Can Dogs Taste Aged Food?

Food is usually aged to improve its flavor, so we seem to like it. Aged food is also often among the healthier items on a menu. From meat to cheese, there are many examples of aged food we like to have every now and then. 

What about dogs? Dogs seem to eat a wide variety of things; they aren’t exactly known for being picky about what they put in their mouths. But can they taste aged food? Do they like it? Read on to learn more about aged food and dogs.

Dogs aren’t picky eaters. However, there are some things they don’t like. Usually, dogs will easily eat things that they were given when they were pups. If you are thinking of giving aged food to your dog, it may actually be a healthy option as well. Generally, aged food develops a stronger flavor, even becoming sour if it's fermented. 

Your dog will let you know whether they like the taste of aged food or not. For instance, sniffing and pushing the food around with their nose is a sign they don’t like the aged food in front of them. In some cases, your dog may even look a bit scared when facing aged food they don’t like. You can see your dog tucking their tail or withdrawing from the food. 

Humans have been aging foods since forever. How long have we been feeding our dogs aged food? Probably for a long time as well. In addition to improving the flavor of the food, aging is done for several reasons. These include drying, allowing for fermentation, culturing, and extraction (usually for alcoholic drinks). 

While dogs have fewer taste receptors than humans, they do have the same taste range. So they can taste sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. Some dogs may like certain tastes more than others. You would know the “personal history” of your dog’s eating habits, which is crucial in maintaining a healthy diet with minimal hassle. 

Instead of the 9,000 taste buds you have, your dog only has around 1,700. So that kind of explains why dogs are not too finicky about what they eat. When it comes to aged food, your dog may be more likely to have it if they have been exposed to it as pups. 

Food elements such as carbohydrates, fats, and proteins are all elemental for living things. But they don’t really have a lot of flavor in their natural state, which is why we cook them. Aging is a process that makes the (fundamentally bland) food itself tastier. Aging creates better conditions for enzymes already present in the food, improving its inherent taste. 

If your dog hasn’t had aged food before, start them off with small quantities. You can also consider making some simple aged food recipes or create combos with normal food. Mostly, dogs will readily eat whatever they were given to eat when they were young. So if you have a pup, it’s a great time to develop their taste for aged food. Of course, you shouldn’t force your dog to eat something they don’t like. So be mindful of your dog’s reaction when you introduce them to aged food. 

Sometimes a dog is simply not hungry. So if they are not touching the aged food in their bowl, offer them something you know they like. If they go for it, you’ll know they don’t like aged food.