One of your most-asked questions about dog food toppers is:
Do I really need to add dog food toppers to my dog's food?
The answer is yes. And here's why:
By doing something good for your dog’s nutrition every single day, you’re increasing your pup’s chances of aging in good health and having a long life.
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Do I really need to add dog food toppers to my dog's food?
That’s a good question!
After all, you carefully choose the best food for your pup.
You make sure it’s complete and balanced, and made with premium ingredients.
Why then add anything else?
Well, there’s the variety issue.
Dogs can get bored of eating the same thing every day.
Sprinkling or mixing different dog food toppers on your dog’s food can bring exciting new flavors that can make for fun meals.
And you can do this without having to switch to a completely different food.
We all want to spare our dogs all the tummy issues that often come with changing food, right?
Another reason is that by adding flavor to the bowl, dog food toppers can entice picky eaters to eat their food.
And finally, and maybe more importantly, depending on the dog food topper you choose, you can use it as a dietary supplement.
Every dog food leaves gaps.
Especially highly processed dog foods that destroy a lot of the nutrients during its production.
Using dog food toppers that provide extra nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, pre and probiotics, fiber, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory and cancer-fighting molecules, can have a profound effect on your puppy’s long-term health.
What healthy things can I add to my dog's food?
Adding fresh ingredients as dog food toppers can really boost the nutritional value of your dog’s food.
No commercial dog food topper can compete for freshness and nutritional value with fresh ingredients.
Some foods that will turn an ordinary bowl into an extraordinary one are:
- Dog-safe veggies. Veggies like carrots, spinach, asparagus, broccoli, or kale are great additions.
- Dog-safe fruits. Blueberries are at the top of the list of healthy, dog-friendly fruits due to their antioxidant power. Other fruits include apples, banana, cantaloupe, watermelon, and strawberries.
- Liver. Whether is beef, pork, or other animal liver, this organ is a nutritional powerhouse.
- Chicken eggs.
- Fatty fish. Sardines, herrings, or mackerels provide healthy fats like omega-3s.
- Superfoods. Like coconut oil, yogurt, almonds (ground for safety), ground chia seeds or flaxseeds.
These are only a few ideas.
There’re many more fresh, dog-safe foods that your dog will love.
What long term benefits can I expect from adding dog food toppers?
Depending on the ingredients, dog food toppers can be much more than just an exciting and novel addition.
If you feed your dog kibble, a dog food topper that contains veggies is a must.
Why?
You might be aware that grains in kibble may contain aflatoxins that can lead to liver cancer.
Studies have shown that veggies like broccoli can help prevent liver cancer induced by aflatoxin present in stored grains and thus often also present in kibble.
Fruits and veggies with high antioxidant power protect your dog’s organs and DNA from damage caused by free radicals.
Some like blueberries can event delay the onset of dementia in dogs.
Anti-inflammatory ingredients like omega-3s present in fatty fish reduce the risk of and the pain associated with osteoarthritis and can prevent other chronic diseases.
Antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients also reduce the incidence of dog cancer.
Dog food toppers containing fiber, and pre and probiotics will also have a profound positive impact on your pup’s GI tract and digestion.
Are freeze dried dog food toppers good for dogs?
Commercial dog food toppers come in many different forms.
You can find them dry, moist, liquid, and everything in between.
As I mentioned above, topping your dog’s food with fresh ingredients is the best you can do.
However, this is not always practical.
In that case, freeze-dried dog food toppers are a great alternative.
Freeze-drying is the safest technology to conserve food without the need for refrigeration or freezing.
More importantly, food is conserved without the need for adding artificial preservatives or any other chemical.
It retains virtually all the nutrients and flavors of raw ingredients.
Freeze dried dog food toppers are thus nutritionally very close to fresh ingredients.
They are also safe and convenient.
What are the best dog food toppers out there?
While most dog food toppers commercially available contain only meat, I would recommend choosing one that gives your dog extra nutrition from multiple sources.
Why not take advantage of toppers that contain multiple healthy ingredients that can improve your pup’s health from nose to tail?
My Zone Blue has developed this freeze dried dog food toppers with this in mind.
It's a nutritious blend of veggies and fruits together with pork meat and organs, plus added prebiotics and superfoods.
This freeze dried preparation makes it easy to serve up a load of anti-oxidant, cancer-fighting, anti-inflammatory nutrients.
And it's delicious!
But don’t take it from me, see how excited Chelsea gets when eating her My Zone Blue toppers.
One small change in the right direction can positively affect the rest of your furry companion’s life. By doing something good for your dog’s nutrition every single day, you’re increasing your pup’s chances of aging healthy and having a long life.
Disclaimer
I'm not a veterinarian. I'm a scientist and I make every effort to provide science-based evidence in my articles and links to reliable sources. The content of these articles is for educational purposes only. You should discuss with your veterinarian before making any decision regarding the health of your pet.