If you notice birds nibbling on your dog’s food, you are probably not the only one. Dog food contains grains and cereals, which is why winged creatures are quick to fly to the bowl and get their share. There are plenty of grain free options like annamaet dog food and many other brands but birds still seem to be interested! However, the issue is that birds carry diseases and bacteria like salmonella with them and can contaminate the food.
If your dog accidentally swallows their droppings or the contaminated food itself, it can become sick and merit a visit to the vet. In the worst-case scenario, dogs can get serious stomach infections because of the parasites carried by birds. Therefore, to prevent the latter from stealing your pet’s kibble, the best way to feed your dog is indoors. Naturally, this isn’t always possible.
These alternate strategies can help you keep your canine’s feed safe and protected.
Supervise your dog while it eats
This is the most obvious one on the list and perhaps, the least pragmatic. You can always watch your dog while it eats and ‘shoo away’ any birds if you spot them. Unfortunately, pets can take their sweet time eating lunch and spending your spare time keeping an eye is the farthest thing from ideal. Regardless, this is possible, given that you’re willing to put in the additional effort. This requires that you store the food in places that are not accessible to birds and only take it out when your canine is hungry.
Feed the birds too
If you’re upset about the hungry birds coming to your porch, you can provide them with some food of their own. Dog food is tasty to many birds and animals alike, but rest assured, birds will not want a bite when they spot something better.
An excellent way to encourage them to leave the kibble alone would be to hang bird feeders away from your pet’s eating spot. You can easily find birdseed at your local grocery store and effectively save your pup’s food from contamination.
Use the scarecrow strategy
You already know why farmers install scarecrows in their fields – it is to scare away those pesky grain stealing crows, of course! In the same vein, you can set up optical illusions to discourage birds from coming near your dog’s bowl. You can hang printed pictures of predatory species or even make the structures out of some creative origami to get the job done. As a pro tip, make sure to change these up a bit every few days so that the birds remain fooled by your tactics.
Put a cage over your pup’s bowl
Just as people use sleeping nets to keep the mosquitos at bay, you can get a cage and put the dog food inside it. Keep in mind, though, that birds will still be attracted by the smell and may flock together in an attempt to topple it over. While the latter is highly unlikely, it is always best to go for a heavier variant. It will serve as a great prevention strategy and keep the food safe until your dog is ready for lunchtime.
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