Dog Nutritions

5 Things to add to boost a kibble diet

We believe that there is always room for improvement with every dog diet. So today, we have 5 quick and easy boosters for your dog if they are on a kibble diet.

1. Raw egg yolk

egg for dogs

It’s a great source of iron, vitamin A, fatty acids, vitamin B12 and much more!

2. Fresh cooked veggies

veggies for dogs

They contain phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals, lipids, fiber, enzymes and moisture - making them a cancer-fighting powerhouse, and a great way to boost antioxidants.

3. Novel protein

novel protein for dogs

Many of our dogs only eat one or two proteins from kibble diets for their entire life, like chicken or beef. By adding novel proteins like venison, the can get new vitamins and nutrients that help your dog fight various illnesses and improve their immune system.

4. Seafood

Seafood for dogs

Wild caught seafood like sardines, anchovies, smelts, and silversides are packed with amino acids, taurine, selenium, calcium… and the list goes on! It’s a great thing to give a few times a week to help fill up your dog’s nutritional profile.

5. Organs

Organ meat for dogs

Organ meats are extremely rich in key nutrients. They are great sources of vitamins A and various B vitamins, and they offer up way more nutrients than muscle meat like chicken breast!

Posted on December 16, 2021

Jia Liu

8 common nutrients that are missing in home made/prepped dog diets

Feeding your dog a complete and balanced diet is incredibly important for a long and healthy lifespan. As more people have become aware of the benefits feeding their dogs fresh food in recent years, many dog parents have jumped into cooking or prepping meals at home. Unfortunately, many recipes that we follow from the internet are not balanced and have nutritional deficiencies, and these deficiencies will take a very long time to show in our dogs health condition.

Here are 8 common nutrients that are missing in home made/prepped dog diets:

Calcium

The MOST common missing nutrient especially in home cooked recipes. Calcium can be sourced from bone, eggshell, or supplements and it is a crucial nutrient to support bone and joint health.

Copper

Deficiencies in copper can cause low white blood cell counts, muscle weakness and nervous system abnormalities. Copper can be found in animal livers or fish.

Zinc

Deficiencies in zinc can cause loose stools, vomiting, issues with skin, slow wound healing, etc. The best source of zinc is from oysters, but you can also add animal liver, kidney, heart or fur to get this nutrient into your dog’s diet.

Manganese

Deficiencies in manganese can cause poor joint and connective tissue health, proclivity to ACL tears, slow metabolism etc. Manganese can be found in green lipped mussels, gut contents, fur/feathers, or even ginger, cinnamon, and certain seeds.

Iodine

Deficiencies in iodine can cause obesity, poor skin & coat. A great source of iodine is kelp or seaweed.

Iron

Deficiencies in iron can cause anemia, lethargy, shortness of breath and exercise intolerance. Animal spleen, heart, kidney, and blood contain higher percentages of iron.

Folate

Deficiencies in folate can cause issues with DNA synthesis and red blood cell formation – leading primarily to anemia. The best sources of folate come from plants such as mustard greens, broccoli and asparagus.

Selenium

Deficiencies in selenium lead to nail loss, skin/nail abnormalities, fatigue/tiredness, and low immune system functionality. Ingredients like heart and liver from cows & bison are a great source of selenium.

Posted on December 09, 2021