Even though a dog is a carnivore, it also needs more nutrition than meat alone. Like humans and other animals, a dog needs vitamins, good fatty acids, and trace elements to remain healthy and energetic.
Dogs on raw diets, in particular, need support for digestion as well as for maintaining the nutrients the body requires.
By adding, for example, herbs, berries, seeds, or root vegetables to your dog's food, you can increase dietary variety and, for instance, support stomach function in a completely natural way—without additives.
As dogs get older, they too develop aches and ailments that can be eased through diet. Likewise, dogs that exercise actively often need care for, among other things, their joints and connective tissues. Animals used for breeding have their own needs as well.
Root vegetables, berries, and seeds, in particular, are an easy and safe way to supplement your dog's nutrition.
Herbs are intended to diversify nutrition and to support and activate the body's own natural functioning. Herbs are not intended to replace medicines.
The necessary amount depends both on the dog's size and on its sensitivity to the effects of herbs. The amount is also affected by which part of the plant is used.
That is why you should always start new herbs and plants with a small dose, and increase the amount gradually. The guideline amounts are averages, and you can find the right dose by careful testing and by observing your dog.
When feeding herbs, it is good to remember that a dog's digestive system is short and fast-acting. That is why herbs digest more quickly in dogs than in herbivores. To ensure optimal digestion of seeds, meals are a good choice for dogs. Herbs can be mixed into food or given as a brewed and strained tea mixed into other food.
A typical dosage suitable for humans is about 1–2 teaspoons / 2.5 dl of hot water. For dogs, you can estimate the dosage so that for a dog weighing about 75 kg, the dosage corresponds to the human dosage amount. For a 40 kg dog, the dosage is half; for a 20 kg dog, one quarter; and for a 10 kg dog, one eighth of the average human dose.
How to prepare an herbal tea for a dog:
Pour 2.5 dl of boiling water over the herbs (1–2 tsp) and let steep for about 15 minutes under a lid.
Chopped berries and seeds can be added to food as they are. Dried berries and dried root vegetable pieces and chips can be soaked in water to soften them. Seeds are generally recommended to be crushed, so that their nutrients have time to absorb during the dog's short digestion.
Please remember that herbs are generally not recommended for pregnant animals. With young animals, it is also worth making sure the products are suitable!
