Looking at your dog’s current diet is like checking your own pantry after a long week—probably full of convenient choices that aren’t doing anyone any favors. Your furry friend deserves better than the same old routine, and small changes can make a big difference in their energy, digestion, and overall happiness.
Simple ingredient swaps in your dog’s meals can boost their health without breaking your budget or routine. From switching up their grains to upgrading their treats, these changes are easy to make and will have your pup feeling their best. You’ll discover how everyday alternatives can transform snack time, mealtime, and even hydration into opportunities for better nutrition.
Table of Contents
- 1) Swap white rice for quinoa to keep your dog’s tail wagging and tummy happy.
- 2) Replace chicken broth with bone broth for a flavor blast and joint boost.
- 3) Swap store-bought treats for freeze-dried liver bites—because fancy pups deserve fancy snacks.
- 4) Use pumpkin puree instead of sweet potato mash for a fiber fiesta
- 5) Trade regular kibble for dehydrated raw food nuggets—turning your dog into a snack connoisseur.
- 6) Swap out peanut butter with almond butter for a nutty twist without the stickiness.
- 7) Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream for a probiotic party in their belly.
- 8) Replace plain water ice cubes with diluted chicken broth cubes—hydration with a tasty plot twist.
1) Swap white rice for quinoa to keep your dog’s tail wagging and tummy happy.
Your dog thinks white rice is fine, but quinoa is like upgrading from a flipphone to a smartphone. Both work, but one is way better.
White rice is basically empty calories wearing a disguise. It fills your pup up but doesn’t bring much to the nutrition party.
Quinoa shows up with a full toolbox of good stuff. It has protein, fiber, and vitamins that actually help your dog feel great.
Your dog’s digestive system will thank you for the switch. Quinoa is gentler on their stomach and keeps things moving smoothly.
The protein in quinoa helps build strong muscles. Your dog will strut around like they just hit the gym.
Quinoa also has fiber that keeps your pup feeling full longer. No more sad puppy eyes begging for snacks every five minutes.
Cook quinoa just like rice but rinse it first. This removes the bitter coating that might make your dog give you the stink eye.
Start with small amounts mixed into their regular food. Your dog’s stomach needs time to adjust to this fancy new grain.
2) Replace chicken broth with bone broth for a flavor blast and joint boost.
Your dog thinks regular chicken broth is okay, but bone broth? That’s like upgrading from a tricycle to a sports car.
Bone broth contains collagen, glucosamine, and chondroitin. These nutrients help keep your dog’s joints moving smoothly. Think of it as WD-40 for doggy knees.
Regular chicken broth is mostly water with some chicken flavor. Bone broth is the real deal because it’s made by simmering bones for hours.
Your pup will notice the difference immediately. The rich, meaty taste makes even the pickiest eaters wag their tails.
You can pour bone broth over dry kibble to make it more exciting. It also works great for food puzzles and frozen treats.
The gelatin in bone broth helps with digestion too. Your dog’s stomach will thank you for the upgrade.
Store-bought bone broth works fine, but make sure it has no onions or garlic. These ingredients are toxic to dogs.
3) Swap store-bought treats for freeze-dried liver bites—because fancy pups deserve fancy snacks.
Your dog probably thinks those colorful store treats are amazing. But they’re basically junk food with weird colors and fake flavors.
Freeze-dried liver bites are like the fancy cheese platter of dog treats. They’re just pure liver that’s been dried out to keep it fresh.
Dogs go absolutely bonkers for liver. It’s like giving them a five-star meal instead of fast food.
Store-bought treats are packed with stuff you can’t pronounce. Freeze-dried liver has one ingredient: liver. Your dog’s stomach will thank you.
These treats are super healthy too. Liver is loaded with vitamins and protein that actually help your pup feel better.
You can break them into tiny pieces for training. Your dog will sit, stay, and probably do backflips for these things.
The best part? You look like a fancy dog parent who knows what they’re doing. Your friends will think you’re some kind of dog nutrition expert.
Sure, they cost a bit more than the grocery store stuff. But your dog will think you’re the coolest human ever.
4) Use pumpkin puree instead of sweet potato mash for a fiber fiesta
Your dog’s digestive system will thank you for this orange upgrade. Pumpkin puree packs more fiber than sweet potato mash.
One cup of pumpkin puree has about 7 grams of fiber. Sweet potato mash only has around 4 grams per cup.
This extra fiber helps your dog’s bowel movements stay regular. No more surprise accidents on your favorite rug.
