Generally, kibble will allow you to add up to 20% of extras without unbalancing it, so why not look into some healthy extra's you can start with today.
Pictured is a fruit, veg & seed mix that we make up in big batches and freeze. Whilst the recipe changes, this one is available from our freezer right now and contains:
Mixed berries, pumpkin, portobello mushrooms, watermelon, round beans, gold sweet potato, red capsicum, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, beetroot, snow peas, cavendish bananas, granny smith apples, lettuce, soaked organic chia seed & soaked organic flaxseeds.
When choosing fruit & veggie mixes, we typically choose, depending on availability, ingredients that are healthy and generally well tolerated by dogs and ingredients that serve as pre-biotics.
When starting off adding fruit and veg to your dog diet, start off small and increase to 5%. You can increase to up to 20% but if you hit the 20% mark straight away you may get a gassy pooch.
Let's have a look at what else you may like to add as extras on rotation:
Meat whether than be mince or chunks
RMB = Raw meaty bones, not marrow bones. Edible bones such as brisket, necks, carcass etc. Choose a size that is appropriate for your dog i.e. gobblers and aggressive chewers should have bigger pieces. Big dogs generally shouldn't have small pieces like chicken necks unless they can be trusted to chew. If bones are new to your dog then supervise them until you know they can consume them safely.
Kefir, this is a fermented milk product packed with pro-biotics that you can make yourself. Start with small amounts.
Greek yoghurt - stay away from any low-fat varieties as they tend to be high in sugar and sugar feeds yeast and we don't want that in dogs.
Bone Broth - this is a jelly-like substance made from chicken feet or soup bones and slow cooked for 24 hours, full of healthy collagen and minerals. Start with small amounts.
Table scraps, don't throw it in the bin if it's safe for your dog i.e. leftover meats without sauces. No cooked bones.
Cooked or soaked (for 12 hours) rolled oats, great for sensitive tummies and runny bums. Best obtained from the health food store instead of cheap ones from the supermarket that could have added sugar.
Soaked Chia and Flax seeds - great for the coat and overall health.
Small amounts of mashed/blended fruit & veg. No need to cook but must be mashed/blended/grated/lightly steamed otherwise dogs cannot break down the walls and therefore cannot derive nutrition from them. Consider Banana's, Savoy Cabbage, Green & Snow Beans which act as prebiotics. Also, consider Blueberries, Carrots and Broccoli.
What's on sale at the fish shop? Many Fish shops will give or sell you their offcuts, salmon frames, fish heads and the likes. And, don't forget sardines 1-2 times a week are great for dogs who tolerate them. What about those fish bones? Fish bones are considered 'Soft Bones' which is considered safe for dogs. Raw feeders have been feeding them without any trouble for...forever? Also, consider that dogs ate animals in their full form before us. The only reference, we've ever found to fish bones being negative is from sources without any actual experiences listed or references..just opinions. If you're worried, don't feed them. If the fins are sharp and worry you, remove them. What about parasites? Head here: http://www.9news.com.au/…/mans-leg-cramp-channels-horror-fi…
Hearts - you can find these at your supermarket, they're a great muscle meat (not an offal) and you can feed them as often as you like.
Eggs, ideally free-range/pasture. For puppies, keep these to a minimum as they are high in phos.
Cottage cheese. Start with small amounts.
Tripe. Raw green tripe is blackmarket and you will not find it at your butchers.
BARF patties, you can get mixed balanced raw patties such as Prime100, Dr Billinghurst, Vets All Natural, Leading Edge, Big Dog from many pet stores.
High-quality rolls such as Single Proteins from Prime100.
Ingredients your dog doesn't need even though it's become such a norm to give them to dogs. They are high carb and not species appropriate for dogs.
Potatoes
Rice
Pasta
REMEMBER: When adding 20% extras, you need to reduce your dogs kibble by 20% otherwise they'll get chunky!