Whole Foods I Use to Elevate Dog Kibble
- dawn mimnaugh
- 6 days ago
- 7 min read
When you care for older dogs, you begin to look at food a little differently.
Most days, I’m not necessarily trying to replace a nutritionally complete kibble. Instead, I like to ask:
What can I add to that bowl that gives an older dog a little more nutritional value, moisture, flavor, and variety?
At Woody’s Place Senior German Shepherd Sanctuary, some of the whole foods I commonly reach for are pumpkin, bone broth, eggs, fish, goat’s milk, and mushrooms such as lion’s mane. These aren’t meant to turn dinner into a complicated science project. They’re simple additions that can make a basic bowl of kibble more interesting and, in many cases, more nutrient-dense.
For a large older dog such as a German Shepherd, I generally think of these foods as toppers, not the bulk of the meal. As a rule of thumb, extras should usually stay around 10% of a dog’s daily calories unless you’re working with your veterinarian or a veterinary nutritionist to formulate the entire diet.
And with senior dogs in particular, individual needs matter. Kidney disease, pancreatitis, heart disease, food allergies, medications, and other conditions can change what is appropriate.
Organic Pumpkin
Plain pumpkin is probably one of the easiest foods to keep on hand for an older dog.
Pumpkin contains soluble and insoluble fiber, along with nutrients including potassium, iron, vitamin E, and carotenoids. The fiber is what makes it especially useful. It can help support normal stool quality and digestive regularity by absorbing water in the intestinal tract while also adding bulk.
For a large German Shepherd-sized dog, 1 to 4 tablespoons of plain pumpkin mixed into a meal is a reasonable general range. I would start closer to 1 tablespoon and see how the dog responds.
Use 100% plain pumpkin—fresh cooked pumpkin or canned pumpkin. Organic is wonderful when available, but the most important thing is that there is no sugar, seasoning, or other ingredients added.
Never use pumpkin pie filling.
Bone Broth
Bone broth is one of my favorite ways to make an older dog’s kibble more appealing while simultaneously increasing the moisture in the meal.
That moisture matters. Some senior dogs simply aren’t enthusiastic water drinkers, and adding fluid directly to food is an easy way to increase their total water intake.
Depending on how you prepare it, bone broth may also provide protein, amino acids and minerals. I especially like it because it softens kibble, increases aroma and makes the meal much more enticing for dogs whose appetites aren’t what they once were.
For a large older dog, try approximately ¼ to ½ cup poured over the kibble, adjusting the amount depending on the size of the meal and how soupy your dog likes it.
I’ll include a link here to the bone broth recipe I make for the dogs: https://www.lifewitholddogs.com/post/woody-s-place-quick-and-easy-bone-broth-recipe
One important caution: broth made for humans often contains onion, garlic, and large amounts of sodium, so don't just grab a carton of regular soup broth from the store shelf without reading the ingredients first. Always opt for low- or no-sodium options. I recommend making your own dog-friendly version.
Organic Eggs
Eggs are little nutritional powerhouses.
They provide highly digestible protein along with essential amino acids, fats, vitamins, and minerals. For an older dog, good-quality protein becomes particularly important because aging dogs can become less efficient at maintaining lean muscle mass. In fact, veterinary nutrition guidance notes that some older dogs may require more dietary protein—not less—to maintain their protein reserves and muscle tissue.
That makes eggs a wonderfully simple addition to a senior dog’s bowl.
For a German Shepherd-sized dog, 1 large egg a day is plenty as a topper.
I prefer eggs from our own chickens or locally raised farm eggs when possible. Organic eggs are another excellent choice.
I generally prefer feeding eggs cooked—scrambled, hard-boiled, or poached—with no salt, butter...well, maybe a little butter, seasoning, onion, or garlic.
And remember that an egg still contributes calories. If you add eggs frequently, count those calories as part of the overall diet rather than adding them on top indefinitely.
Bonus! Here is my recipe for Doggy Deviled Eggs. The sanctuary residents go crazy for them.
Herring and Other Oily Fish
Fish is one of my favorite additions for older dogs because certain varieties naturally provide the marine omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA.
These fatty acids are particularly important for seniors because they support normal inflammatory responses, as well as joint, cardiovascular, skin, coat, and brain health. For this reason, over-the-counter omega-3 products often use oils derived from fish such as anchovies, sardines, mackerel, and herring.
Herring is an excellent choice.
For a large older dog, I would generally use approximately 1 to 2 ounces of cooked fish as a topper, depending on the rest of the dog's diet and calorie needs. A few bites can go a long way.
Other good fish options include:
Sardines
Salmon
Anchovies
Herring
Atlantic mackerel
Whitefish
Trout
When using canned sardines, look for sardines packed in water with no added salt whenever possible.
Cook fresh fish thoroughly and remove dangerous bones.
Fish I would limit or avoid
With fish, bigger and longer-lived predatory species tend to accumulate more mercury.
I would avoid routinely feeding fish such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel, orange roughy, marlin, tilefish, and bigeye tuna because these species can contain comparatively high concentrations of methylmercury.
Tuna isn't something I would choose as an everyday fish topper either. Better, lower-mercury options are available. AKC specifically points to herring, salmon, and whitefish as lower-heavy-metal choices for dogs and cautions about tuna and swordfish.
I also prefer cooked fish over raw fish because uncooked fish can introduce parasites and bacteria.
Lion's Mane Mushroom
This is one that gets people's attention.
Lion's mane is an edible mushroom that contains beta-glucans and other biologically active compounds, and it has become especially popular because of interest in its potential effects on neurological and cognitive health.
That's obviously an appealing area when we're talking about older dogs.
For a large dog, I would keep whole cooked mushrooms modest—approximately 1 to 2 tablespoons of finely chopped cooked mushrooms mixed into food—unless you're using a concentrated mushroom powder or extract. In that case, follow the product's weight-based dosing instructions, since concentrations vary widely.
Other mushrooms you may see used for dogs
Several edible or medicinal mushrooms are commonly discussed for canine diets, including:
Shiitake: Contains beta-glucans as well as B vitamins, copper, and other nutrients.
Maitake: Another beta-glucan-rich mushroom that has been studied for immune-modulating properties.
Turkey Tail: Probably one of the better-known medicinal mushrooms in canine research and especially interesting to researchers studying immune function.
Reishi: Traditionally used medicinally, although evidence for many claimed benefits remains limited.
Cordyceps Often marketed for energy and immune support, although canine evidence remains limited.
Oyster mushrooms A nutritious culinary mushroom containing fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Cremini, button and portobello mushrooms Common cultivated grocery-store mushrooms that are generally considered safe when plain and properly prepared.
Mushrooms dogs should NEVER forage
This is extremely important:
Do not allow your dog to eat wild mushrooms simply because you think you recognize them.
Some poisonous mushrooms look remarkably similar to edible varieties, and even experienced people can misidentify them.
Particularly dangerous groups include Amanita, Galerina, and Lepiota, which include mushrooms capable of causing catastrophic liver damage and death. Other toxic mushrooms can cause gastrointestinal illness, neurological abnormalities, seizures, or kidney failure.
The safest rule at Woody's Place—or anywhere dogs are roaming—is simple:
Unknown mushroom = don't eat it.
If a dog eats a wild mushroom, don't wait for symptoms. Contact your veterinarian or an animal poison-control service immediately.
Goat's Milk: One of My Favorite Ways to Add Moisture
Goat's milk deserves its own section because its greatest benefit in my senior-dog kitchen isn't something flashy.
It's moisture.
As dogs age, some simply don't visit the water bowl as frequently as we'd like. Others may be more interested in drinking something when it is incorporated into their meal.
Pouring goat's milk over kibble increases the moisture content of the entire meal while adding protein, fat, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and other nutrients.
It also smells and tastes good to many dogs, which can be especially useful with older dogs who have become picky.
For a large German Shepherd-sized senior, I would start with about ¼ cup mixed into the kibble and, if well tolerated, work up to ¼ to ½ cup, taking the additional calories into account.
For powdered goat's milk, reconstitute it according to the manufacturer's directions rather than feeding large amounts of concentrated powder.
You can purchase goat's milk directly from farms, and powdered goat's milk is widely available at feed stores, pet retailers, large retailers such as Walmart, and online.
Some dogs also don't tolerate dairy well. Dogs can be lactose intolerant, so introduce goat's milk gradually and discontinue it if you notice diarrhea, gas, vomiting, or abdominal discomfort.
What This Might Look Like in a German Shepherd's Bowl
You do not need to put every one of these things in every meal.
That's actually the opposite of what I would recommend.
Think rotation.
One morning might be:
Kibble + 2 tablespoons pumpkin + ¼ cup goat's milk
Another meal:
Kibble + one egg + a little bone broth
Another:
Kibble + 1–2 ounces herring + a spoonful of pumpkin
And another:
Kibble + bone broth + a small amount of cooked lion's mane
That way the bowl gets variety without becoming overloaded with calories, fat, or fiber.
But Do These Foods Actually Help Dogs Live Longer?
This is where I think we have to distinguish between supporting longevity and claiming that a particular ingredient causes longevity.
There isn't any evidence showing that adding pumpkin, goat's milk, lion's mane, or an egg to kibble will add a specific number of months or years to a dog's life.
But what we can do is support the things that matter enormously during aging, such as
maintaining healthy body weight, preserving muscle, keeping dogs adequately hydrated, providing essential nutrients, supporting joint and brain health, maintaining digestive health, encouraging older dogs to eat, and keeping food enjoyable.
Those are meaningful pieces of healthy aging. And sometimes, particularly with a senior dog, the simplest intervention is also one of the most valuable:
Get more moisture into the bowl.
Adding broth, goat's milk, pumpkin, or other moisture-rich whole foods can turn dry kibble into a meal that provides both nutrition and additional fluid.
A Little Doesn't Mean Insignificant
One thing I've learned while caring for senior dogs is that improving their diets doesn't necessarily mean completely reinventing the way we feed them.
Sometimes it's an egg.
A spoonful of pumpkin.
A few pieces of herring.
A little lion's mane.
A splash of goat's milk.
Or a ladle of homemade bone broth poured over their kibble.
Small additions can bring different textures, aromas, nutrients, and moisture to a meal, and for an older dog who has eaten thousands upon thousands of bowls of kibble over a lifetime, I think making dinner a little more interesting counts for something, too.
This blog post is educational and is not a substitute for individualized veterinary advice. Older dogs with kidney disease, heart disease, pancreatitis, diabetes, gastrointestinal disease, food allergies, cancer, or dogs taking medications may need dietary modifications. Always discuss significant dietary changes or concentrated supplements with your veterinarian.
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