The best supplementation for a K9

There is very little that a premium commercial dog food is lacking so additional supplementation is really not necessary for most dogs.

Now, having said that, I do give my dog something special every now and then. I give my dog 2 fish oil tablets every day with the meal and two fresh 700gm eggs. Why, because they are very easily absorbed and the eggs give my dogs coat a magical shine.

Once a week I give my dog a can of sardines and the next week I give my dog a small can of tuna. I do this because I really believe in the benefits of giving your dog essential oils and fatty acids. The massive improvements I have seen in my dog’s energy level and general health is remarkable. My vet is always amazed by the general condition of my dogs and how great they look. I owe this to a supplementation of essential fatty acids and oils.

In the wild your dog would eat a decent meal once every couple of days – if it was lucky. In fact the life of wild dog is one of constant hunger pangs and scavenging. The upside to this however is that the dog’s digestion system is very minimally taxed and the dog would naturally find the right balance of energy over expenditure. To put this in practical terms, it is better to underfeed your dog than to over feed.

I recommend giving your dog two meals per day. Basically get one meal and halve it giving your dog a portion in the morning and another when you return or whenever convenient. Try and stick to a system of feeding your dog in a timely manner. That is, if you feed your dog at six pm, then do this every time at six. I give myself a feeding window of 3 hours. So, for example, 6pm today 9pm tomorrow and something in between the next. Don’t be too fussy but no more than 3 hours. This is so your dog doesn’t start to beg for food around 6pm every day. The two-meal split will ensure quick digestion and your dog’s energy levels will soar.

To workout the portions I just follow one rule. If my dog is thin and light on its feet and bounding with energy then its portions are perfect. If my dog looks a little heavy then that means I have to reduce the meal size. You want to see the faint outline of ribs in your dog’s side.

In summary – The 3 points to remember are; buy a premium commercial dog food that vets recommend. Supplement your dog’s diet with fish oils and fresh eggs and finally underfeed your dog a little breaking up its meal into two portions. A skinny dog is a healthy dog.