When the client says, "I'm Bella's chef!"

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When the client says: "Why are you suggesting I buy dog food? My Bella won't eat anything other than the table food I cook for her."

How would you respond? Check out the right (and wrong) way to handle this client's concerns.

Don't say: "Table food is just as good as dog food. So it's OK for Bella to eat only chicken, rice and vegetables."

Do say: "Bella may love your home cooking, but she's missing out on essential nutrients and minerals by not eating a balanced dog food. Pet foods are made to give your dog everything she needs. You may offer her a meal, and she will refuse it because she knows you're going to give in and make her some steak or chicken. Let's try offering her dog food for breakfast tomorrow. If she won't eat her breakfast, pick up her bowl and put it down again for dinner. If she's still being stubborn, give us a call and we can walk through some more ideas to get Bella interested in dog food. Let's go to the retail area together so I can show you some examples of nutritious dog food for Bella."

Kyle Wendy Skultety, LVT, CVT, is technician supervisor at VCA Twin Rivers in East Windsor, New Jersey.