Health & Wellbeing
7 Superfoods for Dogs
Copy: Serena Faber Nelson
Photography: Serena Faber Nelson
Styling: Serena Faber-Nelson
Pet lifestyle expert Serena Faber-Nelson is the founder of Pretty Fluffy. A contributor to Everyday with Rachael Ray, Modern Dog Magazine, Cesars Way and more; her modern, stylized take on DIY dog treats has seen her recipes viewed millions of times over.
Serena is the author of the go-to dog mom bible, Dog Mama, and the popular dog treat recipe book, Healthy Homemade Dog Treats.
Superfoods for dogs? What do you mean?
Well one of the easiest ways to be a good dog owner is to feed your dog fresh and healthy produce. But to be a great dog owner – you need look no further than these superfoods for dogs.
Superfoods for Dogs aren’t just good for your dog, each food has certain properties that helps protect, build and nourish specific elements of your dog’s body.
Whether you’ve got a new pup, a pooch prone to allergies or a senior in her golden years, these 7 fresh dog friendly foods will keep your best friend healthy on the inside and out.
Plus for once you can steal your dog’s food instead of it being the other way around…
Superfood for Dogs: Blueberries
Filled with antioxidants known to boost cognitive function in dogs, blueberries are a scrumptious addition to your pup’s diet.
A great alternative to bite sized processed treats, they can be served on their own, blended with yogurt to make doggie pupsicles, or added to biscuit mixes to make a healthy snack.
Superfood for Dogs: Coconut Oil
You put the dog in the coconut*…The ‘good fats’ in coconut mimic the properties of antioxidants and boost vitamin E, promoting tissue health and shiny coats in dogs.
Coconut Oil is a great substitute when cooking at home for dogs. It can be used as a butter/fat substitute when making treats, or as a healthy oil when baking.
* Our legal team** has asked me to add the disclaimer to NOT put dogs in coconuts.
** OK our legal team is basically Soda and Coco.
Superfood for Dogs: Quinoa
Packed with protein, studies have reported quinoa is also associated with preventing heart disease and cancer.
Because it is nutritionally denser than most processed carbohydrates, it makes an excellent rice and grain substitute – brilliant for dogs with allergies. By adding cooked quinoa to a selection of fresh meats and vegetables you have a 100% balanced meal for your pup.
Just don’t try to pronounce it right. Ever.
Superfood for Dogs: Kale
One of the healthiest things you can do for your dog is to add more green and leafy vegetables to their diet. Kale is a number one choice, being rich in iron, calcium and vitamins A, C and K.
Yes, you’ll totally sound pretentious buying kale for your dog, but just lie and say it’s for your green smoothie or whatever. To include it in your dog’s diet you can steam the leaves and add to your dog’s dinner, or brush lightly with oil and bake to create doggie chips (that you may want to steal).
Superfood for Dogs: Sweet Potato
Among the highest vegetables on the nutrition scale, sweet potatoes include Vitamins A, C, Manganese and Iron which are good for a healthy coat and immune system.
Their high level of fibre also aids in healthy digestion. You can slice and bake them to serve as a snack, or add cooked portions to your dog’s dinner.
Superfood for Dogs: Natural Peanut Butter
A tasty source of protein used to build and repair muscle tissue, peanut butter is filled with ‘good fats’ that support a healthy cardiovascular system.
Just like us you don’t want to go too overboard with the peanut butter as it is high in calories, however on the plus side it’s great smeared inside Kongs and other treat balls keep your pooch busy for hours. How dogs actually get the peanut butter out of the bottom of those things is a mystery that I hope one day they will devote an Indiana Jones movie to.
In the meantime for you it all comes down to Healthy + Fun = Happy Dog.
Superfood for Dogs: Carrots
The poor, poor forgotten carrot. Seriously this guy gets as much air time as Vanilla Ice these days.
Too often when you hear about superfoods, you’ll only see the most exotic and trendy items listed. Yet the humble carrot is a long standing superfood for all pups – packed with beta-carotene which assists with everything from preventing heart disease to healthy eyesight.
They won’t help your dog see in the dark, but freshly chopped carrot sticks will keep your dog’s stomach fuller until mealtime and keep their teeth healthy.
Another trick with carrots is to use carrot shavings to ‘bulk up’ main meals if you’re trying to help your pup lose weight. You can also dance with them to ‘Ice Ice Baby’ if you’re really feeling like giving a bit of old school love.
For yummy superfood recipes for your dog, download your copy of our eBook 52 Weeks of Treats – Simple & Healthy Dog Treat Recipes for Every Season.
Does you dog eat any of these superfoods for dogs?
What you’re favourite healthy doggie go-to snack?
Copy: Serena Faber Nelson
Photography: Serena Faber Nelson
Styling: Serena Faber-Nelson
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Blueberries, peanut butter and coconut oil are Addison’s favorites! Will have to try the others soon.
Soda loves them too! 🙂
Belle absolutely love carrots, will try some peanut butter dipped carrots for her.
Fabulous idea! Healthy and yummy 🙂
A GREAT RECIPE FOR TREAT & SO EASY TO MAKE:
3 BANANAS SMASHED
32 OZ OF YOGURT
1 CUP OR LESS OF PEANUT BUTTER
BLEND/STIR ALL TOGETHER & FREEZE IN ICE TRAYS – MAKES 3 ICE TRAYS – GIVE MINE ONE OF THESE A DAY.
Thanks Jan!
YOU ARE WELCOME, I HAVE SCALED DOWN THE PEANUT BUTTER TO 1/2 CUP OF NATURAL OKLAHOMA MADE PEANUT BUTTER WITH OKLAHOMA NATURAL HONEY & ADD FINELY GRATED UNSWEETENED COCONUT WITH SOME TURMERIC & GINGER SPICE ADDED… ♥ MAY START TO USE SOME UNSULPUHRED MOLASSES – DOGS ARE DOING GREAT ON THE NEW ADDITION TO A HOMEMADE BREATH BUSTER I AM MAKING INSTEAD OF BUYING SUCH WITH SO MANY CHEMICALS IN THEM. THESE ARE MADE WITH PARSLEY, MINT, KALE GROUND IN A BULLET WITH 1/2 CUP OF WATER & MADE WITH SPELT & GLUTEN FREE FLOUR:
2 1/2 CUPS ALL PURPOSE GLUTEN FREE FLOUR
1 CUP PARSLEY
1 CUP KALE
1/2 CUP MINT
1/2 CUP WATER
1/3 CUP OF CANOLA OIL
1 TBS HONEY/CLOSE TO HOME HIVES
1 TSP SALT/SEA
BAKE AT 250 DEGREES FOR 30-40 MINUTES. YOU CAN ROLL OUT THE DOUGH OR JUST MAKE LITTLE COOKIES.
I have just been reading about the 7 super foods, and I am wondering at what age can I feed my pup these foods. She is 8 weeks old and I also have a 51/2 year old. Thanks for the great info. Regards Rozz.
Hi Rozz,
All the foods listed here are natural and safe for dogs and puppies.
However when introducing anything new – especially with puppies – I would always suggest doing so in very small doses to watch for tummy upsets and allergic reactions.
I would also talk to your local vet about your pup’s diet to ensure they are getting everything they need.
All the best!
Great piece and stunning photography! Thanks for the info.
Thanks so much Charli!
Please, I would appreciate if someone gives me some recipes for homemade food for a French Bulldog -6 years old-. I feed him with Lamb and rice by TROVET by me hand, because he barelly eats it. He prefers fresh human food.
Olympia – we just switched our boys from a chicken kibble (Acana) to a raw food in the shape of kibble made by Nature’s Variety. It’s fed to them frozen right from the freezer (this takes away the inconvenience of cost of having to prep their food everyday). There are other formulations with lamb in them if your frenchie is sensitive to chicken. Our boys were never really interested in their kibble and I found that we had to hand feed them most days as well, but they just GOBBLE this stuff up and I’ve definitely noticed a difference in the energy and overall well being. Look it up! Seriously! I cannot say enough great things about this food!
Hi Olympia,
Check out our Healthy Homemade Dog Food Recipe here: https://prettyfluffy.com/diy-tutorials/recipes/recipe-healthy-homemade-dog-food
xx
Gatsby and I are also huge fans of Pumpkin. It’s super healthy and great for a dog’s digestion. I love to fill up a kong with it and then freeze it so that it takes him a long time to get all the delicious pumpkin out!
Carrots… My Daisy Dogg is a carrot hound!!! She can sniff them out at a 100 paces 😀 Christmas Eve she ate all the Carrots for the Dinner the following day!
Hello. I have an 8 week old doberman pincher. She is currently on dry kibble. I want to introduce her to healthy homemade snacks as we transition to homemade dog food. Should the veggies be boiled before feeding them to her? Carrots, sweet potatoes and so forth?
I give my dog raw carrot as it acts almost like a toothbrush. It helps a lot and it keeps them busy as they just chew on it for half an hour.
It’s funny you mention peanut butter, one of my dogs is currently on antibiotic tablets and I tried getting her to take them by wedging it in cheese, bread, meat…you name it! But she always managed to eat the food and spit the tablet out, clever girl that she is. Now I cover it in natural peanut butter (the one with real crunchy bits in) and it all goes down first time, every time!
So there’s my tip if your dog won’t take tablets 🙂
Please do not give your dog coconut oil as it can cause pancreatitis in some dogs. My dog is fighting for her life after I gave her homemade coconut oil treats. It has cost me more than $2000 in vet bills so far.
No peanut butter please!!!
Seed oils are not easily digested by dogs, including peanut butter, something that many guardians take as harmless.
As an integrative who does a lot of food therapy in my practice I tend to discourage my clients to use peanut butter on their pets diets. I’ve treated inumerous case of liver disease and pancreatitis due to peanut butter.
That’s a perfect example of how the web can confuse us Lara, we just don’t know who to believe! A lot is just here-say and without scientific evidence we are often left wondering what is truth and what is fiction!
Have been making my Maltese puppy 6 months old, homemade puppy stew using mostly rice and sweet potato as the carbs. But am now growing to sub quinuo for rice and kale as one of veggies. Have always used either coconut oil or olive in small amount mixed in for healthier coat. She would never eat any soft foods I tried, even the five star high quality ones, but she govbles her homemade stew down right away. Friends say I spoil her but I know it is healthier AND cheaper. Can make 2 weeks of meals at a time and freeze in individual portions.
…dogs are carnivores and don’t get anything out of vegetables or fruit…..go ahead….feed a dog a carrot….guaranteed he will poop orange….their digestive system is designed for raw meat, bones and organs for proper processing….you are basing this superfood thing on your human diet….look at a dog’s dentition….are your teeth just like theirs?…no???….ok, then they need to be fed a carnivore diet…their teeth dictate what they should eat…would you feed a lion fruit, rice and vegetables?….nope, cos they have EXACTLY the same teeth as a dog…..and just because you choose to feed a dog with rice, veg, fruit, that doesn’t make it a proper dog diet…dogs made it thru millions of years with raw meat, bones and organs….and just because Purina or whoever decided there’s a market for their idea for nuggets of garbage about 100 years ago, it’s the biggest scam on pet owners ever….after that dog “food” poisoning from China scandal, I will never ever worry about what my dogs eat….raw all the way….
…I have read that wolves have a significant amount of berry seeds in their scat…so perhaps berries are a
natural part of or dogs diet