Dog vitamens and malamute/siberian food?

Question

Does anyone know about dog vitamins, the pros and cons, if they are necessary, and how much they help.

I am also looking for the best food options for a large, 8 month old Siberian/mal mix? I want to keep his fur smooth, and his life long.
Cost is not an option. (What about can food? yes or no?)

Thank you very much! Any advice is appreciated.

Tierney

can giving your dog to much supplement be bad for his health?
(I.E. I give him vitamins and healthy dog food.)

Right now i am feeding him royal canine puppy chow. (Or something like that)

Answer 1

well first off stay away from grocery store junk all of it has corn,wheat, or byproducts which your dog does not digest you want to have real meat as the first ingredient in whatever you feed. corn and wheat are the two biggest things dogs are allergic to so if you keep them away from that they won't likely have all the itching and biting at their paws problems.
basically it boils down to what you can afford first then what is available in your area. i work at a pet food shop and the foods we have that are worth feeding are California natural, innova, chicken soup for the dog, premium edge, diamond naturals, Natural balance and wellness. all of those foods don't have fillers and most have lots of glucosamine and chondroitin for arthritis and hips and joints for the skin and coat on your dog you want to make sure he has enough omega 3 and 6 fatty acids in his diet if he does not there are supplements such as lipoderm or shed stop... good luck with your dog and i hope i helped a little with your question
and on canned food don't do that its usually 70%moisture and gums up around their teeth if you do feed canned make sure its a good one and try to only use it as a treat

Answer 2

I think you'll see a variety of opinions on this, so be ready! :)

Vitamins shouldn't be necessary if you're feeding a good, balanced, complete dog food. Blue Buffalo is excellent, as are Royal Canin, Nutro, etc. You can find them at bigger pet stores like Petsmart and Petco. For an 8 month old dog that size, I would go with a large breed puppy formula for about another year or so, to keep their bones and joints in good shape.

If you'd like to add a supplement for skin and coat health, there are several very good ones available, look for omega fatty acids in the supplement. They help reduce shedding, as well, which is very nice.

I don't like to do canned food, except as a treat. Dry is better for keeping the teeth clean.

When you change the food, be sure to do so gradually, adding a little of the new food at a time, to prevent stomach upset and gas.

Good luck with your puppy!

EDIT: Yes, it is possible to overdo the vitamins, the fat soluble ones that can be stored, like A and D, can build up and cause damage, but you shouldn't have that problem with a coat supplement.

Royal Canin Puppy is a good choice, but you'll want to check that it's appropriate for larger breeds.

Answer 3

I asked my vet about the vitamins, he said that the dog food that we feed our Siberian Husky was sufficient. The only pills we give her is heart worm prevention. We feed her Beneful Healthy Radiance. Hope this helps.