Many parents are considering natural supplements to avoid the common ailments in the dog. The commercial foods available in the market already have supplements necessary for the dog’s health, notably to support the immune system, digestion, hip, and joint problem. And to provide the energy needed for day-to-day activities.
But for household pet parents who prepare dog food at own, it can be trickier to add supplements.
Here in this article, we discuss the supplements to balance homemade food for pups that can make homemade recipes superior to commercial foods.
The best supplement to balance homemade dog food provides support of vitamins, minerals, digestive enzymes, improve skin & Coat, and joint support, as well as contributes to the overall health of the dog and fulfills all essential needs.
Before moving forward let’s move on to our top recommendations:
How to make balanced dog food? The answer is not simple because it heavily depends on your dog’s recipe and your dog’s needs. But here, to make it simple, we consider the supplements available in the pre-balanced formula, so you do not need to mix every individual supplement.
We know that household parents can’t mix each supplement individually in a specific quantity.
To solve this problem, we recommend using ready-made supplement products. That has every mineral, vitamin, oil in an equal amount. It will be easy to mix these supplements in a homemade recipe.
We recently write on Best Dog Supplement for Itchy Skin and Best Supplements for Dogs With Arthritis available on a separate page, hopefully, It will enhance your knowledge about multivitamin mixes.
Why You Need Supplements for Fresh Homemade Dog Food?
The general thought is, “homemade dog food has all that a four-legged friend needs.” But, in reality, homemade pet food does not always have enough of all require minerals and vitamins that a dog needs.
This is the reason we are discussing supplements to balance homemade dog food.
Every homemade recipe provides a different quantity of mineral and vitamins that depends on the ingredients. To make that balanced and healthy for your furry friend, you need to add supplements.
Well, if you are making a recipe with chicken or other meat, that might require a little number of supplements to add. But when you are making a recipe from potatoes or other vegetables there, you will need more.
If you do not add the required supplements, then the deficiency may bring some severe weakness to the pup. So it is necessary to add, let’s move on to our top picks,
How to Choose Best Multivitamin for Dogs on Homemade Diet
It is best to talk with your veterinarian about what, if any, supplement your pup needs. Some ingredients in the herbal supplements that dog owners usually use and available online can interact with medication.
The right dosage is key to get good health for your furry friend. Too much and too little can be detrimental to your pup’s health.
This is the reason we recommend tale nutritional advice from your vet, especially for dosage, here we outline some general guidelines to choose supplements for dogs:
- Only buy brands that have commissioned clinical studies.
- Read product descriptions and ingredients carefully before buying.
- Pay attention to expiry and manufacturing date as well as consider lot number.
- Consider brands with firm footprints.
- The best option will be available through your veterinarian.
Be aware that vitamins mix are just supplements that cannot be used as an alternative to medication and cannot cure all diseases. We recommend not to give human supplements to your pup.
10 Best Multivitamin for Dogs on Homemade Diet
Hundreds of manufacturers are selling dog vitamin mix online and in physical stores, but all are not made equally.
Here we list the best available options that are safe to use for any breed and age.
1. Wholistic Pet Organics Canine Multivitamin
This all-in-one vitamin mix for homemade dog food contains all the required essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, digestive microflora, and antioxidants necessary for a pup’s health and nutritional needs.
Wholistic Pet Organics Canine Complete Multivitamins will support your dog’s health because it’s made with natural food ingredients.
This supplement is made in the USA and regulated by NASE, so you can consider it safe for your pet’s health as NASC standards are followed to make it.
This is a top-rated vitamin mix for homemade dog food.
Pros
- Ideal for daily health care
- Organic ingredients for your dog
- Easily digestible
- Perfect for all ages canine
- Key source of healthy protein
- Improve skin and coat
- Boost immune system
Cons
- Nothing found not to love
2. Azestfor Vitamins Supplements
The pet nutrients formulate Azestfor Dog Vitamins Supplements Raw and Homemade Food Multivitamins Minerals Powder supplements to add to homemade dog food at “Azestfor” with the 21 minerals and vitamins essential to support the whole body health and wellness of your dog.
If you are looking for a balanced formula containing all the needed supplements, this product is the best choice.
It is a veggie-flavored supplants to add to homemade pet food and ideal for dogs with protein allergies. The company follows the standards of AAFCO for dog nutrition to provide a balanced diet to your dog.
Two homemade vet-approved food recipes are included in this package.
