5 Reasons Why Your Dog Should Take a Daily Supplement
Dogs thrive on an unprocessed diet high in protein and low in carbohydrates. But did you know your dog may also need a daily supplement to bolster their functional health, day-to-day well-being, and longevity?
Here’s why you may want to start stacking your dog’s system of nutrition by adding a supplement to their routine …
1. Like humans, dogs may not receive/ absorb all of their essential daily nutrients from diet alone. (And some of their dietary needs will likely evolve.)
PICTURED: Maev Daily Supplement Bars
Your dog’s nutritional needs are just as dynamic as they are. Depending on their lifestage, weight, breed, temperament, and medical history, they may require a targeted supplement to support any areas of concern.
Baseline: To function at a cellular level, dogs need water, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and macro and micro nutrients every day.
They also need amino acids to support the synthesis of protein (as well as creatine, peptide hormones, and even some neurotransmitters) in the body. The 9 essential amino acids — histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine — are not synthesized by mammals, so they need to be added via diet or supplement.
(Luckily, our Supplement Bars are formulated with Chia Seeds which contain all 9 essential amino acids.)
2. Supplements work proactively (and reactively).
Don’t you wish you could talk to your dog sometimes? Maybe you’d ask them how their day was, tell them how much you love them, and ask how they’re feeling. But we usually don’t know how they’re feeling or if something is wrong until they’re already exhibiting symptoms.
While no one’s cracked the code on dog texting (yet), we can feed our dogs daily supplements as both a preventative measure (before symptoms arrive) and retroactively (in response to existing symptoms or behaviors) to help better protect/ support them.
We humans take things like echinacea and vitamin c when we feel a cold coming on or before boarding a plane.
We also strive to get plenty of protein to help grow and retain muscle, calcium to strengthen our bones, and vitamin D to boost our mood and help with our circadian rhythm.
The same preventative and reactive functional health methodologies can be applied to canines.
3. Health begins in the gut.
In addition to making sure your dog is socialized (spends quality time with other dogs and humans), gets daily exercise (walks, runs, hikes), providing mental and emotional stimulation (enrichment, lickmats, smelling things outside, belly rubs, cuddles, fetch, recall activities) — your dog’s greatest source of health/ wellness starts with what you put in their body — their primary sources of nutrition. (To help support nutrient absorption, you may even want to add a probiotic into their daily routine.)
PICTUED: Maev Daily Supplement Bars
4. There are 4 key areas of functional health that are critical to your dog’s day-to-day quality of life and longevity including:
Mental and Behavioral Health → We all know how important the mind/ body connection is. Keeping your dog mentally stimulated and regulated is key in keeping them happy and engaged. Supporting their cognitive function also allows you to teach them new things (recall, verbal cues, and body language).
Digestive Health and Immune Function → Approximately 70-80% of the immune system (cells) lives in the gut. You can support your dog’s immune response by making sure their GI tract is microbially diverse, avoid leaky gut, and bolster the gut barrier to keep good things in (vitamins, minerals, and macro and micro nutrients) and bad things out (pathogens).
Skeletal and Muscular Health → The strength and resilience of your dog’s muscles, bones (including hip and joint health) as well as ability to repair tissue is mission-critical in their growth, stamina, and mobility (ease of getting up and down, sitting, walking, running, etc.).
Skin and Coat Health + Hydration → Skin is the body’s largest organ and is your dog’s first line of defense against pathogens and bad bacteria. (Not to mention, the body is mostly made of water). To hydrate your dog’s skin and coat, is to bolster their immune system and support their daily comfort (helps avoid itching, scratching, shedding, hotspots, and allergies).
5. Science says so …
Daily vitamins or supplements play a vital, yet supporting role in daily nutrition and overall health.
So, that’s why, in partnership with our team of PhD Veterinary Nutritionists, we formulated our very own daily supplement for dogs, called Supplement Bars. Each bar contains only 8 ingredients (Peanut Butter, Chia Seeds, Shredded Coconut, Flour, Vitamin E, Gelatin, Coconut Oil, and H2O) as well as scientifically studied supplements to support your dog’s unique functional health goals including:
For Anxiety + Calming → Bovine Colostrum and L-Theanine to support balanced energy, composure, relaxation, and cognitive function during training.
For Weight + Digestion → Probiotics and Chicory Root to support gut health, digestive function, immune function, and weight maintenance.
For Hip + Joint → Glucosamine & Chondroitin to support mobility (getting up and down with ease), reduced inflammation, muscle recovery and resilience.
For Skin + Coat → Fish Oil (rich in Omega-3 fatty acids to support hydration, shinier + softer coat, reduced shedding, and fewer hotspots and seasonal allergies.
