Dog owners are always looking for ways to spice up their dog’s diets. Even the best dog food, can lack the flavor dog food needs to entice a picky dog.  However, what most dog owners don’t know is the solution’s already inside your fridge.

See, there are plenty of human foods that can make this so called best dog food more appealing. Not only will your dog love these human foods, but they also provide some significant health benefits.

To help you create a flavorful, healthy dog food diet, this article will explore seven human foods that will provide both flavor and health benefits. However, it’s imperative you realize all these foods should by no means be a large portion of your dog’s diet. Instead, use them as a snack or treat for special occasions.

Peanut Butter

A longtime favorite among dog owners, peanut butter, is one of the best treats you could give your dog. Its most exceptional quality is its ability to last for a very long time, therefore, keeping your dog occupied: a beneficial quality for those time-consuming errands or trips.

Concerning health benefits, peanut butter’s packed with protein, healthy fats, niacin, vitamin B, and E. All essential ingredients needed in a healthy dog food diet.  

To avoid the troubling effects of salt, use unsalted peanut butter for your dog’s special snack. As with humans, too much salt is bad for dogs. The side effects include extreme thirst, vomiting, diarrhea, depression, tremors, high temperature, and seizures.

Most importantly, be sure to avoid peanut butter with Xylitol. This ingredient is toxic to dogs and can end up being fatal.

Pumpkin

When dogs get older, their stomachs get more sensitive. You can help your dog’s digestive system adjust by adding some pumpkin to their diet. Thanks to being high in fiber and vitamin A, pumpkin represents a relatively simple way to settle your dog’s stomach.

But, it’s imperative you use canned pumpkin rather than raw, sugary, or spicy pie filling for health reasons. The other choices can cause detrimental health issues that no dog wants to go through.

When giving canned pumpkin to your dog, moderation is the best policy. The before mentioned vitamin A in high doses is highly toxic to dogs. Due to this, limit your dog to a teaspoon of canned pumpkin (a few teaspoons for bigger dogs).

In the end, pumpkin can do wonders for your dog’s health as well being a flavorful treat. Honestly, for older dogs, it should be a mandatory part of their diet.

Apples

Full with phytonutrients, vitamin A, and C apples are a well-balanced, healthy treat for your dog. Moreover, apples have the additional benefit of helping clean your dog’s teeth.

By cleaning your dog’s teeth, apples are directly responsible for freshening their breath. No longer will you avoid your dog’s kisses because their breath smells like a bag of trash.  

However, make sure you take the seeds and core out of the apple. The apple’s core is a choking hazard while; apple seeds contain a cyanide compound that is poisonous in high doses.  

To further avoid choking, cut the apple into slices. In doing so, you will keep the portion size manageable for your dog.

Most importantly, apples contain sugar that is harmful to dogs with diabetes.  In light of this, consult with a vet before using apples as a treat to ensure safety.

Oatmeal

Just like pumpkin, oatmeal is a lifesaver for dogs with sensitive stomachs.  The soluble fiber contained in oatmeal has a calming effect on the digestive system. In other words, it keeps your dog’s food down in their stomachs rather than on the floor.  Not only is oatmeal effective at keeping food down, but it’s also packed with minerals and vitamins that are needed components for any healthy dog food diet. Another benefit is oatmeal can act as a substitute grain for dogs with wheat allergies.

When preparing your dog’s oatmeal, make sure to cook it thoroughly and refrain from adding any additives or sugars.  Both can complicate the health benefits that regular oatmeal provides your dog.

Salmon

Salmon is an excellent provider of Omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids are vital for keeping your dog’s coat healthy and shiny. For example, a dog with mange could benefit from having some salmon in their diet.

When feeding your dog salmon, it needs to be cooked. Eating raw salmon can cause your dog to get salmon poisoning disease, a possibly fatal disease.

If you don’t want to cook, you can use salmon oil instead. This oil has all the benefits of salmon, and all you need to do is add it onto your dog’s regular food.  This oil will make sure your dog is getting the best dog food possible.

But, as with all the foods on this list, limit your dog’s salmon intake. Give your dog some salmon once a week or less. Also, don’t give them too much, a piece or two will be enough.

Cottage Cheese

If your dog isn’t lactose intolerant, cottage cheese is a very beneficial snack. High in protein, calcium, and bland makes cottage cheese an easily digestible treat for your pup. All you need to do is blend some cottage cheese into their regular food and watch your dog chew their way into an incredible source of protein. But, make sure their cottage cheese intake doesn’t exceed 10% of their daily diet. One spoonful or two blended into your dog’s regular food should provide your dog with all of cottage cheese’s benefits.

Although, you should skip a couple of days to ensure your dog doesn’t become spoiled by its inclusion. After all, there’s no need for cottage cheese to become an everyday addition in a healthy dog food diet: two or three times a week should be plenty.

The ASPCA recommends using reduced-fat cottage cheese for the best results.

Chicken

Give a dog a piece of chicken, and you’ll have a best friend for life. But, little do dogs know, chicken is an excellent source of protein. When it’s your dog’s feeding time, slip a piece of cooked chicken, it must be cooked, into your dog’s bowl and they’ll love you forever. In a pinch, chicken can even be your dog’s whole dinner on the days you run out of dog food.

But, don’t make a habit out of this because too much chicken can cause gastrointestinal irritation: a very unpleasant experience for dogs.  Due to this, chicken, just like cottage cheese, shouldn’t make up more than 10% of your dog’s diet.

Conclusion

After reading this article, it’s time to spice up your dog’s food with some much-needed flavor.  You’ll truly start providing your dog with the best dog food diet possible with the inclusion of these seven foods.  Not only will it be the best, but it’s a healthy dog food diet as well.

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