Pros
- Formulated by pet nutritionists
- Based on 21 minerals and vitamins
- Taste that your canine like
- Made for whole body wellness
- 3 Free homemade recipes
- Meet AAFCO standards
- Free from meat
Cons
- It's vegetable flavor that your dog might not like
3. Dog Greens - Supplement to Balance Homemade Food
If you want to make balanced homemade dog food recipes, then this is a must-have product. It is easy to add because it comes in powder shape, and you can control the mixing quantity.
This product features natural ingredients, and there is no artificial flavor and china products in this all in one supplement.
If you are a pet parent, who loves to make food for four-legged friends at home, then a balanced homemade dog food recipe is your first preference, and this supplement can help you create one.
This supplement is crafted with human-grade ingredients that are safe to use for dogs.
Pros
- Bioavailable Vitamins and Minerals
- Made for healthy life
- Formulated with organic ingredients
- In market from 20 years
- Free from artificial flavor
- 100% human grade
- build strong muscles
Cons
- Costly as compared to our top recommendation
4. Poochie Powder Organic Dog Supplement
We all are very cautious about our dog’s health, so our priority is to try custom food recipes; we are well aware of the benefits of homemade dog food. But making real healthy food is a challenge for household pet parents.
This problem is solved with vet-recommended poochie powder because it provides a digestible nutritional boost to dry and homemade dog food.
Especially when your pups show signs of aging and want custom dog food recipes with all the required nutrients you can get with this poochie powder.
It’s the best supplement to balance homemade dog food, and powder shape is easy to administer.
It is the best multivitamin for dogs on the homemade diet that make the recipes delicious and full of energy, good for all ages, especially for puppies, it’s safe.
At the start, you may look for poochie powder reviews, but once you tried this powder for your pet, then you will stop looking for any advice and keep using it to make your homemade dog food more nutritious.
Pros
- Formulated for nutritional boost
- Packed with vitamins and minerals
- Give relieve from aging signs
- Cure frequent digestive issues
- Free from binding agents
Cons
- Taste is not ideal for all canine
5. Best Multivitamin for Dogs on Homemade Diet
This is the right product to use for all pets, whatever their age is. Now only homemade dog food; if you want to make canned or other commercial dog food healthier, you can use this powder. It’s featured with natural ingredients and provides support to skin and coat too.
If you feel that your pup becomes less active, start using this supplement in this food that will make your dog vibrant and energetic.
This is the most economical choice; the package contains 285 teaspoons of dog supplement, which can last for three months. So it is the best homemade dog food supplement.
Pros
- Methyl-sulfonyl-methane as main ingredient
- High purity
- Made in the USA
- Regulated by NASC
- improve joint flexibility
Cons
- Everything is up to standard
6. NaturVet – All-in-One Support
NaturVet – All-in-One Support supplement powder is ideal to use in homemade dog food, and you also can serve it on any meal, either a commercial one. It is packed with all the essential needs and formulated to keep the digestion process regular.
It is equally beneficial for skin and coat because it provides vitamins and minerals to support dogs’ overall health.
Omegas-3, 6, and 9, Glucosamine, and Chondroitin are used to enhance the results and make it faster to bring positive changes in the pet’s overall health. It is proudly manufactured in the USA, and you can buy it for your dog with full confidence.
Pros
- Formulated for overall health
- Provide different health benefits
- Nutritional pet supplement
- Features glucosamine and chondroitin
- Probiotics to ensure proper absorption
Cons
- Quick start may cause gastrointestinal problems
7. Nupro Nutri-Pet Vitamin Mix
Nupro is the most trusted name in this category; until now, this product is used by thousands of people, and the manufacturer is enjoying outstanding repute in the market.
When making a meal for your dog at home, you cannot balance it and give it a taste that your dog loves to eat.
But this powder can do it; it adds a perfect taste to the food and all the minerals and nutrients that your furry friend needs to stay healthy and playful.
It is a scientifically balanced formula high in vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino and fatty acids.
It makes the food easy to digest; if your dog’s intake is less than his age, then the Nupro supplement will regulate that in a matter of days.
We believe that this product does not need any review because dog lovers know about its capability.
Pros
- Free from corn and wheat
- Help Arthritic Conditions
- Tastes good
- Help in fertility's in femals
- Longevity for canine
Cons
- Priced higher, costly as compare to our top three recommendations
- More focus is on joints
8. Rx Vitamins Essentials Biotic Powder -Supplement to Balance Homemade Dog Food
Rx Vitamins Essentials Biotic Powder for Pets is a different formula compared to other products in the market. It basically focused on the growth of good bacteria that work to inhibit potentially harmful bacteria’s growth.
