How to Perk Up Your Dog's Dinner

Your dog eats the same kibble day after day. You know it is nutritious and crunchy kibble is better for canine teeth than soft food. But it is boring to you and maybe to Rover seeing the same food day after day. If your dog is healthy and thriving on the dog food, you can perk it up without changing Rover’s foundation food. Check with your vet if your dog is on a prescription diet or has allergies. With anything new, try a small amount first and check your dog for reactions. Try only one extra ingredient at a time.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Kibble
• Food storage container
• Spoon
• Fork
• Miscellaneous ingredients

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.

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.

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.

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.

5. 
   Food container for mixing kibble and add-ons

   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.

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.

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.

[monkeys]

on 2/6/2009 Ice Cream is fine for dogs. In fact, a bit of vanilla ice cream can soothe a pup's stomach before a long ride to avoid car sickness. Of course, chocolate ice cream is a no-no. Better off avoiding onions!