# Supplements?



## Rider (Dec 9, 2014)

I hope this isn't a repetitive question, but I want to supplement my pup, but I am not sure on dosage, brands, and so on. 

I want to give him calcium, glucosamine and chondroitin but there are so many brands for dogs and people out there! What is safe for a 13wk old 30pd male?


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

I use the Kirkland signature from Costco, same brand I take myself. It's a perfect dosage and is also USP-certified, which animal supplements are not.


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## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

Do not supplement a growing large breed puppy with extra calcium! You will do more harm than good! 

Calcium phosphorus ratios need to be kept low during a puppy's growth so long bones can mature properly. Giving improper doses or too much will have an adverse effect. 

Add coconut oil and salmon oil if you want to add something - look into Olewo carrots and beets as well. If the dog is on a good food and digesting properly, he shouldn't need a lot of extra supplementation


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## Lykoz (Dec 6, 2014)

I think pick a good dog food brand... Feed raw/cooked etc. maybe if you have the time, experience and know how to do it correctly...

I dont believe in supplementation without a reason...
You don't add extra calcium, glucosamine or chondroitin to a diet just because you think you should...

Many of these come naturally in many good dog food brands like Orijen in the proper percentages..

Its the same in humans... If you have a good a diet supplementation will make absolutely no difference... Unless you have an observable deficit in something for some reason... But again that could be remedied with a better diet...

Just my personal opinion... Human supplements are a complete unregulated nightmare... I don't expect more from dog supplements.

If you are going to supplement your dog, do it on a vets prescription for a specific reason...

Just my two cents.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Rider said:


> I hope this isn't a repetitive question, but I want to supplement my pup, but I am not sure on dosage, brands, and so on.
> 
> I want to give him calcium, glucosamine and chondroitin but there are so many brands for dogs and people out there! What is safe for a 13wk old 30pd male?


First, do not supplement calcium for a puppy. Kibble is perfectly balanced. If you are feeding raw then you should have a balanced meal plan for him. You can mess up his bones by giving him to much calcium.

Second, I see no reason to supplement for joints in a puppy. If I were to supplement anything, it would be vitamin C (which is water soluble) and fish oil from anchovies and sardines.


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## Rider (Dec 9, 2014)

Right now I feed him Victor Active Dog and Puppy All Life Stages. Here is the ingredient list from Dogadvisor.com :

Ingredients: Beef meal, sweet potato, chicken meal, peas, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), pork meal, alfalfa meal, dried egg product, flax seed (source of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids), potassium chloride, dried kelp, natural chicken flavor, alfalfa nutrient concentrate, montmorillonite, salt, vegetable and fruit pomace (carrot, peas, tomato, celery, beet, parsley, lettuce, watercress, spinach, cranberries, blueberries), pumpkin seed, blueberries, apple, spinach, monosodium phosphate, yeast extract, dried chicory root, yeast culture, vitamins (vitamin E supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, niacin supplement (source of vitamin B3), vitamin A supplement, d-calcium pantothenate (source of vitamin B5), thiamine mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), biotin (source of vitamin B7), riboflavin supplement (source of vitamin B2), vitamin D3 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), ascorbic acid, folic acid (source of vitamin B9), minerals (zinc sulfate, calcium carbonate, ferrous sulfate, zinc amino acid chelate, iron amino acid chelate, copper sulfate, copper amino acid chelate, manganese sulfate, manganese amino acid chelate, magnesium amino acid chelate, cobalt carbonate), l-lysine, selenium yeast, lecithin, choline chloride, hydrolyzed yeast, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Aspergillus niger fermentation product, dried Bacillus subtilis fermentation product, Yucca schidigera extract, taurine, mixed tocopherols and citric acid (preservatives), rosemary extract
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.2%

Method Protein Fat Carbs
Guaranteed Analysis 33% 16% NA
Dry Matter Basis 36% 18% 38%
Calorie Weighted Basis	31% 37% 33%

This is all he eats for now, but I am looking at putting him on a raw+kibble diet, for affordability purposes. I have been copying a LOT of info from here, and referring back to it to help me figure out what raw foods I want to start adding. I am hoping his itching will stop with the addition of raw.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Hey that's what my dogs eat! They do really well on it.


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## Christieb24 (Nov 11, 2014)

Rider said:


> Right now I feed him Victor Active Dog and Puppy All Life Stages. Here is the ingredient list from Dogadvisor.com :
> 
> Ingredients: Beef meal, sweet potato, chicken meal, peas, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), pork meal, alfalfa meal, dried egg product, flax seed (source of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids), potassium chloride, dried kelp, natural chicken flavor, alfalfa nutrient concentrate, montmorillonite, salt, vegetable and fruit pomace (carrot, peas, tomato, celery, beet, parsley, lettuce, watercress, spinach, cranberries, blueberries), pumpkin seed, blueberries, apple, spinach, monosodium phosphate, yeast extract, dried chicory root, yeast culture, vitamins (vitamin E supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, niacin supplement (source of vitamin B3), vitamin A supplement, d-calcium pantothenate (source of vitamin B5), thiamine mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), biotin (source of vitamin B7), riboflavin supplement (source of vitamin B2), vitamin D3 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), ascorbic acid, folic acid (source of vitamin B9), minerals (zinc sulfate, calcium carbonate, ferrous sulfate, zinc amino acid chelate, iron amino acid chelate, copper sulfate, copper amino acid chelate, manganese sulfate, manganese amino acid chelate, magnesium amino acid chelate, cobalt carbonate), l-lysine, selenium yeast, lecithin, choline chloride, hydrolyzed yeast, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Aspergillus niger fermentation product, dried Bacillus subtilis fermentation product, Yucca schidigera extract, taurine, mixed tocopherols and citric acid (preservatives), rosemary extract
> Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.2%
> ...


Oh my gosh Rider...you areexactly where I was with the itching and all a little bit ago....go to this forum

http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...premium-kibble-raw-nutritional-imbalance.html

So much help here...and good luck


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## Rider (Dec 9, 2014)

Emoore said:


> Hey that's what my dogs eat! They do really well on it.



He loves his Victor so much I use it as food reward for obedience training. He is VERY food motivated!


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## Rider (Dec 9, 2014)

Christieb24 said:


> Oh my gosh Rider...you areexactly where I was with the itching and all a little bit ago....go to this forum
> 
> http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...premium-kibble-raw-nutritional-imbalance.html
> 
> So much help here...and good luck


I have been taking lots of notes from this thread actually!


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## Nikitta (Nov 10, 2011)

Nuvet Vitamins, The best Nuvet.com


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## Hineni7 (Nov 8, 2014)

Springtime Inc (www.springtimeinc.com) Fresh Factors, C-complex or Longevity can't go wrong! Been pollen is freaking awesome for adding micro and macro nutrients that are often deficient, there is CS, kelp, vitamin C (No calcium but bonded to the bee pollen for absorption) and sooooo much more depending on product. I do like to supplement, as growing is strenuous work and puppies play hard, eat weird things, and are under stress alot in new environments, so supplementing what might be missed or used up makes sense (to me )... And I want the best for my pups (which I know everyone does) so even if worse case scenario it was just for my peace of mind, it works... Haha


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## Rider (Dec 9, 2014)

Bee pollen? I would have never thought of bee pollen. I will add that to my list!


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