Let’s face it. Dog food can be pretty dull. Are you looking to add some flavor and health benefits for your dog?
Are you curious about dog food additives and toppings that are safe for your dog and good for them?
We’ve put together this list of ten safe dog food additives and toppings that your dog will love that are great for their overall health and development.
Related: Dog Yeast Infections - Causes & Treatments
Ten Safe Dog Food Additives and Toppings
Here are ten safe dog food additives and toppings that are tasty and healthy.
1. Liquid Dog Vitamins and Supplements - Healthy Paws Herbal Labs
The line of Liquid Dog Vitamins and Supplements from Healthy Paws Herbal Labs offers a range of safe herbal products that can help your dog with many issues.
Conditions that Liquid Dog Vitamins and Supplements combat include:
- Anxiety - help your dog stay calm and relaxed
- Pain - rapid pain relief for arthritis, injuries, and general inflammation
- Allergies - reduce environmental allergies like itching, sinusitis, and irritated eyes
- Longevity - supports immune, kidney, cognitive, and cardiovascular health
- Diarrhea - relief from food intolerance, bacterial, and general intestinal distress
- Constipation - helps alleviate painful bowel movements and constipation
- Uti-Stones - herbal antibacterial providing relief for urinary tract infections and stones
- Digestion - increases appetite and overall digestion
- Yeast - natural, antifungal herbs that fight yeast overgrowth
All Healy Paws Herbal Labs products are natural, with no wheat, soy, corn, artificial flavors, or colors.
2. Eggs
Eggs are a great source of iron, selenium, folate, riboflavin, vitamins A and B, and fatty acids.
Most veterinarians recommend cooking eggs before you feed them to your dog. Then, of course, you can feed your dog raw eggs, but dogs, like humans, are at risk of contracting salmonella.
You should feed your dogs eggs as a supplement to their regular diet or a tasty treat, not as their primary diet. Dog food contains the majority of protein, vitamins, and minerals critical to your dog’s diet.
Try to feed your dogs free-range eggs from a trusted source that provides their hens with an organic diet.
Are you ready to get your paws on Health Paws Herbal Labs products? Click here to view their catalog!
3. Fish
Fish like canned sardines, pink salmon, and jack mackerel packed in water are great additives and toppings thanks to their many beneficial fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are fantastic for a dog’s skin and coat and are also great at decreasing inflammation.
Eating fish can also be an excellent alternative for dogs with food allergies to common ingredients like chicken.
It would be best to cook fish before it’s fed to a dog because of the risk of listeria and salmonella. Also, be careful with cooking fish in too much oil or with too much seasoning, like garlic, that can harm dogs.
4. Bone Broth
Bone broth is excellent for dogs because it is highly nutritious as it’s packed with minerals and vitamins. It’s also rich in protein, glucosamine, glycine, and collagen, which can benefit a dog’s overall health.
Bone broth is hydrating and is especially beneficial for dogs that eat freeze-dried, dehydrated, or dry foods.
The best way to give a dog bone broth is to make your own or buy one specifically for dogs. Ones made for human consumption may have ingredients like salt and onions that aren’t safe for dogs.
5. Yogurt and Kefir
Fermented dairy products like yogurt that add probiotics and are free of xylitol or sugar can help ease digestive issues in your dog.
Kefir, sometimes called the “grain of life,” is fermented in a process similar to greek yogurt and has over 30 unique species of probiotics and plenty of beneficial yeasts.
Some benefits of yogurt and kefir are they are antifungal and antibacterial. They are also filled with vitamins and minerals and can fight irritable bowel syndrome.
Kefir and yogurt are also great for dogs who have been under extra stress or have been on antibiotics.
Related: How to Help Your Dog with Separation Anxiety
6. Pureed Pumpkin
Pumpkin puree has been a traditional remedy for dogs with digestion issues like constipation and diarrhea because it is high in soluble fiber.
For dogs with the run, the pumpkin adds bulk to their stool. And, for ones who are constipated, it helps to loosen their stool.
Pumpkin is also rich in antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins.
Be sure to look for pumpkin puree that is pure pumpkin with no other ingredients, not pumpkin pie mix.
7. Fresh Fruit and Vegetables
Veterinarians have recommended pureed vegetables to raw diets for dogs for years.
Uncooked fresh fruits and vegetables have vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, lipids, fiber, enzymes, and proteins that help naturally supplement your dog’s diet.
Phytonutrients are great for dogs because they are anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-aging.
Because dogs can’t break down the cellulose in many fruits and vegetables, it’s a great idea to puree or pulverize them. So dogs can digest them easier and get their total nutritional value.
8. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is made up of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which are good fats that are a great source of fuel and energy.
MCTs have lauric acid, which is anti-viral, antibacterial, and antifungal. They are also thought to aid in digestion, help with brain energy, and improve mental function in older dogs. In addition, coconut oil can help with weight loss and other metabolic processes.
Using coconut oil is excellent for your dog’s skin and coat. In addition, you can use it topically to treat bites, stings, or hot spots.
9. Organ Meats
Organ meats like liver, heart, and kidney can provide many vitamins and minerals crucial to a dog’s healthy diet.
You can find plenty of vitamins A, D, E, and K that can help detoxify. You’ll also find taurines and CoQ10 that can help with heart function and reduce oxidative stress.
Organ meats can also be full of Omega-3 fatty acids that can help dogs with brain and eye development and combat canine arthritis and kidney disease.
10. Bean Sprouts
Bean sprouts can be a healthy addition to your dog’s kibble as they are rich in antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and folate.
Eating bean sprouts can help your dog’s immune system and cell growth, prevent liver and kidney disease, and ease some allergy symptoms.
You can serve bean sprouts sprinkled raw on top of their food or as an ingredient in a homemade meal. Just remember to feed them bean sprouts daily, and in small doses so your dog doesn’t get too gassy!
Do you want to learn more about Health Paws Herbal Labs? Click here to learn about our team!
There Are Plenty of Healthy and Safe Dog Food Additives and Toppings
While dog food is a great source of nutrition for your dog, they often lack the full spectrum of ingredients needed for a balanced, healthy diet.
A wide range of food additives and toppings can add flavor to your dog’s meals and have plenty of health benefits.
Herbal dog vitamins and supplements like those from Health Paws Herbal Labs can treat many conditions. Also, you can enhance your dog’s diet safely and healthily with meats, fruit, and vegetables.
Not only are these additives and toppings delicious for most dogs, but they’re also really good for them, so you can use them as tasty treats to show them how much you love them!
