You may have read that these supplements are important for plant-based dogs. In fact plant-based dogs can get all the nutrients they need either from the food itself, or by synthesis in their liver where they produce Taurine themselves, as we also do.

However, there are a few breeds of dog that may benefit from supplements of Taurine and L-Carnitine because they are unable to produce sufficient amounts themselves. These dogs are therefore genetically predisposed to developing the heart condition Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM). These dogs may benefit from treatment with supplements. It may even be possible to avoid the condition developing by supplementing their diet.

It is important to realise that this issue only affects dogs from certain breeds and even then, not all dogs from those breeds. It most commonly occurs among pure bred deep-chested larger dogs, such as Doberman pinschers, Deerhounds, Boxers, Great Danes, Dalmatians, and more recently seen in Golden Retrievers.

It can also affect some smaller dogs such as Cocker Spaniels and English & French Bulldogs. If your dog is from one of those breeds we highly recommend always supplementing Taurine and l-Carnitine that is present in just the right quantities in the JUST BE KIND Supplement.

If you are able to walk your dog for at least an hour everyday in the sunlight, then both you and your pet on a plant-based diet should not need further supplementing with Vitamin D. We all know that this is not always feasible for both our pets and ourselves (with our weather patterns in the UK).

Dogs are able to absorb Vitamin D from the sun through their skin just as we do even though they are covered in fur. Dogs with darker skins will absorb slightly less (as occurs in humans as high melanin levels inhibits the production of Vitamin D). Vitamin D requirements increase in our dogs with itchy, atopic pink skins and white fur. It is common for dogs with these conditions to naturally take themselves outdoors to ‘sunbathe’ – yes very often with their pink bellies exposed to achieve maximum Vitamin D absorption from the sun!

Vitamin D is so needed in the body as it is required to absorb calcium to build healthy bones as well as a strong immunity to fight infections whether on the skin or in the body. It also prevents autoimmune conditions that can be as bad as diagnosing cancer in your pet.

We recommend Vegetology Omega 3 Algae oil  in the homemade recipes as it has Vitamin D added through natural plant-based sources from lichen, not derived from sheep wool or lanolin as found in all meat-based foods. Algae oil contains the purest form of Omega 3 DHA and EPA – where fish get their Omegas from and we need to leave the fish in our oceans – there is no such thing as sustainable fishing!

As shown in the comment by FEDIAF above, they are concerned about Vit B deficiencies in plant-based dog food diets. Vitamin B is found in most meat-based foods although this meat that most dogs are fed, has the Vitamin B supplemented in feedlot livestock as most of them will not graze on the grass enough to receive their requirements of natural Vitamin B.

The JUST BE KIND supplement that we sell has all the Vit B’s added that your dog needs and this gives it a very palatable taste to your dog!

When you consider the surface area of a Chihuahua compared to the surface area of skin of a Great Dane, the little Chihuahua has a much higher metabolic rate and surface area. This then translates to having a much higher protein requirement compared to a large dog as all that fur (with a higher surface area) requires more protein to grow adequately. The same is true for the fat percentage as well as other vital nutrients – they differ according to the weight and metabolism of your dog.

We offer a package where we send you the exact amounts of ingredients needed for the weight of your dog (only for UK).

Our JUST BE KIND supplement powder contains the vitamins, minerals, trace elements and amino acids that are essential for dogs fed a purely plant-based diet. This ensures that the homemade recipes that we provide are fully balanced with all the important B Vitamins as well as Calcium, Taurine, L-Carnitine, Methionine, Zinc and the required amino acids and minerals that are lacking in a plant-based diet.

JUST BE KIND supplement is free from artificial additives, colourants and preservatives and has the addition of valuable pre and probiotics to support a healthy digestion in your dog.

Composition
Minerals, Plants and derivatives, Fermentation Products, Bacillus velezensis (as a source of probiotic), Rapeseed oil

Analytical components
Crude Protein 19.4%, Crude Fat 1.1%, Crude fibre 0.1%, Crude Ash 59.1%, Calcium 18.1%, Phosphorus 4.5%, Sodium 0.8%

NUTRITIONAL ADDITIVES (per kg)
Vitamin A 40000IU, Vitamin E 400mg, Vitamin B1 109mg, Riboflavin 100mg, Vitamin B6 20mg, Vitamin B12 1000µg, Niacin 200mg, Calcium pantothenate 100mg, Folic acid 20mg, Biotin 400µg, L-Carnitine 15640mg, Choline chloride 13333mg, Iodine 10mg, Selenium 2mg, Copper 30mg, Zinc 400mg, Manganese 40mg, Iron 200mg, L-Lysine monohydrochloride 7000mg, DL-Methionine 150000mg, L-Threonine 15000mg, Taurine 31250mg, L-Tryptophan 31000mg, L-Valine 10000mg, Gut Flora Stabiliser: Bacillus velezensis (DSM 15544) 2×10¹¹ CFU.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE

Toy breeds (up to 5kg) 4g/day (5ml or 1 tsp)
Small breeds (5 – 10kg) 8g/day (10ml or 2 tsp)
Medium breeds (10 – 20kg) 10g/day (12.5ml or 2 ½ tsp)
Large Breeds (20 – 40kg) 18g/day (20ml or 4 tsp)
Giant breeds (40+ kg) 28g/day (30ml or 2 tbsp)

Our recipes include the instruction to make a nutrient rich ‘icing’ by mixing the required amount of supplement with the oils needed or peanut butter, as well as some herbs such as fresh parsley and basil, or oregano and then making up a paste using oat milk. This is then ‘iced’ onto the cooled cooked food and not heated to ensure that the valuable vitamins and probiotics in the supplement are not affected.