Brain Boosting Toppers

Blueberries

Benefits: Animal research showed that after feeding blueberries, the animals lived longer and stayed healthier as they aged. Blueberries help fix damaged DNA, which can slow down aging.

Serving Size: 5 blueberries per 10 lbs of body weight

How to Serve:

• Blueberries are on Environmental Working Group’s The 2024 Dirty Dozen™ list. It’s best to buy organic.
• Wash and feed as a healthy treat or directly on food.
• Blueberries can be fed fresh, frozen, freeze-dried, or dehydrated.
• Some dogs prefer blueberries to be smashed.

Salmon

Benefits: Studies investigated whether a special nutrient mix called Brain Protection Blend (containing antioxidants, B vitamins, DHA-rich fish oil, and l-arginine) could help slow cognitive decline in older dogs. The dogs receiving the supplement performed significantly better on complex learning tasks compared to the control group.

Serving Size: 12 oz per 50 lbs of body weight, two or three times per week

How to Serve:

• Salmon can be purchased fresh, frozen, canned, and even pre-cooked.
• Cook salmon all the way through to an internal temperature of at least 145°F.
• If buying canned salmon, purchase salmon canned in water only with no added oils, salt, or spices.

Important: Raw salmon from the Pacific Northwest may contain a parasite that can lead to salmon poisoning disease. Cooking salmon to an internal temperature of 145°F removes this risk.

Lion’s Mane Mushrooms

Benefits: Lion’s Mane mushroom contains unique compounds that can help to support healthy cognitive function.

Serving Size: 1 tsp of cooked mushrooms per 10 lbs of body weight daily

How to Serve: You can serve your dog mushrooms 3 different ways:

1. Using store-bought mushrooms, wash then cook them thoroughly to make them digestible for your dog.
2. Buy dried mushrooms, soak them in water for several hours until soft, then cook them.
3. Sprinkle [Real Mushroom’s Lion’s Mane powder extracts] directly onto your dog’s regular meals.

Important Note:

• Do not feed your dog wild mushrooms as they may be toxic.
• Dogs can safely eat any store-bought mushrooms that are also safe for you to eat.
• Store-bought mushrooms must be cooked because it can be difficult to digest in raw form.

MCT Oil

Benefits: Testing with healthy older dogs showed that a diet containing MCT oil, which is derived from coconut oil, helped improve multiple brain functions. The dogs performed better on tasks involving remembering locations, focusing their attention, learning concepts, and solving problems after being fed MCT oil in their diets.

Serving Size:

• ½ tsp per 10 lbs of body weight or ½ tbsp per 30 lbs of body weight
• Start slowly with a quarter of recommended dosage and increase gradually

How to Serve: Pour [CocoTherapy’s MCT Oil] onto your dog’s food

Apples

Benefits: Research shows that just one serving of a polyphenol naturally found in apples can help to improve cognitive function and lower the risk of cognitive decline.

Serving Size: 1-3 apple slices

How to Serve:

• Apples are on Environmental Working Group’s The 2024 Dirty Dozen™ list. It’s best to buy organic.
• Wash and remove the stem, seeds, and core.
• Cut the apple into small slices or mash into applesauce.

Beef Liver

Benefits: Beef liver contains B vitamins, essential fatty acids, choline, and minerals like iron and copper that collectively support healthy brain function and cognitive abilities. These nutrients help produce important neurotransmitters necessary for memory and learning while also maintaining proper nerve function and overall neurological health.

Serving Size: 2-3 oz per 50 lbs of body weight

How to Serve: Feed raw, gently cooked, or dehydrated.

• To gently cook, simmer the beef liver in a pan over low-medium heat.
• To dehydrate, follow our [how to dehydrate your own treats at home] instructions.

Important:

• If there is already liver in your dog’s diet or your dog’s food contains a synthetic copper supplement, adding more liver may risk exceeding copper intake.
• Feeding raw meat increases the risk of bacterial and parasitic infections.

Rosemary

Benefits: Scientists reviewed 21 studies about the effect of rosemary on memory and thinking in animals. Their research revealed that rosemary helped improve brain function in both healthy animals and animals with memory deficits. The animals with memory deficits showed the biggest improvements when given rosemary.

Serving Size:

• Fresh herbs: ¼ tsp per 20 lbs of body weight
• Dried herbs: 1 shake per 10 lbs of body weight

How to Serve: Wash, remove any thick stems, and mix into food.

Eggs

Benefits: Eggs contain high amounts of choline, an essential nutrient that helps create acetylcholine, which is a neurotransmitter, in the brain. This neurotransmitter supports brain function, memory, and may even help treat and prevent cognitive decline in dogs, often called “doggy dementia.”

Serving Size: ½ egg per 10 lbs of body weight three times per week

How to Serve: Feed raw, soft boiled, poached, hard boiled, fried, or scrambled.

Important: Feeding raw eggs increases the risk of salmonella infection, a bacterial illness that affects the GI tract.

Cranberries

Benefits: Cranberries are rich in antioxidants which may help improve memory and prevent age-related cognitive decline in older dogs.

Serving Size: 1-2 cranberries per 10 lbs of body weight

How to Serve:

• Wash and chop as they may present a choking hazard for smaller dogs.
• Feed as a healthy treat or directly on food.

Spinach

Benefits: Spinach contains important nutrients for brain health such as folate, vitamin K, lutein, and beta-carotene. Studies show that feeding your dog spinach may positively impact their brain health and maintain cognitive function as your dog ages.

Serving Size: 1-2 tbsp for a medium-sized dog

How to Serve:

• Spinach is on Environmental Working Group’s The 2024 Dirty Dozen™ list. It’s best to buy organic.
• Wash and lightly steam to make it easier for the body to absorb the nutrients.