How to Perk Up Your Dog's Dinner

By AuntPhyl

Instructions

Things You’ll Need:

Kibble
Food storage container
Spoon
Fork
Miscellaneous ingredients

Step 1:
Reduce the amount of kibble slightly to make up for extra topper calories. Before dinner, offer healthy snacks such as carrot chips and apple slices. Some dogs go ape over bananas. Others gobble up orange sections or tangerines.
Step 2:
Add a spoon of canned or pouch dog food and a splash of water to carry the smell through the kibble. You can spoon the dog loaf food onto a paper plate in teaspoon mounds, microwave for a couple of minutes, and crumble the cookies over the dog dish.
Step 3:
Consider small spoons of lean cottage cheese, baked potato, stewed chicken or broth-cooked rice add variety. When you fix your salmon or tuna salad, flake part of the fish and dribble some oil over the kibble. Use sparingly as your dog’s mouth may love the flavor but the tummy may protest major change.
Step 4:
Know that dogs are anythingarians. They will try just about any food once. And sometimes they like it enough to mooch for it. Go for a touch of veggies like peas, green beans, broccoli, and pumpkin. Go easy on the veggies until you know your dog’s preference. Some foods will give them gas. If you notice unusual flatulence, you might want to avoid that veggie in Rover’s diet.
Step 5:
Know that if your dog picks off the topper and leaves the kibble, mix both well with a sprinkle of water to blend the flavors. You can also take a food storage container, add a small amount of dog food, and sprinkle in brewers yeast, salmon oil or canola oil. Use very small amounts, put the lid on the container, and shake well before pouring the kibble in Rover’s dish. If your dog's poop gets too loose, use smaller amounts.
Step 6:
Do not let your imagination go too far. Many veterinarians say that you should not feed your dog raisins, chocolate or ice cream. These can be harmful. Your dog also cannot tolerate much greasy turkey or gravy. These foods affect the pancreas and can cause a dog’s death.
Step 7:
Remember these are just to flavor, not replace, your dog’s dinner. Use small quantities. Watch for reactions. When in doubt, leave it out.

Tips & Warnings

Shred or grate veggies and add a very small amount for old or small dogs.
Avoid salty or sugary foods.
Avoid hot dogs and lunch meats due to spices and preservatives.
Highly seasoned food can upset your dog’s tummy.

Photo/Video Credit

Photo by Phyllis Benson

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