Greener Bowls: How to Feed Your Dog Sustainably Without Sacrificing Nutrition

August 2, 2025

If you're looking for a way to care for your dog's health without sacrificing your values or the planet, plant-based kibble with nutritious toppers might be the perfect combo. While meat-based diets have long dominated the pet food aisle, new research—and smarter alternatives—are helping pet parents realize that you don’t have to choose between nutrition, taste, and sustainability.

Nutritional Benefits of Plant-Based Kibble

A major concern for pet parents switching to plant-based is whether it can match the nutritional standards of traditional meat-based diets. The good news? It absolutely can.

Most plant-based kibbles contain 20–28% protein, which is comparable to (and often higher than) meat-based kibble.
Key amino acids like taurine, L-carnitine, and DHA are typically added to ensure dogs get complete nutrition.
Plant-based kibble is often easier on sensitive stomachs and free from common allergens like beef, chicken, and dairy.
It often includes superfoods like oats, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and spinach to support gut health, immunity, and energy.

In short, a high-quality plant-based kibble gives your dog the nutrients they need, minus the fillers and mystery meat.

Environmental Impact: A Lighter Pawprint

Switching your dog to a plant-based diet is one of the biggest steps you can take to reduce their environmental impact.

A vegan dog diet produces less than half the carbon emissions of a traditional meat-based kibble.

Wet food: 6,500+ kg CO2e per year for a 10 kg dog
Homemade meat-based food: ~2,130 kg CO2e
Traditional dry kibble: ~828 kg CO2e
Vegan kibble: ~488 kg CO2e (almost half!)

And it doesn't stop there:

Producing 1 lb of beef uses about 1,799 gallons of water.
If every dog on Earth ate vegan, we could cut 570 million tonnes of CO2 annually and free land the size of Mexico.

Does your pup often show irritation, itching, or bad body odor?

Plant-based diets don’t just help the planet—they can help your pup feel better, too.

Studies show dogs on plant-based diets are 50–61% less likely to suffer from health disorders.
Pet parent surveys report:

86% saw general health improvements
43% noticed reduced itching and skin irritation
40% experienced better breath and body odor

If your dog has a sensitive stomach, allergies, or chronic itchiness, plant-based food might be a game-changer.

Toppers, designed to be delicious.

Toppers (also called "pour-overs") are freeze-dried or shelf-stable additions you can mix into your dog's kibble. They're especially helpful for:

Finicky eaters: Many dogs refuse plain kibble but will eat eagerly when a topper is added. Studies suggest up to 20% of picky dogs are more likely to eat with a topper.
Protein boost: Toppers can add up to 20% more protein to a meal.
Flavor variety: Options like salmon, turkey, beef liver, and rabbit can keep mealtime exciting without switching kibble.
Supplemental nutrition: Many are rich in iron, B vitamins, and omega-3/6 fatty acids.

Even if you’re feeding plant-based kibble, toppers can help round out your dog’s diet—and make mealtime way more enjoyable. Of course, Love.com has many exceptional options to choose from, some examples being: