9 Food Toppers That Will Make Your Dog Actually Want to Eat Dinner

A homemade vinaigrette on your salad, a sprinkle of pecorino on perfectly al dente pasta — these finishing touches elevate the human experience of eating. Just like us, our dogs appreciate tasty add-ons that take a meal to the next level. This is especially true for dogs who have lost interest in eating, whether due to illness, age, boredom, or simply because they are picky eaters. By adding toppers to your dog's food, you can not only brighten your dog’s day with fragrant, fresh tastes but also slip in some supplemental nutrition in the process.

If you’re thinking, Wait! Dogs have only about one-sixth the number of taste buds we do. Why bother dishing up anything out of the ordinary? Know this: When it comes to smell, dogs have 125 million sensory cells to our 5 to 10 million; they can smell each and every ingredient. And research has shown that they are able to distinguish at least four flavor profiles: sweet, sour, and salty — which they tend to like — and bitter, which they do not.

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Ready to spice up your dog’s next meal? The good news is you don’t need to go further than your own pantry or your next grocery trip to find healthy ways to liven up an otherwise completely boring dinner for your dog. Check out the ideas below for easy, on-the-go toppers and delicious, homemade options. Just like picky toddlers, every dog is different and could have an allergy to something new, so it’s best to clear any dietary changes with your vet before going ahead.

Best Food Toppers For Dogs

Btw, our editors (and their pets) picked out these products. They’re always in stock at the time we publish, but there’s a chance they’ll sell out. If you do buy through our links, we may earn a commission. (We’ve got a lot of toys to buy over here, you know?)

Jinx Freeze Dried Salmon Dry Dog Food Topper

$10

The natural Jinx food topper features wild-caught salmon that’s been freeze dried to preserve freshness, so even the pickiest of pups won’t turn their nose up at it. That means no additives, fillers, artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives — and best of all — no refrigerator.

$10 at Chewy

Portland Pet Food Company Homestyle Variety Pack Wet Dog Food Topper

$35

Made with 100 percent natural, human-grade ingredients, the easy grab-and-go food toppers are perfect for picky eaters, senior pups, and active doggos. Whether you’re masking the taste of a meal they don’t like or are trying to sneak some extra calories into their diet, your dog is guaranteed to go for one of these fetching flavors.

$35 at Chewy

Open Farm Beef Bone Broth

$8

This ethically sourced bone broth is formulated by slow-simmering bones sourced from turkey, beef, and chicken. With a commitment to transparency at the heart of their mission, Open Farm uses high-quality superfoods, such as carrots, pumpkin, parsley, turmeric, and cinnamon, without any additives (grain, corn, wheat, and soy).

$8 at Amazon

Primal Cupboard Cuts Chicken Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food Topper

$30

Crafted with organic produce and probiotics, Primal’s freeze-dried food topper adds a boost of nutrition to your dog’s diet and will encourage them to lick their plate clean.

$30 at Chewy

WilderBites Wild Anchovy Food Topper

$12

If your pup’s nose goes into overdrive when you’re cooking pasta puttanesca, now’s your opportunity to treat them to a little anchovy of their own with WilderBites’s Anchovy Food Topper — without any of the risk of them going full Lady and the Tramp with the spaghetti.

$12 at WilderBites

Primary Pet Foods Goat Milk+

Formulated with ingredients, such as cranberries and apple cider vinegar, that support urinary tract health, the goat milk meal topper is a nutrition-rich choice for pets who need a little boost of moisture (sorry to anyone who hates that word).

Shop Primary Pet Foods

Vital Essentials Freeze Dried Toppers

$14

Whether you’re sprinkling this mixture on top of your pup’s food, mixing it with water to create a nutritious gravy, or turning it into a pâté, this USA-sourced beef, freeze-dried topper makes any meal feel like a capital “M,” hearty Meal, ya know?

$14 at Amazon

The Honest Kitchen Turkey & Pumpkin Stew Wet Dog Food Topper

$30

Honest Kitchen’s human-grade pourable pumpkin stew is fiber rich and formulated for dogs of all ages and breeds. Made with cage-free turkey, pureed apples, and a pinch of cinnamon, the food topper’s ingredients are meant to boost your pup’s digestion, joints, coat, liver, and immune system.

$30 at Chewy

K9 Natural Freeze Dried Dog Food Topper

$28

This hypoallergenic blend is suitable for a variety of pups. Made with 100 percent grass-fed and free-range ingredients, K9 Natural’s food topper is an excellent source of protein for pups in need of nutritional support.

$28 at Amazon

On-the-Go Dog Food Toppers

Some people foods make great dog food toppers. Take the “rainbow approach,” adding good-for-dogs fruits and veggies in all of nature’s colors. Here are some good options:

• Blueberries

• Canned pure pumpkin

• Canned sardines or mackerel

• Crumbled bacon or turkey bacon

• Hard-boiled eggs (a little of the shell is good for dogs)

• Ground beef, chicken, turkey, or lamb

• Ground-up liver treats

• Nori

• Spirulina

• Yogurt

Looking for an even easier dog food topper? Drizzle on some oil. Fish oil is among the most beneficial additives to the canine diet: It is excellent for the treatment of canine allergies, as well as arthritis and high cholesterol. One convention for calculating the amount of fish oil to include in your dog’s diet is to multiply your dog’s weight (in pounds) by 20. For a 60-pound dog, for example, the daily target dose is 1,200 mg.

Another great dog food topper is flax seed oil, which is credited with healing, strengthening bones, and maintaining a dog’s energy. Flax seed and olive oil are both great sources of antioxidants, and they are key for maintaining canine cardiovascular health.

Homemade Dog Food Toppers 

Dogs love organ meat, so ask your local butcher or farmers’ market vendors if they offer pre-packaged organ meat, such as heart, liver, and kidney meat. Cut the meat into tiny bites and scatter a few on top of your dog’s meal; the meat can be either raw or lightly braised. Here are some other low-prep topping ideas:

• Grated carrots

• Sautéed zucchini

• Frozen veggies, steamed and diced

• Grated low-sodium cheeses

• Low sodium veggie, chicken, or turkey stock (Tip: Freeze your stock in an ice-cube tray and defrost a cube daily.)

One more home-cooking approach: Buy a medley of vegetables in bulk and oven-roast as many as your dog might eat in four to five days; then store them in the refrigerator and add them at mealtime. It’s a healthy “fast food” your dog will love. Scroll on for a food topper recipe.

A Quick Note About Calories

Remember that the addition of toppers to your dogs’ food requires that you reduce the amount of kibble or other food you offer them along with it. General guidelines may not result in the best regimen for your particular dog, so check the appropriate caloric intake by consulting with your veterinarian before making significant dietary changes.

When it comes to the kinds of homemade dog-food toppers you can offer your dog, the world is your oyster (which dogs especially love, smoked, preferably). Use these ideas as inspiration, and remember that each dog is different, so if one recipe doesn’t pique their interest, try a new one.