From what I read on the Internet, toppers seem to be becoming quite popular at the moment and I have a feeling that they might be the next big thing in the pet food industry. For those who are not familiar with the use of toppers, they usually consist of wet food added to kibble to increase palatability and to improve nutrition.
At one time I would have said they were not necessary as dry food is labelled as ‘complete’ but I have changed my view as I have seen the benefits of using them.
I have a feeling that the best kind of topper, as well as being tasty should add something to the base meal. For instance, I have a couple of pals who feed their dogs James Wellbeloved mixed with Natures Menu pouches. JWB is given in smaller quantities so it reduces the carb content and the NM has a higher dry weight protein content so it gives a bit of balance. That is just my interpretation so not to be taken as fact. Anyway, it works well and the dogs are happy and healthy.
I’ve long been a fan of home cooked toppers and every day my dogs get something different added to their cold pressed food. For instance, yesterday it was sardines in tomato sauce and today it is chicken. Tomorrow it is white fish. I like to increase the protein a little so that is why I choose these sorts of toppers. Because they are protein foods I don’t usually have to reduce the cold pressed but would do so if they were putting weight on. I also add a teaspoonful of organic natural yoghurt once a day and maybe a few blueberries and cooked vegetables.
Do you give your dog a topper, and if so what do you use, why do you use that particular one and what is your base food? Do you think that toppers are unnecessary? Would really like to hear what people feel about this.
Having currently moved away from dry foods we dont feed toppers.
We do, however, add suitable left overs or the odd sardine to the bowl. I don’t use the term suitable lightly…we do not scrape entire plate remains into the dogs bowls.
Variety & dog happiness are as much factors as health benefits.
Personally I think folk should only consider toppers if they are wholly happy with the dry underneath it.
I picked up a some wet food and some toppers from the national pet show from the fish for dogs stall. We gave then when away in our caravan.
I would probably feed them as an occasional treat and like coaster, I add suitable bits we have to the normal menu. I do think it is nice for dogs to take pleasure in dinner as well as it being healthy. The toppers were well received.
Coaster - when I fed my lot raw complete I didn’t use toppers either. Perhaps it is because I only see them as a useful adjunct to dry food to give variety and taste. With raw, they have both of these, as long as there is a rotation of variety.
Is it just the sample box they’re recommending to be fed as a topper? I’ve just had a look and it sounds like it works in the same way as Butternut Box but I’m a bit unclear as to whether they’re saying purchase the trial box, feed as topper to see if your dog likes it and then, if you set up a subscription, the food is actually intended to be fed as a complete food? Just found it a bit confusing but it might just be me…
Yes it’s confusing to me also as I cannot see any reference to larger meals, although it does say full site coming soon. I wonder what the minimum order is to keep the food frozen in transit.
I cannot see any reference to larger meals, although it does say full site coming soon
Now this is a different-from-the-usual-website inasfar as hovering over the circle (for the hamper) turns the circle pink and the contents of the hamper appear in white print! For a small dog the meals in the hamper are 120g, for a medium dog they are 200g and a large dog it's 300g. Hmmm, let's hope the website is more user friendly when the full site appears..... :)