America’s most popular dog food is kibble, making up over 60% of sales due to its convenience and affordability. However, dry dog food has limitations—it’s highly processed and often carbohydrate-heavy from the extrusion process. The good news? You can significantly enhance your dog’s dry diet with simple additions of fresh, nutrient-rich foods.
Pet nutrition expert Mary Straus, founder of DogAware.com and a veteran researcher in dog food, emphasizes that these upgrades support better health. “Kibble benefits most from enhancements,” she notes, recommending animal-based proteins over more carbs, as dogs don’t require dietary carbohydrates. Proteins aid immunity, muscle building, skin health, and more. Always limit additions to 25% of daily calories to avoid imbalances—check your kibble label and use fdc.nal.usda.gov for add-in calorie info.
For related guidance on safe choices, explore our what can dogs eat and what can they not eat resource.
Healthy dog food additives like fruit and eggs can boost your dog
Eggs: A Nutrient Powerhouse
Eggs top the list as one of the easiest, healthiest additions. Feed them raw, lightly scrambled, soft-boiled, or hard-boiled. Straus confirms whole raw eggs are safe—the yolks provide biotin to offset any issues from raw whites, though cooking whites improves digestibility.
For a 40-pound dog, one whole egg works well; scale to half an egg for 20-40 pound dogs or every other day for smaller ones. Eggs deliver complete protein, healthy fats, and vitamins, boosting coat shine and energy without excess carbs.
Muscle Meats and Organ Meats: Protein Essentials
Incorporate chicken, turkey, lean beef, heart, or poultry gizzard—ground or chunked small to prevent choking. Serve raw or lightly cooked, but skip cooked bones entirely.
While organ meats offer dense nutrients, avoid beef liver for kibble-fed dogs due to copper overload risks leading to storage disease. Start with small amounts of other organs; they’re muscle-meat-like and support vitality. Monitor for digestive upset, and rotate varieties for broad nutrition. This mirrors ancestral diets, promoting lean muscle and healing.
Fish: Omega-3 Boosters
Canned sardines in water, jack mackerel, or pink salmon shine for EPA/DHA omega-3s and minerals. A small sardine (under half an ounce) gives 100-150 mg—aim for 3-10 mg per pound of body weight daily.
Skip raw Pacific Northwest salmon, trout, or spawning saltwater fish like smelt due to fatal parasites. Fish enhances joint health, reduces inflammation, and complements kibble’s shortcomings.
Yogurt and Kefir: Gut Health Allies
Choose plain, probiotic-enriched yogurt or kefir without sugar or xylitol. Whole-milk versions suit most dogs unless low-fat is needed. These fermented dairy products ease digestion and combat issues like diarrhea.
Straus references her research: dogs tolerate them well, especially from grass-fed sources. For more on dogs and dairy products, see detailed insights.
Cottage Cheese or Ricotta: Digestible Dairy
Protein-packed and loved by dogs, these cheeses digest easily, particularly from A2, goat, or grass-fed milk. Offer in moderation as calorie-dense toppers, enhancing meals without overwhelming the gut.
Canned Pumpkin: Digestive Savior
Plain canned pumpkin (not pie mix) tackles both diarrhea and constipation. Dose at 1 teaspoon per 10 pounds body weight, 1-2 times daily. Its fiber regulates bowels gently, a vet-favorite remedy backed by clinical use.
Cooked or Pureed Vegetables: Fiber Without Bulk
Raw veggies offer little due to poor chewing; puree or cook carrots, greens, broccoli, zucchini, celery, asparagus, turnips, or parsnips. Avoid onions and nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers) if arthritis is present—they can exacerbate inflammation.
These add antioxidants and fiber, rounding out kibble’s plant gaps safely.
Consult our what not to feed your dog chart for visual toxin guides.
Fruits: Sweet Treats in Moderation
Bananas, apples, melons, pears, and blueberries delight most dogs. Limit due to sugar—small pieces prevent spikes. Skip avocados (high fat), grapes/raisins (toxic), and pits/seeds.
Fruits provide vitamins C and K, hydration, and variety, but balance is key for weight control.
Raw Green Tripe: Superfood Snack
Forget bleached supermarket tripe; raw green tripe from grass-fed cows—smelly but nutrient-rich—is ideal. Limit to 25% calories on kibble diets for probiotics, enzymes, and proteins mimicking wild prey.
Raw feeders love it whole-meal style, but toppers suffice here.
Recreational Bones: Dental and Fun Bonus
Post-meal raw bones clean teeth, exercise jaws, and entertain. Prefer knuckle over marrow to minimize fractures; remove after soft tissues are gone to avoid drying/splintering. Never cooked bones.
For puppy safety, check what foods are safe for puppies to eat.
Key Guidelines for Success
Straus stresses: calculate calories precisely, introduce gradually, and watch for allergies or stools. These additions enhance immunity, digestion, coat, and longevity while keeping kibble’s convenience.
Unsure about extras? See what do huskies eat besides dog food for breed tips, or what to do if your dog eats ice melt for emergencies.
In conclusion, boosting “what to add to dog food” routines transforms standard kibble into a vibrant, balanced diet. Consult your vet for tailored advice, especially with health issues. Start small, observe your pup’s response, and enjoy a happier, healthier companion. Explore more dog nutrition guides on our site today!
References
- Straus, Mary. DogAware.com.
- USDA FoodData Central: fdc.nal.usda.gov.
- Brown, Steve. Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet.
- Woodford, Rick. Feed Your Best Friend Better (2021 ed.).
- Whole Dog Journal archives on dairy and nutrition.
