We all love our four-legged friends, and dogs have been our faithful companions for thousands of years. Dog owners do everything they can to ensure that their pet is healthy, happy, and will live a long life. As well as medicine and regular exercise, your dog’s diet is extremely important for maintaining its health, and it’s happy mood. There are far too many dog owners who just give their pet the same boring tin of dog food every day, but just as with humans, dogs require a balanced, varied diet to stay healthy and to stop things from getting boring. If you are looking at ways to spice up your dog’s diet, then look no further.

Here is how to make mealtimes exciting for your dog.

1. Choose Dog Food Based on Taste, not Price

We all like to get a bargain, and there are many aspects of our own lives and the lives of our pets where it is okay to save a little money by going with a cheaper product, but the food is not one of them. Whilst obviously a dog does not need to eat Michelin Star quality food every day, you should still choose dog foods that taste great rather than just the cheapest option available. Dogs have incredibly sophisticated taste buds and can easily tell the difference between good food and bad food. Whilst many people think their dog is just picky, bad tasting food is just as repellant to a dog as foods that we don’t like are to us.

2. Supplement Your Dog’s Diet With Treats

As well as their staple food which your dog eats for dinner, you should supplement this with treats during the day. There are many specially formulated treats that are great for different aspects of your dog’s internal health, teeth, and gums. One tried and tested treat which dogs have been enjoying forever is a nice juicy bone. The calcium in bone is great for a dog’s own bones, and gnawing on one helps to keep their teeth clean and healthy. In addition, the marrow inside a bone is packed full of important nutrients that are great for your dog’s immune system, eyes, and blood health.

3. Make Sure Your Dog Has a Balanced Diet

Just as with humans, it is really important that your dog gets a balanced diet in order to maintain its optimal health. It is a common misconception that dogs are carnivores and that all they need to eat is meat. In actual fact, an omnivorous diet is the best for keeping a dog healthy and so you should always try to introduce some vegetables and grains into their diet, especially if you are making their food yourself, to keep their mealtimes exciting and nutritious.

The reason that we feel such a strong affinity for dogs is that they are just like humans in so many ways. Just as we don’t want to eat the same thing every day, dogs also need some variety in order to maintain good health and a happy mood. If you are worried that your dog is not getting the most out of their mealtimes, follow these tips, and you can make a seriously positive change in your pet’s life.