Everyone needs a little spice in their lives, especially our dogs - or do they? The dog food topper market is expanding exponentially as more and more pet parents are supplementing their pups’ diets with tasty mix-ins that turn boring kibble into high-class gourmet pet meals. 

But what exactly are toppers? Are they really that beneficial for dogs? Should you start buying into dog food mixers and garnishes for your pet supplies collection or are they simply unnecessary parts of your dog’s diet that they can do without?

The A-Z of Dog Food Toppers

Let’s face it. It’s a little tough to nail down what exactly a dog food topper is. In fact, almost everything can be considered under the umbrella of a topper as long as they go into your dog’s regular kibble or dry food. That could include freeze-dried food you’ve bought from the store, and maybe even homemade dog food you slip into your pup’s kibble dinner!

But in general, these delicious morsels tend to be dog diet enhancing, in terms of nutrition, health benefits, and even palatability. These toppers could, therefore, encourage your dog to eat more if they’re eating too little, or could even get them to hydrate more often, especially if you’re considering wet options for dog food toppers.

But the major factor that distinguishes toppers from regular dry dog food items is their nutritional content. While your pup’s daily meals of kibble likeAcana’s delicious dog food are great in terms of general nutrition, toppers are bursting with nutrition. Some brands of toppers are even perfectly fine eaten as a meal on its own because they’re balanced enough and meet the Association of American Feed Control Officials’s (AAFCO) standards. But as a rule of thumb, toppers should only make up 10% of your pup’s diet, in order to avoid overloading with too much protein and nutrients.

Benefits of Dog Food Toppers

Regardless, different toppers all have their own individual benefits as they boost different parts of our dogs’ bodies. For instance, TheBarkery Singapore’s range of mouth-watering Muttball meal toppers are great snacks that really enrich your dog’s diet with the raw protein they might lack from their normal kibble.

Plus, food toppers benefit picky eaters most. First off, toppers tend to have a much stronger taste and smell than dry kibble, and are chock full of nutrition that your pup can get in smaller quantities. Plus, toppers actually increase the amount of regular feed your pup can take in as it makes their normal kibble taste delicious, which is especially useful if they have a specific nutritional requirement due to health conditions.

Another group of pups that benefit a lot from the use of dog food toppers are dogs with illnesses or who are recovering. Just like us, our pets tend to lose their appetite when they get sick, and it’s important to still get them to replenish their tummies with healthy food for dogs - plus a little extra dash of meal topper deliciousness. 

In general, healthy adult dogs may not need food toppers as much as senior dogs or dogs recovering from illness as their daily mix of kibble generally contain all the necessary nutrition they may need. However, it’s still a great way to treat your dogs and help them clean off their daily meals.

5 Great Starting Dog Food Toppers

#1Stella & Chewy’s Meal Mixers

A Stella & Chewy’s classics, the Stella & Chewy’s Meal Mixers are more purposefully made to be meal toppers as these freeze-dried raw food mix-ins are a great way to introduce raw nutrition back into your dog’s diet. They’re great paired withStella & Chewy’s Freeze Dried Dinner Patties that make up a meal on its own and are great for sensitive tummies. Perfectly free of grains, gluten, fillers, artificial preservatives and colourings, Stella & Chewy’s makes sure to treat your pup to the finest raw flavours they can offer.

#2 Grandma Lucy's Pumpkin Pouch Supplements

Great for both cats and dogs, Grandma Lucy’s knocks it out of the park with a delicious range of pumpkin-based meal toppers with a wide range of boosting properties - from reducing inflammations, to improving your dog’s skin and coat and even to helping with their urinary health! Grandma Lucy’s uses the best superfoods to boost your pup’s meals - and gives you the choice of what kind of boosting your dog needs, allowing you to focus on showering your pup with love and delicious dog treats.

#3 K9 Natural Freeze-Dried Dog Food Toppers

Aiming to improve the quality of life for all dogs, K9 Natural’s brand of freeze-dried dog food boosters are produced with high quality meat from grass-fed, free range and hormone promotant free livestock, with a dash of vegetables and fresh fruits to boost your pup’s meals in terms of vitamins and mineral content. Their range of boosters is great to get any picky pup to eat their daily meals and provide a big punch of meaty raw goodness in their dog diet.

#4 Bone Broth Dr. Premium Frozen Bone Broth

Bone broths are also a great way to top your dog's daily meals in liquid form! These broths by Bone Broth Dr. are slowly simmered for 72 hours and helps to strengthen your pup's immune system and joints. Brimming with amino acids, vitamins, and minerals - it's a nutrition powerhouse in a bottle! Bonus perks of enhancing the palatability of any meal. 

#5 Wellness CORE Mini Meals Dog Food Mixers

Last but definitely not the least, Wellness Core’s tasty Mini Meals Dog Food Mixers are delectable options for small breeds of dogs. Each pack is filled with nutritious wet food chock full of protein, perfect for small pups that love big flavours! Their premium blend of vegetables, superfoods and protein help create a delicious concoction of vitamins, minerals and essential nutrients to help super boost your dog’s immune system.

Tammi writes articles about anything from data analytics to animal health, and loves doing the occasional craft. But most importantly, she loves hanging out and doing photo-shoots with her dog.