Guide to Dog Food Toppers; What They are, Benefits, How to Use, and More | Pupford

Ever look at your dog’s food and think it looks a little...plain?

While many dog foods fit the bill in terms of taste and nutrition, we feel our dogs deserve more. Or maybe we have a dog with a picky palate or specific nutritional needs. That’s where dog food toppers can come in.

Before we get started we want to know how much you know about food toppers:

No matter what your answer is, we think you’ll learn a thing or two from this guide. We’re going to cover topics like:

• What are food toppers for dogs?
• Benefits of food toppers
• How to use food toppers
• What to look for in food toppers and meal enhancers

WHAT ARE FOOD TOPPERS FOR DOGS?

If you’re picturing a little fancy top hat for your dog’s food containers, unfortunately you’re a little off here.

When we talk about food toppers, we’re talking about a powdery product that you add in small amounts to your dog’s normal meal to give it a little boost. That’s why you’ll also hear them referred to as “meal enhancers,” since they’re designed to enhance an already existing meal (rather than replace it).

Like with most things when it comes to our dogs, there are a lot of different options out there for meal toppers -- and they’re not all created equally.

But don’t worry, we’re going to help you not only learn the benefits of the right food topper, but also how to spot the one that’s best for your pup.

BENEFITS OF FOOD TOPPERS AND MEAL ENHANCERS

Good quality food toppers offer a lot of benefits for your dog, both for nutrition and enjoyment. Some benefits include:

• Flavor enhancement - Keep your dog’s food interesting by changing up the flavor. Most meal toppers come in more than one flavor, which makes things even more exciting.
• Improved nutrition - Depending on the specific ingredients, food toppers can include important nutrients like vitamins, minerals, etc. that your dog’s regular food doesn’t provide enough of.
• Protein boost - Protein is essential for muscle, skin, and coat health among other things, so meal toppers can provide the extra boost of protein your dog needs for optimal health.
• Better feeding schedule - Meal toppers are extra enticing, encouraging your dog to stick to their set meal times and feeding schedules. This is important for your overall routine, but extra important for dogs who are potty training.
• Improved texture - Depending on how you serve your food topper (more on that in the next section!), it can add moisture to dry food which some dogs like better.

Overall, dog food toppers can help you maximize the enjoyment and nutritional benefits of your dog’s meal!

HOW TO USE FOOD TOPPERS

Another great thing about food toppers is that they’re extremely easy to use.

Since they come in powder form, you can simply sprinkle it onto your dog’s dry food or mix into their wet food.

If you want to change the texture, you can mix the topper with water and mix into your dog’s food that way.

Whatever method you use, be mindful of serving sizes and instructions. You want to make sure you’re using the proper amount for your dog’s size and breed, especially if you use the topper on more than one meal per day.

If you have any questions or hesitations on the best way to use food toppers for your specific dog, you can always ask your veterinarian for guidance.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN FOOD TOPPERS AND MEAL ENHANCERS

We mentioned before that not all food toppers are created equally -- so how do you know which one is best for your dog?

There are two main indicators of quality in meal toppers: ingredients and processing.

You’ll want to look for super simple ingredients that you can easily recognize, with as few additions as possible. Steer clear of anything that contains added flavorings or sugars.

You’ll also want to make sure that the method of processing is as minimal as possible. The more processing the ingredients undergo, the more they lose their nutritional benefits and are potentially exposed to other materials. Freeze-dried food toppers often undergo the least amount of processing and hold the ingredients’ integrity the best.

We wanted to make sure our pups had access to the best quality meal toppers possible, so we created the new Pupford Over the Topper Freeze Dried Meal Enhancers -- available in beef liver and salmon.

With minimal ingredients and processing, they have all of the flavor and nutrition of fresh beef liver or salmon, with all the convenience of a freeze dried food topper powder.

You can learn more about Over the Topper here.

When your pup tries Over the Topper, we’d love to hear what they think! Leave a comment below or a review to let us know which one is your dog’s favorite!

Additional Reading: We break down a comparison of kibble vs dehydrated vs raw dog food here.