by Madeleine at A-OK9

Have you been looking for new ideas to treat your dog? Or do you have a fussy eater who knows when something new is in their food? All of our supplements are created in an easy-to-feed format and can be sprinkled on top of kibble or raw food in your dog’s normal meal. However, that isn’t the only way you can feed them! The range of supplements are portable and convenient and can be given to your dog in a number of different ways! Time to get creative: 

1. Calming treat

Your dogs deserve a treat. For times when you need a little peace and quiet, why not treat your dog, as well as giving yourself some down time? Here’s how:

• Find a safe, washable treat mat (we love the K9-Calm mats as they’re food-safe and easy to wash in the dishwasher)
• Smear a treat-sized portion of your dog’s favourite wet food on to the surface. This can be anything! Our dogs love coconut oil, tuna, wet dog food and peanut butter!
• Sprinkle your chosen supplement on top
• Provide it to your dog for a long-lasting treat. They will love getting every last drop from between the squares, and you will love some well-earned down time.

Top tip: You can make this treat last even longer by popping it into the freezer overnight and giving to your dog on a warm day.

Recipe suggestions: This recipe works really well with our full range of supplements. 

2. Subterfuge!

Fussy eaters can turn their nose up at anything new in their bowl. To overcome the fussy eater, use a bit of trickery...

• Find your dog’s favourite wet food. Again, this could be a high-value treat like tuna mayonnaise or chicken, or it could be part of their daily food allowance (like tinned food or salmon).
• In a bowl, combine the wet food with the correct amount of supplement. Mix it all in until all of the powder is combined.
• Pack the food into your preferred treat carrier, such as a Kong or a natural hollow bone.
• Give it to your unsuspecting dog as a treat. They’ll be none the wiser and they’ll have fun trying to lick the mixture out of every crevice!

Top tip: Like the treat mats, freezer-safe treat carriers can also be frozen to extend the time taken to get the food out!

Recipe suggestions: This tip works well with our whole range of supplements. However, you could target gut balance by using Probio-K9, or support calmness by using Calm-K9 as the supplement.

3. On the go!

Are you ditching the bowl? Or just needing low-value rewards for training on walks? This one is for you…

• Coat your dog’s kibble in the supplement(s) of your choice. Simply put your preferred amount of kibble into a small cup or bowl.
• Sprinkle your favourite A-OK9 supplement on top
• Mix it round and you will find that the supplement clings to the kibble!
• Once the kibble is evenly coated, just tip it into a sandwich bag and away you go! Training treats with an added wellness boost!
• Top Tip: All of the A-OK9 supplements can be fed together, so why not add a few different supplements together to coat your kibble?

Recipe idea: If calmness on walks is your training goal, why not support it by using Calm-K9 as the supplement choice? Or, double up and use Calm-K9 and Flexi-K9 to support calmness and mobility.

4. Chill out!

On a hot day, do you find that you worry about your dog’s water intake? Here’s a sneaky way to make sure they get all the hydration and electrolytes they need.

• Using the Fresh-K9 hydration powder, mix a tablespoon of powder and 100ml of water in a cup or bowl.
• Ensure the powder is nicely dissolved.
• Tip the solution into an ice cube tray or cupcake cup.
• Freeze overnight, and the next morning you will have a batch of doggy ice-creams!

Your dogs will enjoy the tasty chicken flavour treat, and you can rest safe in the knowledge that their hydration is supported! Top tip: Use a K9-Fresh bottle to mix up solution for a whole batch, and keep it in the fridge for no-hassle repeat batches!

5. Meatballs!

Is your dog raw-fed? Here’s a cool idea to incorporate supplements into treats…meatballs! Just follow the steps below:

• Take your dog’s recommended weight of smooth, raw food. We recommend minced or blended varieties as they are easier to mould.
• Dust some greaseproof paper with the correct measurement of supplement for your dog’s weight (find our Dosage calculator, here)
• Wearing gloves, pinch a small handful of raw food and make it into a ball in your palm. Aim for around 2cm in diameter.
• Once you have a nice ball shape, roll it on the greaseproof paper until the ball is lightly coated with supplement.
• Repeat for as many balls/batches you are making.
• Feed to your dog raw as a fun treat.

Don’t forget that all of A-OK9’s supplements can be combined. Why not make a few varieties, or combine all the supplements together on the Greaseproof paper to get a thicker coating.

Top tip: If your dog is a fussy eater, you can try this recipe by combining the supplement with the raw food before making it into a ball, to hide the supplement within the ball instead.

Recipe ideas: This recipe can be used with any of the range of supplements. But why not create your own combination to target a specific need? For example, try Probio-K9 plus Prime-K9 to maintain regular digestive function and balanced vitamin and mineral intake.