Thursday's Nutrition Beat: The Scoop on Supplements

If you've investigated or actually started feeding your dog a homemade diet, you know firsthand just how confusing the supplement issue can be. The bad news is that your pup's good health is dependent on a balanced diet and - if you're making your own food - that diet begins and ends with you. The good news, however, is very good: It's not actually as complicated as it might seem. And with the overwhelming interest in animal companion nutrition today, there are some great products out there that make it that much simpler. In this post, I'll profile a few of those products, and give you recipes for some that you can make on your own.

We'll start with essential fatty acids, the same ones that get a lot of hype for the health benefits they provide for you and I. EFAs - in this case Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids - aid in digestion, help prevent or clear up breakouts, and keep hair and nails strong. They do the same for pups. Cod liver and other fish oils, as well as soybean, flaxseed, and safflower oils, are particularly high in Omega-3 and -6 acids. The number one product that I always have on hand to ensure the proper blend of these critical elements is Dream Coat, distributed by HALO pet products. While Dream Coat is not cheap (a 16-ounce bottle is usually around $21), its blend of cold-pressed soybean, wheatgerm, safflower, sunflower, garlic, and cod liver oils provides not only the aforementioned fatty acids, but also provides your pup with adequate doses of vitamins A, D, and E - all critical for your dog's good health.

If you'd prefer to forego the expense of DreamCoat, HALO founder Andi Brown provides a homemade recipe for DreamCoat in her book, THE WHOLE PET DIET. Using cold-pressed, high-quality oils, the homemade version is still a little pricey, but is certainly worth the expense. Here, then, is Ms. Brown's "Recipe for a Beautiful Coat."

5 ounces soybean or olive oil
1 ounce cod liver oil
1 ounce wheat germ oil
1 ounce flaxseed oil
1 clove garlic, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
2-inch sprig rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse for 30 seconds. Pour into a dark or opaque glass bottle or jar and seal tightly. Mix the recommended dosage (listed below) into all of your pet's meals:

2 - 11 pound dog: 1/2 teaspoon
12 - 25 pounds: 1 teaspoon
25 - 50 pounds: 2 teaspoons
51 - 100 pounds: 1 tablespoon

The next supplement that I use is based on the recommendations of Dr. Richard H. Pitcairn in his COMPLETE GUIDE TO NATURAL HEALTH FOR DOGS AND CATS. Because dogs require a balanced intake of calcium and phosphorous in order to maintain optimum health, it is critical to include a mixture of these two supplements in each homemade meal. While there are natural pet vitamins out there with calcium and phosphorous included, based on the research I've done and the case studies I've conducted, I believe that the over-synthesized materials are simply not as conducive to total health. With that in mind, here are a few items that always make it into my recipes.

NOW Bone Meal Powder, available at most natural food stores or online at Natural Canine. A good, balanced source of calcium and phosphorous made from domestically raised cattle, and simple to add to recipes because of its powdered form. $13.95 for one pound, which should last you quite some time.

Herbal Multivitamin, formulated by Gregory Tilford. Available online at Natural Canine for $24.95 for a 300-gram container, which typically lasts about one month for my two dogs. I use a combination of the NOW Bone Meal Powder, Tilford's Herbal Multivitamin, and either Dream Coat or flax seed oil in all of my dog's meals. The recommended dosage is based on your pup's weight, and is included on the labels of each of these products.

For a less costly alternative to the Herbal Multivitamin, you can try NaturVet's VitaPet or VitaPet Plus for Dogs, available at most pet stores or online at Waggin Tails. NaturVet has a number of great, affordable products out there that I have used on more than one occasion with good results.

For recipes and more information on the nutritional needs of your favorite pooch, I highly recommend DR. PITCAIRN'S COMPLETE GUIDE TO NATURAL HEALTH FOR DOGS & CATS, as well as Andi Brown's THE WHOLE PET DIET: EIGHT WEEKS TO GREAT HEALTH FOR DOGS AND CATS and, if you're feeling really ambitious, CANINE AND FELINE NUTRITION: A RESOURCE FOR COMPANION ANIMAL PROFESSIONALS. All of these books are available at Amazon.com, or can likely be ordered through your local independent bookseller. Next week, I'll get you started on a fun, low-maintenance kitchen herb garden that will keep your pup's recipes tasting fresh all year round. Until then, be sure to drop any questions you have my way, and thanks for reading.