How to Make Dog Food Taste Better (so Picky Eaters Eat it)?

How to Make Dog Food Taste Better

Is your dog a picky eater? Does your dog give you a hard time at mealtimes and show a reluctance to eat their food? If you answer yes to these questions, then please don’t despair as there are many ways in which you can make dog food taste better to make them eat it.

In short, you can make your dog’s food taste better by adding food supplements, add broth or warm water, mix a little canned dog food in the kibble, or add dog-safe fruits and veggies, to name just a few – more detail is below!

There’s a little more to it than that though. If you’ve had it with your dog’s love-hate relationship with food and need some ideas to make your dog food taste better, such as homemade dog food flavor enhancers, see the tips below.

What can I add to dog food to make them eat it?

Feeding time. Some dog parents have it easy. Others have it rough. It can be very frustrating dealing with a dog whose food enthusiasm isn’t consistent and much more so if you’ve carefully picked out a quality food brand for them.

One minute they’re happily dipping their snout into the bowl containing their favorite kibble (or so you thought) and finishing everything. But the next, they’re sniffing with disinterest and walking away after a few bites.

And like the caring dog parent you are, you even decide to buy a different type of nutritious dog food just to please your dog’s choosy taste buds.

But don’t worry, just like us, dogs also have their picky days when it comes to food. They can get bored with the same old texture, smell, and flavor in their everyday diet.

Here are some ideas of what you can add to dog food to make them eat it, so even picky eaters will think their dog food tastes better.

1. Moisten the dry food with warm water

One of the best ways to make dry dog food taste better is an old technique but a good one as it always tends to work. It’s especially effective if a dog’s daily meal involves dry kibble.

Think of the times you pour hot water into a cup with coffee granules. The coffee aroma and taste get stronger, right?

That’s how warm water works when you add it to your dog’s kibble. The warmth unleashes all the natural flavors and appetizing smells in your dog’s dry food, awakening your furry pal’s smell senses and almost-fading appetite.

make dog food taste good
Make your dog’s food taste good (https://unsplash.com/photos/NOBRu2TAqcs)

Before you know it, by simply adding warm water to dry dog food to make it taste better, your dog will be a lot more interested.

By adding warm water from time to time also allows you to switch up your dog’s typical food texture. It doesn’t have to be a crunchy affair 24/7.

With warm water alone, you can elevate your dog’s dry food from ordinary to extraordinary without spending a dime! Plus, the meal will be an additional source of hydration.

2. Add a tasty broth to your dog’s dried food

Another thing to add to dog food to make them eat it is broth. This could be chicken broth, turkey broth, or beef broth, poured over the dry dog food kibble – it will taste better, and will appeal to picky eaters.

Dogs are meat lovers. It’s undisputed. So, any meat by-product, even if it’s just mere broth, can entice even the pickiest of dogs to finish up their dry dog food to make it taste better.

You don’t have to soak up their dry food with broth. A few ounces will do. The smell and yummy taste of broth in their food will encourage your dog to dig in like there’s no tomorrow.

Just make sure not to add seasonings like onion powder or garlic powder while preparing the broth. These ingredients are poisonous to dogs. Salt is also unnecessary.

3. Sprinkle shredded meat into their food

Another homemade dog food flavor enhancer you can try is by using shredded meat as a topper to your dog’s dry food.

If you’re planning on cooking meat for dinner, whether chicken, lamb, turkey, fish, or beef, set aside small (and cooked) pieces for your dog.  This will make your dog’s food taste good, better than good maybe!

Shred the meat pieces and sprinkle a little on your dog’s dried food. Don’t overdo it, though. You wouldn’t want them to gain unwanted calories.

The strong smell and delicious taste of the shredded meat will motivate your canine pal to clear up their kibble serving – and stop them stealing food from other dogs or pets.

4. Throw in a bit of plain yogurt or small egg pieces

Given a chance, dogs can lap up a bowl of yogurt in one sitting. It’s almost impossible to find a dog that doesn’t go gag over this delicious, creamy treat. So, you can also add some yoghurt to dog food to make it taste better.

Mixing a small quantity of non-fat, plain yogurt with your dog’s dry food is a great and effortless way to boost the food’s flavor. Just add it to dog food to make them eat it… they won’t need to much encouragement!

But always remember to avoid using sweetened or flavored yogurt. You can alternate yogurt with a few egg pieces. Most dogs are huge egg fans.

Any can do whether scrambled or boiled (cut into bite-sized pieces, of course). The keyword here is small amounts — no need to dice up a whole boiled egg every mealtime.

Also, keep it plain and simple. Don’t add any salt, butter, or spices to the egg. Dogs do not react well to spicy food.

5. Dog-safe veggies and fruits can do the magic

You can also make dog food taste better with fruit and veggies. Whilst this might sound downright unappealing for canines, there are some that dogs consider tasty, crunchy snacks (and are safe for them to eat).

Having a few pieces of steamed or blanched veggies, like green beans, broccoli, cucumber, and carrots in your dog’s kibble can motivate them to eat up.

Likewise, fruits like apples, pears, and blueberries can make your dog’s relationship with dry food one you’ll be proud of.

Always keep in mind that the dog-safe fruit or veggie you choose to add to your dog’s food must be cut into tiny pieces. Otherwise, you’ll have several potential choking hazards in your dog’s bowl.

6. Mix a little canned dog food with the dry food

If your dog’s daily diet mainly involves dry food, storing a few cans of wet dog food can come in handy. Wet dog food is often quite flavorful and can taste lots better than dry food. It’s what to add to dry dog food for picky eaters.

You can microwave the canned food and scoop a little to mix with your dog’s dry food.

Your dog will love the burst of flavors in their mouth (all thanks to the wet food’s appealing taste) and still enjoy the kibble’s crunchiness.

7. Give food supplements a try

Finally, you can add supplements like fish oil or coconut oil directly to your dog’s food to make it taste good.

Most dogs find the taste of coconut or fish oil pleasant. So, these supplements can help if your dog sometimes turns their nose up when you serve them dry food.

Small amounts go a long way, though.

Adding too much fish or coconut oil can give your four-legged friend an upset stomach. It’s wise to consult your vet on the ideal quantity to use.

FAQs on what to add to dry dog food for picky eaters

What can I put on dry food to make my dog eat it?

As discussed, there are several ways to make your dog’s dry food more appealing.

You can add warm water to unleash the flavors, add meat broth, sprinkle shredded meat in the food, throw in finely-chopped veggies or fruits (that are dog-safe), or mix the food with a bit of yogurt or small egg pieces.

What food is irresistible to dogs?

Dogs find meat products like lamb, chicken, turkey, or beef irresistible. Sprinkling shredded pieces of these meats can make your dog’s food much tastier.

What flavor of food do dogs like the most?

Many dogs (but not all of course) love chicken or beef-flavored foods. That’s why adding meat broth to their dry food can entice them to eat up.

Do dogs get bored of their food?

Yes, that’s correct. Like humans, dogs get bored of constantly eating food with the same texture, smell, and flavor.

Conclusion

I hope you’ve enjoyed these tried and tested food hacks that will make your dog’s usual dry food more delicious. Try these awesome ideas to spoil your dog’s taste buds and encourage them to eat every time – and please tell me if you know of more!

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Image in header via https://unsplash.com/photos/jnq52JjkLAg

Marc Aaron

I write about the things we've learned about owning dogs, the adventures we have, and any advice and tips we've picked up along the way.

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