It is beneficial for the digestive tract and provides all the nutrition that your dog needs. We advise it more during diarrhea, constipation, and vomiting because it can fully regulate the stomach and digestion.
It’s an ideal vitamin mix for homemade dog food that improves overall good health and keeps the pup energized.
It’s the best multivitamin for dogs on the homemade diet that to covers the deficits of vitamins and improves the eyesight and brainpower of dogs.
The recommended dosage is mentioned on the bottle, but you must start from the minimum quantity to come to the optimal level. It is a supplement that is equally beneficial in good health, and when your pet is sick.
If you start feeding this supplement during any ailment, then you can recover your pooch quickly.
Pros
- Cure digestive discomfort
- Deal with constipation
- Protect canine from diarrhea
- Contains fructooligosaccharides
- Can be used with antibiotics
Cons
- Taste is not great as pet wants
- Results show up slowly
9. Upco Bone Meal Steamed Bag Supplement
Upco Bone Meal Steamed Bag Supplement is easy to use supplement; it comes in pure powder form and best to use for your puppy’s bone growth.
We advise this supplement for puppies most. Because in growing years, they need the right food, which is full of nutrients to give them a powerful and large skull, and this powder contains all the supportive nutrients for bones.
In growing animals, it is a blessing because it promotes healthy bones. Two of its main ingredients are calcium and phosphorous, essential for the proper development of bones, teeth, and tissues.
Pros
- Natural ingredients only
- highly digestible powder form
- perfect for growing animals
- Easy to administer
- Canine loves it
Cons
- Don't forget to take slow start
- You will need a jar to store the powder once pouch is opened
10. Riley's Multi-Essentials Homemade Dog Food Supplements
Riley’s Multi-Essentials Multivitamin for Dogs is a powerful supplement for dogs. We advise you to start feeding in small quantities as it contains all the vitamins, and the excessive dose may upset your stomach dog.
When we cook food at home for our four-legged friends, we try to use the fresh ingredient but not all the time, and sometimes we remain unable to find a good and healthy ingredient.
In such an event, a supplement like this one can really help us to provide our dog that he deserves and need to stay healthy.
It is made Organically Chelated Minerals Specifically Formulated for Canines to Supplement their Regular Food and Diet. It also can be an ideal solution for allergies.
Are these all in one supplement safe for my dog?
There will be higher chances of imbalance when you add individual supplements one by one to your homemade dog food. Using a balanced all-in-one formula eliminates that risk and adds all the supplements in a fixed ratio.
You only need to take care of the overall quantity, which you can decide on while following the chart that comes with every product.
So, these are safe to use and provide all the benefits which they do needs. It would be best if you did a little bit of math to find the right quantity to mix in the dog food.
Vets recommend these supplements to balance homemade dog food.
What are the Benefits of Using Vitamin Mix for Homemade Dog Food?
There are 21 essential items that a dog needs to stay healthy; all of our five picks contain these essentials. There are some specific benefits that you can get like,
- Natural to mix with any food, homemade, commercial kibble, and canned food
- Keep the joint healthy, provide support against arthritis
- Improve dull cost, after the use of a few days you can feel the difference
- Build strong muscles
- Improve the immune system of dog and support digestion
- Improve energy and vitality in your dog
- Quick recovery after exercise
- Promote healthy skin
- Fulfill all nutritional needs
These are the best supplement to balance homemade dog food. Once you start feeding these supplements, you will notice the change in your dog’s overall energy level and overall health.
You will feel the difference in the coat of your dog and the activity engagement of the dog.
These all one supplement also rebuild the flora that is a significant benefit.
Manufacturers use a variety of ingredients that make these supplements really powerful when buying from the physical store; look for the ingredients like:
- Calcium (Calcium, Ca)
- Chloride
- Copper (Copper, Cu)
- Crude Fiber
- Folic acid (Total Folate) DFE (Folate, DFE)
- Iodine
- Iron (Iron, Fe)
- Magnesium (Magnesium, Mg)
- Manganese (Manganese, Mn)
- Niacin
- Pantothenic acid
- Phosphorus (Phosphorus, P)
- Potassium (Potassium, K)
- Pyridoxine (Vitamin B-6)
- Riboflavin
- Selenium (Selenium, Se)
- Sodium (Sodium, Na)
- Thiamine (Thiamin)
- Total Choline
- Tryptophan
- Vitamin A RAE (Vitamin A, RAE)
- Vitamin B12 (Vitamin B-12)
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin D (D2 + D3)
- Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol)
- Vitamin E (Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol))
- Vitamin K (Vitamin K activity)
- Zinc (Zinc, Zn)
Some of these ingredients do not fall under essential nutritious ingredients for dogs when it comes to nutritional profile. Manufacturers who produce quality products do not want to miss anything beneficial. The use of these ingredients makes a supplement an ideal vitamin mix for homemade dog food.
