A picky dachshund has stolen hearts online with his refusal to eat unless his food is topped with parmesan cheese, leaving TikTok users in stitches.
Dog mom Taylor Burnett (@taylor.burnettt) shared a video of her pooch, Wilson, and his specific culinary demands, which garnered 114,800 likes and 819,900 views on TikTok.
“He prefers freshly grated parmesan from Whole Foods Market,” she captioned the post, emphasizing his taste for the finer things in life.
In the clip, the blonde dachshund stares at his bowl of dry food, clearly unimpressed. He then turns his head toward Taylor, who reaches into a Tupperware container filled with parmesan, taking a small pinch to sprinkle over his meal. As she prepares to add the topping, Wilson excitedly stands on his hind legs, as if trying to grab the cheese himself.
“He literally eats it at the moment it starts coming out of my hand,” she said on camera.
Sure enough, as soon as the parmesan hits the kibble, the pup devours his food without hesitation.
Is Parmesan Safe for Dogs?
While parmesan isn’t toxic to dogs, it is high in sodium, which means it should only be given in moderation and not offered to dogs with heart or kidney disease.
According to The Spruce Pets, most dogs are lactose intolerant and their body weight will determine how much lactose they ingest. They advise up to 2g of lactose per kg of body weight.
A large ingestion of sodium, around 4,000mg, can be deadly for canines.
Parmesan cheese has around 76mg of salt per tablespoon. They recommend cottage cheese as a healthier alternative.
Oksana Restenko/iStock / Getty Images Plus
How to Make Dry Dog Food More Appealing
If a dog refuses to eat dry food, there are several ways to make it more enticing. Pooch & Mutt suggests adding warm water, mixing in a bit of wet food, or incorporating a dog-safe topper like unsalted broth or plain yogurt.
TikTok Reacts
Wilson’s refined palate had TikTokers cracking jokes in the comments.
“He’s Italian,” wrote Graciella.
“This is how it starts… next thing you know he’ll be demanding warm garlic bread and a glass of Chardonnay,” joked Petco.
“I’d be fine with him demanding wine as long as I get a glass too,” Burnett responded.
Another viewer quipped, “It starts with a sprinkle of cheese, and before you know it, you’re making homemade food in the crockpot every week.”
The video also sparked a conversation about other dogs’ peculiar eating habits.
“My dog won’t drink water unless it’s freshly poured from the bottle,” admitted one pet parent.
“My dachshund has to be spoon-fed by HAND because he refuses to eat from his bowl,” shared another.
“He would love Olive Garden,” joked Maddie.
Newsweek reached out to @taylor.burnettt for comment via TikTok. We could not verify the details of the case.
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