Pumpkin puree also has fewer calories than sweet potato mash. Your chunky pup can enjoy a tasty treat without expanding their waistline.
The smooth texture makes it easy to mix into your dog’s regular food. You can also freeze it in ice cube trays for a cool summer snack.
Make sure you buy plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. The pie filling has spices and sugar that can upset your dog’s stomach.
Start with small amounts to let your dog’s digestive system adjust. Too much fiber too fast can cause gas and loose stools.
5) Trade regular kibble for dehydrated raw food nuggets—turning your dog into a snack connoisseur.
Your dog probably thinks kibble is about as exciting as watching paint dry. Those brown pellets might fill their belly, but they’re missing out on something way better.
Dehydrated raw food nuggets are like the fancy cheese platter of the dog world. They pack all the good stuff from raw meat into bite-sized pieces that won’t go bad in your cupboard.
These nuggets keep more vitamins and minerals than regular kibble. The gentle drying process doesn’t cook away all the nutrients like traditional dog food making.
Your pup will suddenly have opinions about dinner time. They might even do that little dance dogs do when they’re really excited about food.
The protein in these nuggets is easier for dogs to digest. This means less upset stomachs and better energy levels throughout the day.
Just add warm water and watch the nuggets turn into a gourmet meal. Your dog will think you hired a personal chef just for them.
6) Swap out peanut butter with almond butter for a nutty twist without the stickiness.
Your dog’s mouth won’t turn into a sticky mess with almond butter. You know that funny face dogs make when peanut butter glues their mouth shut? Almond butter fixes that problem.
Almond butter is less sticky than peanut butter. Your pup can actually enjoy their treat without spending ten minutes trying to unstick their tongue from the roof of their mouth.
This swap gives your dog more vitamin E and healthy fats. Almond butter also has less sugar than most peanut butters. Your dog gets better nutrition without the sugar crash later.
You can stuff almond butter in puzzle toys just like peanut butter. It works great for hiding pills too. Your dog won’t know they’re taking medicine when it’s wrapped in something so tasty.
Make sure you buy unsalted almond butter with no added sugar. Check the label for xylitol, which is toxic to dogs. Plain almond butter is the safest choice for your furry friend.
Your dog will love the nutty taste. Plus, you won’t have to watch them make weird faces while trying to eat it.
7) Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream for a probiotic party in their belly.
Your dog’s digestive system will thank you for this simple swap. Greek yogurt packs way more probiotics than regular sour cream.
Those tiny good bacteria in Greek yogurt help your pup’s gut stay healthy. Think of them as tiny janitors cleaning up their digestive tract.
Sour cream just sits there being creamy and useless. Greek yogurt actually does work while tasting great.
Your dog gets extra protein too. Greek yogurt has almost twice the protein of sour cream.
Pick plain Greek yogurt without any added sugar or flavors. Dogs don’t need vanilla or strawberry surprises in their food.
Start with small amounts mixed into their regular meals. Too much yogurt at once might give them loose stools.
Most dogs love the tangy taste. It’s like giving them a healthy treat that also fixes their stomach problems.
The probiotics help with bad breath too. Your dog’s kisses might actually smell better after a few weeks of this swap.
8) Replace plain water ice cubes with diluted chicken broth cubes—hydration with a tasty plot twist.
Your dog probably thinks regular ice cubes are about as exciting as watching paint dry. Time to jazz things up with chicken broth ice cubes.
Mix low-sodium chicken broth with water in a 1:3 ratio. Pour the mixture into ice cube trays and freeze overnight.
These frozen treats make drinking water way more interesting for your pup. It’s like turning boring H2O into a doggy cocktail party.
The diluted broth adds flavor without overwhelming your dog’s system. Plus, it encourages them to drink more water on hot days.
Always use low-sodium broth to protect your dog’s kidneys. Check the label for onion and garlic, which are toxic to dogs.
Your dog will think you’re a genius for this simple trick. They’ll actually get excited about staying hydrated instead of ignoring their water bowl.
These cubes work great as training treats too. Your dog gets rewarded while sneaking in extra hydration.
My name is Danny Jackson and I’m the CEO and Chief Editor behind Petloverguy.com. After spending a decade working with vets and private clients as an animal behavioral and nutritional specialist I co-founded Pet Lover Guy to help other pet parents learn how to interact with, and make the most of the time that they spend with their adopted and rescued best pet friends.
Working with Ella, our chihuahua rescue, we seek to help all dog and cat lovers have the happiest life possible.
