Turmeric Paste For Dogs: 5 Key Benefits & How To DIY!

Turmeric paste for dogs, often called golden paste, has gained popularity as a natural way to support joint health, digestion, and overall inflammation balance.

But turmeric only works when it’s prepared and used correctly—otherwise, dogs absorb very little of its active compounds.

I’m Barbara, the founder of K9sOverCoffee, and I’ve been feeding raw dog food since 2015.

While searching for gentle, food-based ways to support my dogs Missy and Buzz—especially during times of inflammation and cancer recovery—I came across turmeric powder and began experimenting with properly prepared golden paste for dogs.

This guide breaks down what turmeric paste can realistically do for dogs, how to make it safely, and how to use it without overdoing it. You’ll learn:

• The key benefits of turmeric paste for dogs and how it may support joint and immune health
• How to make a DIY turmeric paste recipe for dogs that’s actually bioavailable
• Whether coconut oil is a good or poor choice in golden paste for dogs
• How to store turmeric paste to keep it fresh and safe
• How much turmeric paste to give your dog, with practical starting guidelines
• When store-bought turmeric paste can be a reasonable alternative to homemade

The goal isn’t to sell turmeric as a cure-all—but to help you decide whether it makes sense for your dog and how to use it responsibly as part of a species-appropriate diet.

Benefits Of Turmeric Paste For Dogs

These are the 5 key benefits of turmeric paste for dogs:

1. Anti-septic
2. Anti-cancer
3. Anti-bacterial
4. Liver-detoxifying
5. Anti-inflammatory

I first sprinkled a little golden paste on the pups’ respective kibble meals.

I kept that habit while transitioning them to a fresh, raw dog food diet back in 2015.

Note: I found out & learned more about turmeric in this wonderful article in Dogs Naturally Magazine! 

DIY Turmeric Paste Recipe For Dogs

After I sprinkled the turmeric powder on the pups’ raw meals for a few months, I learned that making a turmeric PASTE for dogs would make the spice even more effective.

Good to know: Turmeric paste is also known as Golden Paste because of its dark orange, gold-like color.

Here’s what I used to make Missy’s & Buzz’s very own turmeric paste:

• 1/2 cup organic turmeric powder 
• 1 cup filtered water from our fridge 
• 1/4 cup organic cold pressed coconut oil 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

FYI: Black pepper helps the body absorb the turmeric 20 times better, which is why it’s added to turmeric paste!

Sidenote On Coconut Oil: Is It Bad For Dogs?

My newsletter reader Stacey messaged me with a concern about using coconut oil for dogs.

That’s because she came across several articles that claimed that it causes inflammatory gut issues, including leaky gut.

So yes, I’m aware of those, and as a matter of fact, Dogs Naturally Magazine published an article on coconut oil being bad as well.

But there are also proponents on the other side.

For example, Dr. Judy Morgan.

You can watch an educational video on Dr. Judy Morgan’s YouTube channel on why she continues to consider coconut oil as beneficial here.

I personally haven’t experienced any bad side effects of coconut oil in my dogs, but it’s also not like I feed them giant amounts every single day.

I mostly use it in my batches of turmeric paste that I make. 

Now, I’m not a scientist or a doctor with access to labs where I can experiment on this.

So I can just go by what seems plausible to me and my personal experience, and so far, that’s been good. 

That said, unless I start having bad experiences with coconut oil in my pups, I will continue to use coconut oil when I make homemade turmeric paste!

It’s up to your personal preference and research as to whether or not you’d like to do the same. 

Looking for ways to help your inflamed dog through diet? Click here to read my guide on feeding raw dog food for allergies and itchy skin.

How To Make Golden Paste For Dogs

Now, pour the water into a pot and add the organic turmeric powder.

Then stir for 7-10 minutes on low heat. 

Once it thickens, add the organic coconut oil & the pepper.

Mix everything together.

Wait for the paste to cool off, then transfer it into a food storage container.

If you like, you can be extra fancy and create a custom label for your mason jar or whatever food storage container you end up going with.

I created Missy’s & Buzz’s custom label for their turmeric paste jar using a fun font called *Chalkduster*.

How To Store Golden Paste For Dogs

You’ll have to store the golden paste in the fridge where you can keep it for up to 2 weeks.

You can also fill some into ice cube trays or fun shaped silicone molds and freeze them.

That way, you can use some golden paste for raw dog food meal prep, or to top your dog’s dry or wet dog food off with.

How Much Turmeric Paste Should I Give My Dog?

Dogs can have 1/4 teaspoon of the turmeric paste per 10 lbs of bodyweight per day.

This translates into Missy getting a little more than 1 teaspoon per day (she weighs 54 lb), and Buzz getting 1 3/4 teaspoon per day (he weighs 74 lb).

Side note: Be careful when handling the turmeric paste…

I got some on my hands and ended up with yellow fingers for a few days!

Store-Bought Turmeric Paste as an Alternative

For those days when you need a quick alternative to homemade turmeric paste, you can find premade ones on Amazon as well.

For example, this Turmeric Golden Paste.

These are its ingredients, all of which are super healthy for dogs:

• Organic Turmeric with the highest levels of Curcumin
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Organic Apple Cider Vinegar with The Mother
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper (Piperine) for increased Bio-Availability
• Organic Ginger

Turmeric Paste For Dogs: Bottom Line

So there you have it!

Turmeric paste aka Golden paste is sort of a super supplement for dogs, and us humans, too.

That’s because first of all, you can use golden paste for inflammation in dogs.

Beyond that, turmeric paste for dogs also has anti-septic, anti-bacterial, anti-cancer and liver-detoxifying properties.

Here’s what you need to make DIY turmeric paste in your own kitchen:

• 1/2 cup organic turmeric powder 
• 1 cup filtered water from our fridge 
• 1/4 cup organic cold pressed coconut oil 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

If you don’t feel like making your own, you can also buy pre-made turmeric paste, for example the Pranjali Turmeric Paste.

Remember, dogs can have 1/4 teaspoon daily per 10 lbs of body weight, and you need to store the paste in the fridge.

Please leave your comments or questions in the comment section below this blog post!

For more raw feeding resources, visit my full homemade raw dog food library.

Related Reading:

• 20 easy no-bake Valentine’s Day dog treats
• How to make refreshing raw goat milk treats
• How to make healthy banana tripe dog treats
• Homemade bone broth recipe for dogs & yourself
• Spoil your dog with homemade dehydrated dog treats
• Crispy turmeric tater tots recipe for Mommy & golden paste paw prints for the pups

Barbara Rivers

Barbara Rivers is the founder of K9sOverCoffee and a raw feeding educator with over a decade of hands-on experience.

She has fed raw in the US and Europe since 2015, after her Boxer mix Missy’s cancer diagnosis led her to move away from processed kibble and commit to species-appropriate nutrition.

As a former professional dog walker, she developed deep insight into canine behavior, conditioning, and the essential link between proper exercise and long-term health.

Barbara completed online training with veterinarian Dr. Marion Smart and Labrador breeder Dana Scott and works for one of Germany’s leading raw dog food brands, BARFER’S.

In 2026–2027, she is completing a year-long raw nutrition certification for dogs and cats at THP School, founded by raw feeding pioneer Swanie Simon.

Through her blog and weekly newsletter, she provides clear, experience-based guidance to help dog owners feed raw safely and confidently.