11 Good Fiber Sources for Your Dog – Easy & Tasty Options
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Similar to humans, dogs need an adequate amount of fiber in their diet to maintain proper health. It aids in their digestion and acts as a prebiotic food source for your dog’s beneficial intestinal bacteria. Beneficial bacteria or probiotics help to prevent pathogenic bacteria overgrowth, promoting health in your dog’s colon. Increased fiber intake can even reduce the risk of cancer in dogs by speeding up the elimination of any carcinogens your dog has consumed. It’s essential for helping to maintain your dog’s healthy weight and with such a myriad of benefits for your four-legged friend, it’s understandable that you’re looking for ways to up their intake.
On this list, you’ll find 11 good fiber sources for your dog. We’ve split them up into whole foods you can use as treats, fiber supplements for when your dog is deficient, and high-fiber dog foods for regular feeding.
The 5 Best Fiber Sources for Dogs:
1. Broccoli
Every parent tells their kid to eat their broccoli if they want to grow big and strong. But it’s not just kids that can benefit from broccoli. This plant is nutritious for your dog as well. It packs in more nutrients than almost any other plant from the cabbage family and is loaded with fiber that’s great for your dog. Broccoli is completely safe for canines to eat, but that doesn’t mean your dog is going to be fond of it!
2. Carrots
Most people know that carrots can help your eyesight, but they pose a lot more benefits than just that, for your dog as well as you. These crispy orange snacks are loaded with carotene among lots of vitamins including A vitamins, B6, and vitamin K. This will help keep your dog’s eyes in good health while providing a great dose of fiber.
3. Apples
Apples are a sweet, natural treat that many dogs love. Not only are apples packed with fiber but they’re also loaded with vitamins A and C. Plus, apples are very low in fat, so they won’t contribute to weight gain. But you must take care to remove the seeds and core first. Not only do these pose a choking hazard, but the seeds also contain cyanide, which can be toxic for your dog.
- If your dog accidentally eats an apple core, our vet explains what you should do!
4. Pumpkin
We often think of pumpkins as a festive orange decoration to carve up at Christmas time. But this squash is also a tasty treat that can provide loads of nutrients and fiber for your dog while being very easy on their stomach. You can easily blend up some pumpkin and freeze it to give your furry friend a sweet, cool treat on a hot summer day.
5. Brown Rice
Although grain-free diets have been becoming more popular, grains are still a great way to provide your dog with adequate amounts of fiber. You’ll find brown rice in many high-fiber dog foods because it’s rich in fiber and healthy for dogs. Each cup of cooked brown rice yields 3.5 grams of fiber, helping to boost your dog’s overall fiber intake with a single cup.
The 2 Best Fiber Supplements for Dogs
6. Kin+Kind Pumpkin Fiber Stomach and Bowel Support
This supplement is 100% natural, so you don’t have to worry about any chemicals harming your dog. It’s made with safe ingredients to boost your dog’s fiber intake, including pumpkin, organic flaxseed, organic coconut, and slippery elm bark. This formula is free of grains, chemical processing, artificial ingredients, and GMOs, so you can be certain you’re providing your dog with a safe and natural supplement.
7. Glandex Fiber Soft Chews Supplement
The Glandex fiber supplement from Vetnique Labs is specifically made for anal gland support, but it’s loaded with fiber from sources like pumpkin seed powder, granulated pumpkin seed, dehydrated peanut butter, flaxseed oil, and potato starch. We’d recommend consulting your vet before feeding this to your dog, but it’s definitely a great way to boost their fiber intake easily since these are soft chews that your dog might mistake for a treat.
The 5 Best High-Fiber Dog Foods:
8. Wellness CORE Grain-Free Reduced Fat Dry Dog Food
With up to 12% total crude fiber in the Wellness CORE Grain-Free dog food, it’s got plenty of this nutrient to ensure your dog is never deficient. It’s loaded with health-boosting nutrients including omega fatty acids, glucosamine, taurine, antioxidants, probiotics, and additional vitamins and minerals.
9. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Healthy Weight Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
This food is packed with plenty of fiber to keep your dog’s digestive system functioning perfectly. It’s got up to 10% crude fiber, making it a great daily source for your dog. Additionally, this formula contains 30% crude protein, offering the kind of nutrition that will keep your dog functioning in peak health for many years.
10. Nutro Wholesome Essentials Healthy Weight Dry Dog Food
The Nutro Wholesome Essentials dog food is more affordably priced than many of the other high-fiber alternatives we’ve looked at. Still, this blend contains up to 12% fiber, making it a great source for daily feeding. It’s made with great ingredients like deboned lamb and chicken meal, so it provides a complete nutritional profile for your best friend.
11. Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Gastrointestinal High Fiber Dry Dog Food
If you’re looking for high-fiber dog food, this blend from Royal Canin is loaded with it. At a minimum, this food contains 8.5% fiber with a maximum of 12.5%. Granted, this food is quite expensive, but it’s a great way to ensure your dog is always getting plenty of fiber.
Summing Up
Getting adequate fiber intake is essential for keeping your dog at peak health. Luckily, there are many different ways for you to help boost your dog’s fiber intake. We’ve covered many solutions on this list, ranging from high-fiber dog foods that you can feed your pooch daily to whole-food treats that can help to increase your dog’s intake over time.
We suggest using both in order to give your dog as many fiber sources as possible. And if you still need help, we’ve even covered two fiber supplements that are sure to boost your dog’s fiber levels.
Featured Image Credit: Ellina Balioz, Shutterstock
