Part 1 will cover supplement basics, important nutrients and what they do. In Part 2 I will dive into more detail of ingredients and nutrient breakdowns.

Supplements can be extremely overwhelming. Walking into the pet store, or searching the internet, hundreds of items pop up. “All in one”, “all natural”, “complete” and many other appealing terms are all over the packages. Where do you even start to choose the right thing for your pup?

If you haven’t figured it out by now, I am very conscious of what I am going to put into my pets bodies. Below is how and why I choose what supplements I use for my pups.

Diet First

As their name implies, supplements are used to supplement a healthy and nutritious diet for your animal. This isn’t to say that supplements don’t also play an important role in a dogs diet. But, my rule of thumb is to incorporate all I can through a whole food source for my dogs. Through feeding a balanced fresh diet, most needed nutrients will be given to your animal in their meals. After I give my pups wholesome and biologically foods, then I evaluate what additional support I can give them through supplements.

To me, many supplements and extras all cover many bases that are important. For example, probiotics help cover a healthy GI system, but can also help with skin allergies. Joint and mobility support can be supplemented with a variety of oils, which can also help with the skin and coat and cognitive support. Many supplements have more than one benefit, which is great! Even though I have 3 seniors and 1 young adult, many of their supplements are the same, with very few exceptions.

Know What You’re Buying

One of the most important things for me when choosing food or supplements is how a product made and sourced. Easy to read labels and product transparency is extremely important when. There are certain brands that are always my go to’s due to their values and product quality that I reach for first.

If I can’t find the information I need on a supplement through product labels, product websites, or emailing/calling a company, I tend to stay away. I like when a company can tell me what ingredients are used and what process has been taken to produce the supplement in question.

Simplicity is key when choosing supplements. The more “real” ingredients I can find in a product the better. There are some great supplements that do have crazy names, but the easier the ingredient list is to read the better (for almost all choices for your pet).

What Are The Most Important Supplements?

When feeding fresh, supplements aren’t (in my opinion) as big of a deal as when you feed kibble or processed foods. Processed foods make a lot of claims to have “complete and wholesome ingredients”, but we know that most of the good stuff is depleted after high temperature processing. Processed foods lack bioavailability for our pets, where fresh foods have much more bioavailability to our pets.

With that being said, most of us fresh feeders still value the importance of what supplements can provide. I know I do! Supplements can help provide an extra layer of support and can be tailored to your dogs unique needs. It is almost important to note that your dog doesn’t have to be suffering from certain ailments in order to provide supplementation.

Top Supplement Categories

Antioxidants

Antioxidants are very important in protecting your dogs cells from damaging free radicals. Free radicals are not avoidable, they are waste from important bodily functions. Free radicals can make pets very ill, especially if they have compromised immune systems. Antioxidants can come in and help prevent free radicals from hurting the body (lots of science behind this, but to state it simply).

Antioxidants have numerous benefits for your dogs. From cognitive health, heart health, immune support, and skin and coat health. They are a must in my book.

Probiotics

Probiotics are the good bacteria that aid in digestion, and can led to overall vitality for dogs. A healthy GI system is a trickle down affect for the whole body. A healthy gut leads to a healthy skin and coat, alleviating allergies, supporting the immune system and much more. A healthy gut can be a determining factor in overall health for your pup.

Essential Fatty Acids

Fatty acids, omega-3 and omega- 6 are some of the most popular supplements that we often hear a lot about. Omega-9 are also in this group. Not all Omegas are produced by a dogs body, which is why this is an important supplement. Omegas support skin and coat health, cardiovascular health, joint health, allergies, the immune system and much more.

Other Supplements

• joint support

• other specific targets; kidney, liver, etc.

What Supplements Do I Use?

If you follow us on Instagram, you know that one of my favorite companies for food and supplements is Dr. Harvey’s. Their products are made in the USA, and ingredients are very thoughtfully sourced. Dr. Harvey’s ingredients are all natural, and products are made of from sustainable sources. Most of their products consist of herbs, vegetables, fruits, etc. I also appreciate simplicity and ease of use. Most of their supplements are a simple scoop and go, or throw the pills into the bowl. I don’t want anything too complicated when I am prepping 4 dogs dinner and breakfast meals.

Although I wouldn’t consider them a supplement but more of an extra, I also use Answers pet products in my crews meals. I love their Fermented Fish Stock, I always have that in my fridge. I rotate their Raw Goat Milk and Cow Milk Kefir. These products are great meal toppers, and great to mix in for picky eaters.

My list of supplements for my crew is below. It is important to note that I don’t give all of these everyday. Some I use here and there. For instance, my crew has an oil everyday, but I rotate their variety.

Extras/Supplements In My Rotation

• Essential Fatty Acids: fish oil (Dr. Harvey’s Health and Shine), coconut oil, hemp oil or flax oil.

• Immune Support: Dr. Harvey’s Solaris

• Probiotic: kefir, yogurt kefir, goat milk

• Senior Brain Health: Senilife (Axel only)

• Joint Support:  Dr. Harvey’s Orthoflex

• Antioxidant: Dr. Harvey’s Coenzyme Q10

PART 2 – COMING SOON!

Stay tuned for part 2! I will explore more specific sources, and what they provide to the body. Thanks for all of your feedback on your specific supplements and ingredient questions, as promised, it will be answered.

Disclaimer: After reaching out to Dr. Harvey’s about the tremendous health benefits my dogs have seen since using Dr. Harvey’s products and supplements, they have since given me free food, treats, supplements and grooming products for my honest feedback and opinion. I am thrilled about this opportunity, as I used Dr. Harvey’s products prior to our partnership. This blog post and/or social media content may not express the opinion of Dr. Harvey’s. This blog post/social media content in no way is meant to diagnose or treat your animals health. Please consult your veterinarian for all medical conditions and health ailments of your pet.