Spencer uncovered the deeper reasons behind his picky eating.

Leo, a lively three-year-old Labrador, once devoured his meals. But recently, his enthusiasm faded—he’d sniff his bowl, take a tentative bite, and then walk away as if his food had lost its appeal entirely. For Sara, Leo’s owner and an experienced Labrador parent, this was perplexing. With her children now grown and out of the house, Leo had become her main focus, and she knew just how much Labradors typically love their food. It was especially strange as Leo began refusing his diet of kibble and goat’s milk, a combination he’d happily enjoyed since puppyhood.

Sara says:

“I’ve never met a Labrador that didn’t eat, so I was quite shocked when Leo became so fussy!”

To help Leo with his eating issues, Sara researched different types of dog food and decided that raw meals would be healthiest for him. After switching his diet and seeing a positive change in his eating habits, Sara was extremely pleased and vowed to feed Leo only raw meals from then on.

Recalling Leo’s reaction to the change in food, Sara says,

“He was like a Seagull with a bag of chips — the food didn’t touch the sides of his bowl!”

But soon enough, Leo slipped back into his fussy habits, eating less of each meal as days went by. Even when Sara served his absolute favourite—beef—more food ended up in the bin than in Leo’s belly. Mealtime became an ordeal; Sara found herself resorting to hand-feeding, using a spoon, and even sneaking in bits of cheese and treats to coax him into eating. What used to be a simple routine turned into a daily struggle, leaving both Sara and Leo stressed and frustrated.

Determined to help Leo eat, Sara switched him back to kibble and canned wet food for a while. She was relieved to see him finally enjoying his meals again, especially the wet food. But as Leo’s digestion began to suffer from these low-quality options, Sara knew this wasn’t a sustainable choice for his health.

So, they returned to raw dog food, testing out different brands and proteins each time Leo lost interest. That’s when Sara found ProDog’s raw meals—and Leo loved them. Confident she’d found a nutritious option that satisfied Leo, Sara decided ProDog’s raw dog food was here to stay.

In Sara’s words:

“I just loved the ease of delivery, convenient tubs and subscription options. They made it so easy to feed Leo healthy food that’s good for him!”

Unfortunately, Leo’s interest in his meals began to wane again, and with limited freezer space, Sara decided to pause her ProDog subscription. That’s when our nutrition team connected her with Caroline Spencer, ProDog’s Canine Behaviourist—and from that moment, mealtimes with Leo took a lasting turn for the better.

Caroline introduced Sara to her ‘Natural Eating Routine’ described in her blog, How to Help a Fussy Dog Eat, a process that she designed for fussy eaters just like Leo. This way of feeding takes the stress and anxiety out of mealtime for both dog and owner, creating a relaxed, natural environment that helps dogs feel more comfortable eating their meals.

Sara says:

“The first time we tried the new method he ate without a problem and has been ever since.” 

Thanks to the Natural Eating Routine, Sara feels much more at ease about Leo’s eating habits, and this calm has rubbed off on Leo too. Now, he can truly enjoy his meals, while Sara has peace of mind knowing she’s feeding him food that’s genuinely good for him. His digestion has noticeably improved as he experiences the benefits of raw dog food, thriving on the species-appropriate nutrients packed into every ProDog meal.

ProDog Canine Behaviourist, Caroline Spencer, explains why the Natural Eating Routine is so helpful for fussy eaters:

For more tips on helping a picky eater, check out Caroline’s Fussy Dog guide. 

Sara believes that the anxiety she and Leo shared had its roots in how they first met—during the height of Covid, a time when anxieties were running high everywhere. Dogs are incredibly sensitive to their human’s emotions, and this can show up in surprising ways, including how they behave around food. But now, thanks to the Natural Eating Routine, Sara and Leo have worked through their stress together, and both enjoy a much calmer, happier mealtime experience.

If you’re struggling with a fussy eater like Sara once did, don’t lose hope. Often, eating issues stem from emotional imbalances, and with patience and a little guidance, they can be improved. For those new to raw feeding, check out our Beginner’s Guide to Raw Feeding to get started. And if you’re looking for expert nutrition and food behaviour advice, our ProDog team is here to help—contact us today for free, personalised support!