Mister Golden Retriever Koda had some seriously gross tummy issues last fall. Like, gas so bad I needed to open the windows in November, nasty.
And, I know your girl with the golden is probably nodding her head right now, because these fluffy babies can have the most sensitive tummy on the planet.
The vet visits and the fancy probiotic supplements that I took over the course of the past 2+ years added up, but I didn’t notice much results.
It was then that I started making homemade probiotics for dogs. I did it right in my kitchen, using stuff I had on hand.
Good news: I don’t have a degree in nutrition, but I do know how to throw a kick ass salad together. With the right ingredients, that is.
Is there a perfect guide for getting your dog’s gut happy? It sounds like a tall order, but we’re here to give you a hand. We’ll tell you exactly what does and doesn’t work and how to get your dog’s gut happy again!
#1: Doggy Daily Immunity Boost Superfood Supplement by Olive’s Kitchen
Have you ever been lying in bed, it’s 2am, and your golden retriever is just…looking…not great? Not sick sick, just not herself, low energy, dull coat, something’s not right? You start Googling all of the worst things that could possibly be wrong with her at 2am.
Yeah. I’ve been there.
Last winter my dog was feeling a bit under the weather and I started mixing in a teaspoon of Olive’s Kitchen Doggy Daily Immunity Boost Superfood Supplement into her food every morning. The powder is a very warm, earthy brown colour and smells almost nutty so would actually be quite nice to mix in a smoothie yourself.
Here’s How To Use It
Prep Time: 2 minutes | Mix Time: 30 seconds | Serving Size: Varies by dog weight
Add the recommended amount to your dogs wet or dry food. Start with a half scoop for the first few days to let their stomach get used to it (this is where most people screw up and don’t add enough and wonder why their dog’s stomach is weird). It will dissolve into wet food with no clumps. If you are mixing it into dry kibble, you can add a small amount of warm water, then mix the powder into it. The powder will coat the kibble and your dog won’t pick around it.
There are 7 probiotic strains in here that help support gut health, which in turn helps support a healthy immune system. This means less vet visits and zoomies in your living room.
It was an extremely satisfying feeling when my mom’s coat became shiny again.
If you like to make things from scratch, these 13 homemade dog treat recipes are great to go with this supplement routine!
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @tradcookschool
#2: Primitive Probiotic Powder Meal Topper
Does your dog like to “help himself” to the grass, make loud gurgling noises at 2am, or perhaps has an ongoing issue with pooping on the rug? If you’re saying yes to any of those things, then you’ll understand what I mean by “he’s so exhausting sometimes” because I’ve had that experience before with my dog, Remy.
This meal topper is loaded with Proactive Paws Primitive Probiotics, and a few simple whole foods that help support your dog’s gut from the inside out!
Ingredients:
1. 1/4 tsp Primitive Probiotics powder (canine-heritage strains, veterinary formulated)
2. 1 tbsp plain pumpkin purée
3. 1 tsp raw goat’s milk
4. 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
5. 1 tbsp warm bone broth (low sodium)
How To Mix It Up
First, stir the bone broth and goat’s milk together to warm it up. Add in pumpkin purée and turmeric and then fold in the Primitive Probiotics powder last. This way, the heat won’t kill the cultures. Spoon it right on top of your dog’s regular kibble or raw meal.
The probiotic strains survive the digestion process, travel to the gut lining, and actually stick. This means fewer bad days for your dog and fewer ruined rugs for you!
Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Start the new supplement at half dose the first week.
Prep Time: 3 min | No Cook Time | Serving Size: 1 dog meal
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @tamuvetmed
#3: Dogsuppy Vitamin Boost Healthy Snacks
Your golden is staring at you while you’re trying to fold laundry. Their tail is slowly wagging, they are saying give me something right now.
These little Dogsuppy Vitamin Boost Healthy Snacks are the ones I reach for in that exact moment.
Simple DIY Vitamin Boost Dog Treat Mix
You can even stretch out these treats by making a homemade blend out of them.
Ingredients:
1. ½ cup Dogsuppy Vitamin Boost snacks (crushed)
2. 1 cup whole wheat flour
3. 2 tablespoons peanut butter (unsalted, xylitol-free)
4. 1 egg
5. ¼ cup water
How To Make Them
Prepare your dry ingredients first then add in the peanut butter and the egg. Add water slowly until the dough just starts to hold together. Roll it out about 1/4 inch thick then cut it into small squares. Bake at 350 F for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown and firm. Let them cool on a wire rack before giving them to your girl. She might not be able to tolerate them if they are still warm.
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Serving Size: 30 small treats
The vitamin blend in these snacks helps keep her immune system strong every day. So, you have some peace of mind without having to make any changes to her diet.
Keep them in a glass jar. I find it easier than putting them in plastic bags.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @stella_and_oliver_adventures
#4: Scooch All-In-One Chew Supplements for Dogs
Your golden is flopped out on the couch after a muddy trail walk and you’re wondering if her joints are okay, she’s been a little slower on the stairs lately.
That moment that the bag becomes your new best friend.
Scooch All-In-One Chew Supplements puts glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, L-Theanine, ashwagandha, prebiotics, and omega-3 into one soft chew. It comes in a clean mint green and white bag that I’d actually leave on my kitchen counter!