The Best multivitamin for dogs on homemade diet provides all the nutrients that a dog needs. Once selected carefully the owner can stay satisfied that his dog is getting all nutrients that he needs to stay healthy and active.
Supplements for homemade food help a dog owner keep the pup’s diet balanced like a vegetable recipe can have the power to energize our pup and improve his overall health.
Don't Stay Consistent
Health conditions matter a lot; you cannot use the same quantity for every dog and not for a long-time span, especially when your dog improved. For a weak dog, you need more quantity, and for a healthy dog, you need a moderate number of supplements.
Balance it canine has a maximum number of ingredients and one that we recommend most as the best supplement for homemade dog food.
By evaluating your dog’s health, you can determine how much supplement he needs to fulfill his nutritional requirement.
Is Adding Dog Supplements to Homemade Dog Food Tricky?
Many recipes are recommended by vets that do not mean perfect and do not need any improvement. Canine nutritionists recommend what is best for dogs generally that cannot be specific for all.
All the recipes you cook at home will be different and might not supply enough vitamins or minerals..
Depending on the use and ingredients, recipes are different; only the best vitamin supplement for homemade dog food can balance it to provide what he needs to stay in good health.
To find vitamins to add to homemade food, you need to rely on the supplements that come in powder shape so you can sprinkle on food or may mix in your recipe.
According to AAFCO and NRC research, only 2.5% of recipes provide the required vitamins and minerals to dogs. So, you need to find supplements to add to homemade food to keep your pup healthy.
To make dog food nutritious, you need to know the nutrition requirement of your four-legged friend.
Suppose you cook food with balanced nutritional indigents and do not add any supplement containing extra calcium, sulfur, etc. Then your pup may suffer from deficiencies.
In simple words, your dog will end up nutritionally deficient if you are feeding him homecooked food that even 100% nutritionally balanced and you choose not to add supplements.
What Supplements for Homemade Dog Food I Need to Add?
There are too many variables, and you cannot easily figure out what your dog exactly needs. Moreover, individual situations matter a lot, under listed factors help to get an answer:
- Know the nutritional needs of your dog
- Choose a recipe that is near to the nutritional needs of your dog
- Calculate which nutrients are missing in your recipe
Well, it’s hard to figure it out. You only need to depend on a good quality dog food supplement powder and figure out the right quantity for your dog while considering his health condition.
What Components Should You Look For In Dog Supplements?
Like humans, pets also require specific vitamins and minerals added into their diet, particularly those that aren’t produced naturally by their body. If you’re planning to incorporate supplements to your dog’s diet, make sure that you’re adding them because they’re necessary.
First and foremost, consulting with your veterinarian will help you determine which vitamins and minerals are necessary for their diet. Giving a supplement to your pet without professional guidance can do more harm than good for their health, as excess portions and overdosing can happen. For instance, excessive amounts of calcium in their body can lead to skeletal issues, while too much vitamin A can cause joint pain and dehydration, to name a few.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees the production and sale of animal supplements. To ensure that you’re getting a safe product for your canine, choose high-quality dog supplements from trusted brands that specialize in supplement production. As much as possible, check the company’s certification that verifies the supplement’s contents.
If you don’t know where to start, consider asking your veterinarian if you can add these vitamins, minerals, and supplement components to your dog’s diet:
- Probiotics
- Choline
- Thiamine
- Folic acid
- Riboflavin or vitamin B12
- Pantothenic acid
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin K
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Glucosamine
Frequently Asked Questions
Our top recommendation is Wholistic Pet Organics Multivitamin, it's a complete and all in one solutions for small, medium and large breeds. Its results are amazing and it can be used with any food.
Yes sure, you can, these vitamins not only improve the nutritional facts of home-cooked food but these also enhance the taste of dry kibble when mixed or sprinkled on it.
Final Thoughts
The first question that may come into mind is the essential supplements for my dog. The answer is; six major supplement types are considered essentials supplement to balance homemade dog food,
- multivitamin supplements
- hip and joint supplements
- fatty acids
- Vitamin A & E
- calcium
- protein supplements
All our picks contain these supplements in the right and balanced quantity to fulfill the dog’s nutritional and energy needs.
Hopefully, our resources will help you to get the best multivitamin for dogs on homemade diet, we advise you to read the description and recommended usage on the product pack before feeding the vitamin mix to your dog.