One of the issues with dry food is that it is often bought in big bags and the dog has the same thing day in, day out with no variety. Some pet owners acknowledge this and provide a combination diet ie dry with a wet food topper.
There is another way of enhancing a dog’s diet and that is to top up with fresh food. We have a thread on this here in the home cooking forum but I thought it might be useful to revisit this subject in general discussion.
It is advisable not to add more than 25% fresh because then you don’t have to balance the fresh food. The type of food is important - add animal protein eg fish, eggs, meat, poultry. Dry food is usually already high in carbohydrate so don’t add more. If adding vegetables, make sure that there is not too much of starchy ones. To aid digestion vegetables should be cooked and mashed or puréed.
Resources:
These are a few videos that might be helpful for pet owners who are interested in enhancing their dog’s diet. I am not advocating the advice given but I think they are a useful starting point for more independent research.
Why Fresh “Human Food” is so Important for Dogs (Rodney Habib)
3 Disease-Fighting Veggies that will help your pet live longer (Rodney Habib). In this short video Rodney chops the veg finely to aid absorption but says that they can be steamed lightly.
What to add to pet food to make it better (Rodney Habib).
Dr. Karen Becker & Rodney Habib: Feeding Vegetables to Dogs.
5 Steps to Enhancing Your Dog’s Store-Bought Dog Food
NB If you give your dog human food table leftovers please ensure that it is safe. Do your research first. Don’t feed fatty leftovers as this can precipitate pancreatitis. Don’t give food that has added salt. Do not give food that contains onion. If in doubt, do not feed. Also don’t forget to reduce the amount of their dog food to prevent obesity.