How to Add These to Your Dog’s Routine
Prep Time: 0 min | No cooking required | Serving Size: Based on dog’s weight (see packaging)
Give one chew daily with her meal, tucking it inside a small piece of food if she is finicky (that works every time). As the chews are soft, no breaking or crushing is necessary. With the chews providing joint support and stress relief in one supplement, you will not have to buy any other supplements, saving you money and hassle.
If your girl has been anxious during thunderstorms and the joint stuff makes her nervous, the L-Theanine and ashwagandha combination helps take the edge off without sedating her.
I will occasionally mix this with a whole food meal like homemade salmon dog food to give her even more to work with.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @dogchefdaily
#5: Homemade Chicken & Sweet Potato Dog Bone Biscuits
When you start mashing that sweet potato, your golden retriever’s nose starts to hit the kitchen. What about that look when they just park themselves right at your feet and stare? This recipe is made for that moment!
How to Make Them
These biscuits use simple, whole ingredients to make a treat your dog will go crazy for.
1. 1 cup shredded cooked chicken (plain, no seasoning)
2. ½ cup mashed sweet potato (cooked, skin removed)
3. 1 large egg
4. 2 cups whole wheat flour
5. ¼ cup rolled oats
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk the chicken, sweet potato, egg, and salt together until it comes together into a rough paste (it will smell very good, just a warning). Add the flour and oats to the chicken mixture and work in with your hands until the dough comes together. Knead until it is firm enough to roll out to about ½ inch thick. Use a bone-shaped biscuit cutter or any biscuit cutter you may have. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Let the biscuits cool completely before handing off to your golden to make sure they’re nice and crispy.
The whole wheat flour gives them structure and the sweet potato keeps them moist, meaning no dry, dusty biscuits to be found underfoot.
I made a double batch last winter and stored them in a mason jar on the counter. My dog, Sage, would literally sit and stare at that jar every morning. They lasted about 2 weeks sealed, or freeze them for up to 3 months.
If your dog loves these, Homemade Peanut Dog Treats: Healthy & Delicious Recipes for Your Pup are next-level good.
If you know your dog is a power chewer it’s a good idea to roll the dough a little thicker so he has something to work through, rather than inhaling it in two seconds.
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 28 min | Serving Size: ~18 biscuits
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @mydogrecipe
#6: Blueberry Superfood Snack Bites for Dogs
Her nose is already pressed against the counter. Tail going crazy because she can smell these from the other room. I swear dogs go crazy for blueberries.
These delicious little bites are packed with antioxidants, fibre and vitamins. Your girl will beg for them.
Ingredients:
1. 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
2. ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (no xylitol)
3. 1 tablespoon raw honey
Let’s Make the Bites
Blend the blueberries and honey until smooth. Stir in the yogurt. Don’t over mix, you want that swirl. Pour into a silicone ice cube tray and freeze for at least 4 hours. Pop the cubes out and put them in a freezer safe bag. They’ll keep in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. I just put mine in the back of the freezer so the dog won’t give me the eyes every time I open the freezer.
Prep Time: 5 mins | Freeze Time: 4 hours | Serving Size: 1-2 cubes
Blueberries are a superfood for your dog! The high antioxidant content will reduce inflammation and the fibre will support your dogs gut and provide him/her with actual nutrients, not some mystery filler that the manufacturers put in dog food.
Frozen yogurt helps slow down treat-eating too, which is good because my girl eats like she’s never seen food before.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @frenchbulldog_buzzandwoody
The One Mistake That Makes Homemade Probiotics Useless (And How to Fix It)
Most people make their dog’s probiotic yogurt at home and then just mix it into their dog’s food. The problem is that heat above 115 degrees Fahrenheit kills live cultures. Dead bacteria do no one any good, not you or your golden.
But it took me months before a friend of mine who’s a vet called me out on it. My girl’s tummy issues weren’t improving and I just couldn’t figure out why.
Here’s a pro tip. Always add probiotic foods like plain kefir or unsweetened yogurt and fermented goat’s milk to your dog’s bowl after the food has cooled down.
Another thing that no one tells you is that the strain of bacteria matters more than the quantity. The one that targets the dogs gut lining is Lactobacillus acidophilus. You would probably do better with yogurt that says “live cultures” on the label, but is not specifically for dogs. This is just my opinion, I have no idea if it is correct.
What this means for you: A tablespoon of the right kefir is always better than a full cup of the wrong yogurt.
Pair these probiotics with some yummy homemade banana dog treats and your Golden will be absolutely thriving.
Your Floors (and Your Sanity) Deserve This
If you’re a human, you don’t want to keep staring at the muddy paw prints on your lovely light rug or smelling the wet-dog smell when you walk into your home. One good mat can change that. It catches the mess before it hits your floors and home and makes it feel like your Pinterest board that you’ve been designing since 2019.
Pick the mat that best fits your space and just try it. I did and within a few days of a rainy walk, I no longer dreaded it with my dog.
Your dog is not going anywhere…and honestly, you don’t want her to. So why not make the cleanup part actually bearable?
What is the messiest spot in your home that your dog has taken over?
Amr Mohsen is a software engineer who traded his keyboard for a leash — at least on weekends. His love for dogs inspired him to share what he learns as a dog owner and enthusiast, bringing a detail-oriented, research-driven perspective to every article he writes. If it’s about dogs, he’s probably already looked it up twice.
