Healthy Meal Add-Ins For Dogs: Make Meals Tasty Again

  Posted on October 16, 2020  by Joy of Living  No comments

Dogs can get tired of eating the same old food day in and day out. One longtime client, now a senior dog, has lost three pounds.  Her owner indicated the dog doesn’t seem interested in her food, but when I visit and offer a treat, it is readily accepted and eaten.

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This told me it is a case of boredom with eating the same food.  About a week ago, I suggested some healthy meal add-ins for dogs to make the kibble more appealing

adding different aromas and flavors.

Even though there are a lot of “people” foods that aren’t good for dogs, there are some healthy snacks for dogs that are great for them, and you might be surprised at some of the foods dogs love!

Here are some healthy snacks for dogs and some add-ins you can put in with your dog’s kibble:

• Pumpkin (pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie mix)-low in calories but contains a lot of fiber.  Good for dogs that may need to lose a little weight.  Add to your dog’s food gradually, since pumpkin does have a high amount of fiber it can be rough on your pet’s digestive system if you feed too much too soon.  Start with a small teaspoonful to be sure he likes the taste and it agrees with his tummy.
• Green beans-if fresh, cook a bit to make them easier to digest.  If using canned, be sure to get the unsalted variety or drain before feeding if using the salted ones.  These also have a good amount of fiber, so can be helpful with dogs needing to lose weight.
• Eggs-These are a great source of protein and other nutrients.  Both dogs and cats love them! Offer these on a limited basis, though, because they are high in fat. Don’t add anything to them, just scramble the egg.
• Meat Bites-Add a few small bites of cooked chicken or turkey breast (without skin or seasoning)
• Bone Broth For Dogs– Adding bone broth will moisten food, add extra flavor and provide health benefits such as joint protection and maintaining good digestive health. It is available from several pet product companies, or you can make your own
• Regular Broth-If you don’t have bone broth on hand, add a little chicken or beef broth. Use broth with no sodium if possible.

Here are some fruits you can use for treats, my dogs absolutely love fruit!

• Bananas.  If you have a food dehydrator, slice ripe banana, dehydrate and you have banana chips that make great treats.  My dogs like to eat a bite of mine with breakfast
• Apples.  Tiny bites with a little cinnamon, or without, my dogs love them either way!
• Cantaloupe.  It sounds odd, but dogs often like the taste, Jessie does!

These are just a few ideas of healthy meal add-ins for dogs to provide some variety. In my client’s case, her owner has been adding meat bites and broth to the kibble. When I visited the dog yesterday, I saw a significant improvement in her energy level!  Great news! Bon Appetit!