Even with all the back and forth about grain-free, ancestral, and fresh food diets, you can be certain that high-quality commercial dog food is formulated to properly nourish your dog. But… it’s just so bland and boring looking. Besides being brown and boring, there are other reasons your dog’s diet might need you to add a little razzle-dazzle.
Let’s talk about dog food boosters. We’ll go over reasons you might want to add something extra to your dog’s meals plus some simple, dog-safe ways to make their brown bowl of kibble a little more gourmet.
Does Your Dog’s Food Need a Boost?
Even though your dog’s food is formulated to meet basic standards of nutrition, sometimes your dog needs more fiber, more calories, or more of a nutrient that a standard diet just isn’t giving them. Their diet could benefit from a little boost! Boosting your dog’s food is simple. You just mix in a little bone broth, veggies, or a premade topper to add both nutrients and flavor.
Not sure why you might want to boost your dog’s diet? Here are a few reasons your dog could benefit from a little something extra.
If you have an active dog that competes in agility or other canine sports, then you know that their diet needs to be on point to fuel their body and protect their muscles and joints. A meal booster like bone broth gives extra calories, provides joint support in the form of glucosamine, and supplies muscle-building protein.
If your dog suffers from dry flaky skin, a meal booster with Omega-3’s can help rebuild the skin barrier, while helping to restore shine to your dog’s coat. Add a few drops of fish oil to your dog’s food, throw on some sardines, or sprinkle on some flaxseeds for delicious and easy ways to supply these essential fatty acids.
A dog that has lost weight due to illness or a medical treatment could use a few extra calories, fats, and protein from a healthy source. Bone broth, meal toppers, plain chicken, and salmon are all good additions to the diet of a dog that needs to gain some weight.
If your dog suffers from frequent GI upset, after you check with your vet to make certain it’s nothing serious, add a little pumpkin and ginger to their food. Pumpkin adds extra fiber, while ginger is calming for the stomach and reduces inflammation.
Some dogs aren’t the best at drinking water and staying hydrated. Adding broth or another wet component to your dog’s food helps them get the water they need. Many powdered food toppers can be mixed with water to make a nutritious and delicious slurry that can also give a moisture boost.
If you have a picky eater, the smell of a meal booster may make food seem a little more enticing.
Our dogs deserve flavor too. Dogs like a little variety in their diet. Most dogs love fruits like blueberries and veggies like carrots. They can distinguish between sweet, sour, salty, and bitter… and even have special taste buds for water!
Our Favorite Dog Meal Boosters
Dog-safe fruits and vegetables like blueberries, carrots, sweet potatoes, and green beans make great meal boosters. So do eggs, plain chicken, salmon, yogurt, and homemade bone broth. Sometimes though, it’s just easier to keep premade meal boosters on hand. Premade meal boosters are formulated just for dogs and can even tempt the palette of a picky eater. These are a few of our favorite premade meal boosters.
Weruva Pumpkin Patch Up- These handy pouches eliminate the need to open an entire can of pumpkin to mix with your dog’s food. It’s made of pureed organic pumpkins and can also be purchased in purees that include turmeric, which provides joint support, or ginger for a healthy digestive tract. These handy pouches are also great for stuffing a Kong and other puzzle treats.
Native Pet Bone Broth Powder- Containing only chicken bone broth, powdered chicken, and sweet potato, this dehydrated bone broth powder is organic and versatile. You can sprinkle it on top of your dog’s food as is for an extra kick of collagen and protein, mix it with water and make a gravy topping, or serve it to your dog as a broth. We love the versatility and ease of preparation you get with this bone broth.
Wild Planet Sardines- So it’s not marketed for dogs. These are just basic canned sardines with no added ingredients. But what we love about them, is that if your dog is a pescetarian, these canned sardines have no salt added! These sardines are wild-caught and packed in water, so your dog is getting healthy fats from the fish, and clean up is easier for you.
Primalvore Duck Bone Broth- For dogs that are allergic to chicken or beef, and who are on a novel protein diet, the Primalvore Duck Bone Broth might be a good option for adding flavor and supporting joint health.
Vital Essentials Freeze Dried Toppers- This topper is nothing but protein-packed freeze-fried turkey. It’s perfect for sprinkling on your dog’s food for an extra little kick of flavor and nutrients. It’s good for enticing picky eaters and for pups who have an active lifestyle. You can rehydrate the turkey with water, or even with bone broth, to make a tasty sauce for your dog’s kibble.
Raw Paws Organic Pumpkin Powder- This food booster has all the benefits of pumpkin without fussing with a can or a pouch. This fiber full powder can be sprinkled on food like a seasoning or combined with water to rehydrate it and make a tasty puree to add some moisture to your dog’s dry food. Pumpkin is great for getting your dog’s digestive system flowing, as well as for helping bulk up the stools of dogs who are prone to diarrhea.
Want to check out our full list of favorite dog meal boosters? Click here!
Does your dog have a favorite meal booster? Are there any you’ve heard about and thought about trying? Tell us about them below!