Building a bowl for your dog is a fun way of putting together a nutritious mix of foods for them to enjoy. Bowl building lets you customize your dog’s meal to their specific needs and preferences, and has several benefits:

• Generates mealtime enthusiasm
• Entices picky eaters
• Adds hydration
• May help prevent food intolerances/allergies
• Improves diversity of microbes for better gut health

Bowl building also works well with protein rotation, which is another great approach to dog nutrition.

How to Build a Bowl for Your Dog

Whether you start with a dry or wet base, make high-quality dog food the main ingredient (at least 90%) to ensure they’re getting complete and balanced nutrition.

Option #1: Start with a Dry Base & Add Hydration

• Choose a dog kibble or freeze-dried raw recipe
• Hydrate the dry food with wet dog food or bone broth
• You can also add hydration with water, plain greek yogurt, or pumpkin puree

Option #2: Start with Wet Food & Add Texture

• Choose a fresh or frozen raw dog food recipe, or wet dog food 
• Add a freeze-dried raw topper or mixer
• You can also crumble your dog’s favorite freeze-dried raw patties over wet food

Last Step: Top with a Treat

No matter how you build your base, finish things off with a treat to make your dog’s bowl extra special! You can use:

• A dog treat
• A serving of dog-safe human food like blueberries, strawberries, egg, or salmon
• A dollop of peanut butter or another nut butter

If you’re giving your dog peanut butter or any other packaged human food, make sure it’s free of xylitol (which is toxic to dogs) and low in sodium. Learn about other human foods that are dangerous for dogs, to keep every bowl safe and nutritious.
Now that you’ve learned the basics of bowl building, it’s time to get creative and let your dog’s unique personality inspire you! You can also learn more about what to mix with your dog’s kibble. These are great options you can try over time to find what your pup prefers.  However, remember that consistency in feeding style and products may help to ensure steady digestion for your pup!

Bowl Building Videos

Check out these fun bowl building videos for even more tips and tricks:

Keep reading to learn eleven ways to help a picky dog eat, and how to make a barkuterie board for your pup!

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