Half the bowl, all the good stuff

Are you thinking about mixing up your dog’s bowl but you are not sure where to start?

If you've been eyeing up the fresh food revolution and wondering whether it's all or nothing, good news: it's not. Mixed feeding, the practice of pairing another form of dog food with dry kibble, is a great move you can make for your dog's bowl. It provides variety to their meals while ensuring they receive all the essential nutrients they require.

Here's everything you need to know.

So, what even is mixed feeding?

Mixed feeding means combining two food formats in your dog's diet, in this case, Bonnodog's gently cooked fresh meals alongside a quality dry kibble. You can alternate between them at different meals, or serve both together in the one bowl. Either way works.

It's not a fad and it's not complicated. The only thing worth paying attention to is making sure both components are nutritionally complete and balanced, not supplementary toppers or treats. Bonnodog pouches are formulated by certified pet nutritionists and vets to be a complete meal on their own. That means when you mix them with a complete kibble, you're genuinely stacking real nutrition, not just making the bowl look more interesting.

Why your dog will be very into this

Let's start with the obvious one. Fresh food smells like actual food. It has texture, moisture and aroma that dry biscuits simply can't compete with. If you've got a bowl-snubber, a slow eater, or a dog who treats every meal like a mild inconvenience, adding Bonnodog to the mix tends to change things pretty quickly. Mealtimes become an event. The sit-and-stare at the kitchen starts earlier. 

Beyond the enthusiasm, there are some real nutritional reasons to mix it up.

Bonnodog's fresh meals contain significantly more moisture than dry kibble, which typically has a water content of around 10%. Our gently cooked meals sit much closer to the hydration profile of real whole food, which supports digestion, kidney health and coat condition. Your dog gets hydration through their food, not just from the water bowl they occasionally tip over and then look at you about.

There's also the cooking method to consider. Standard kibble is processed at very high temperatures, which can degrade heat-sensitive nutrients like omega fatty acids and certain B vitamins. Bonnodog is gently cooked in NSW at lower temperatures specifically to preserve those nutrients. Adding fresh food to the bowl means the omegas from our algal and flaxseed oils, the B vitamins, the iron, the taurine, all of it is arriving intact and ready to do its job.

How to do it without upsetting the resident stomach

Dogs can be sensitive about dietary change, especially the ones who've been on the same kibble for years. A gradual transition over one to two weeks gives their gut microbiome time to adjust and keeps things comfortable at both ends.

Start by replacing a small portion of their usual kibble with Bonnodog, then increase the fresh food proportion every few days. Watch closely for any changes in digestion. Most dogs settle in quickly, and the improvements are usually the first thing their humans notice.

A few practical tips:

• Use the Bonnodog meal wizard to work out the right daily food amount for your dog's size, weight and activity level, then split that across your kibble and fresh portions accordingly
• If your dog has a sensitive stomach, start with a single-protein recipe. Chicken is gentle on digestion, and Kangaroo is low-allergen and a good option for dogs with known sensitivities
• Keep fresh water available at all times, even with the added moisture from fresh food

The clean bowl will tell you everything

Whether you're dipping a paw in or building toward a full switch, mixed feeding is a genuinely no-pressure way to get Bonnodog into your dog's routine. Real meat. Veggies you can actually see. No fillers, no badditives, no overthinking it.

We're so confident your dog will be into it that we back every order with our tail-wag guarantee. If they don't devour it, you get your money back. No probs.