How to Upgrade Your Dog's Bland Kibble on a Budget, According to an Expert

A veterinary student went viral on social media after sharing a few simple ways to improve your dog's meals, and viewers all over the internet loved her ideas.

Her viral video was shared on TikTok earlier in March, under the username Misszoolittle. In it, Charlotte explains how to improve your dog's kibble on a budget, making it more fun and appetizing for your pet to eat.

Charlotte starts by rehydrating the kibble with boiling water, then adds natural Greek yoghurt. She says this is a food full of proteins and good for your dog. Charlotte then adds probiotics, to boost their immune system and help the digestive system.

On top of her dog's food, Charlotte also adds freeze-dried meal toppers such as meat bites, rehydrated chia seeds, salmon oil, dried sprats, veggies, and frozen blueberries.

Leasa Moltke is manager of nutrition and regulatory affairs of Solid Gold. She told Newsweek that preparing fresh, home-cooked meals for your pet every day can be a great way to provide healthy nutrition. However, if done improperly, it can lead to unwanted health complications.

Moltke said: "There are approximately 40 essential nutrients required in a dog's diet, with each one having a very specific role in the body. If your dog's diet is deficient in any of these nutrients, it can cause general illness, joint/structural problems, and organ dysfunction. The Solid Gold team is here to highlight how important your dog's balanced diet is to promote optimal health.

"Commercial pet foods have strict guidelines on the nutrient level requirements to be considered complete and balanced for your dog's stage of life," Moltke added. These determined levels are dictated by the AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) based upon NRC (National Research Council) guidance.

"Pet-food manufacturers ensure their foods align with the AAFCO requirements to provide the ideal combination of nutrients required to maintain the health and well-being of the dogs they are feeding."

According to Moltke, home cooking can be done safely and properly but does require a bit of research on the proper way to balance a dog's diet.

"A home-cooked diet may help to elevate a dog's diet and nutritional intake. Any pet parent thinking about cooking for their dog should first consult with their veterinarian for guidance about their particular dog's needs," she added.

Moreover, Moltke said there are many things you can add to a dry-food diet to add nutrients, including bone broths, supplements, and wet dog foods.

Moltke added that bone broths, made of turkey, chicken, or beef, are a great source of naturally occurring collagen. This can be helpful to support joint function and is excellent for the skin and coat. Broths are also a tasty way to increase hydration in your dog's diet.

The TikTok video quickly gained popularity on social media, attracting animal owners from across the platform. It has received over 245,000 views and 15,500 likes.

One user, Lynsay, commented: "My dog would eat all the toppers and leave the kibble." And W4canalboathire posted that "rehydration of kibble gave my dog loose stools." Itsonlyliz&hank added: "I absolutely Love this. But my dog would have a heart attack waiting for me to do this."

Another user, Ki And Noodle, commented: "Instead of using boiling water use warm water, as boiling water takes away a bit of the nutrition." And Cassie wrote: "we use baby food puree sachets with dinner. my 3 love them and very cheap as well. they do also get chunks of fruit/veg, fish etc."

Mike Cooke997 posted: "If I did this for my dog he would just look at me and say now go and put the beef brisket in the oven."

Newsweek reached out to Misszoolittle for comment via email. We could not verify the details of the case.

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