How to choose, use and review what is in the cupboard
| THE SHORT ANSWER Sometimes, yes. A complete-and-balanced food covers the nutritional foundation, but the right supplement can still be useful for gut support, joints, skin, dental care or a particular health need. The important part is choosing it for the dog in front of you, understanding what it is meant to do and reviewing whether it remains the best fit. |
After our first Claire’s Cupboard article, https://vanisledoodles.com/claires-cupboard/why-all-supplements-arent-created-equal/ , so many of you reached out to tell me what you are currently feeding and out came the full treasure trove! Probiotics, joint blends, dental powders, kelp, fish oils and a few containers where nobody was quite sure what they were for anymore.
What struck me was not the products themselves, but the big question sitting underneath all of them: Does my dog actually need dietary supplements or vitamins?
So, pull up a chair, make yourself a cup of tea and let’s open the cupboard together.
Starting with the food
First, take a breath. If you are feeding one of our approved complete-and-balanced foods, such as Big Country Raw Dinners, Smack, Puppy Love Raw Freeze-Dried Feasts, Evolution Puppy Complete or Evolution Adult Complete, the core nutritional foundation is already taken care of. You do not need to add a general vitamin or mineral product simply to complete the recipe.
Recipes and recommendations have evolved over the years. Some older formulations did need a little extra help. But we always feed the bowl in front of us today, not an old advice sheet.
Complete food does not mean supplements have no place. It simply means we can choose them for a purpose, such as a probiotic for gut health, an omega oil for skin or inflammation or a joint formula for mobility. The job comes first, then the product.
What about the extras?
This is where things often become muddled, so let’s separate supplements from real food.
Probiotics: These are targeted gut health supplements. I love using them for digestive support, but the dog, the probiotic strains and the reason for using them all matter.
Green tripe: This is food, not a supplement. It is that wonderfully smelly, nutrient-rich extra I have recommended for years and a fantastic part of a varied feeding routine.
Raw meaty bones: These are food as well as mental and physical enrichment. They provide chewing enjoyment and can help mechanically clean the teeth. Choose the right size and type for your dog and always supervise.
When two products sound alike
Two bottles can promise the same benefit and still be very different. Turn them around and look beyond the front label.
Purpose: What is the product actually designed to support? Does that match what your dog needs?
Active ingredients: Which ingredients do the work? How much will your dog receive each day?
Form and source: Does the label identify details such as probiotic strains, EPA and DHA, iodine levels, sourcing or testing?
Fit: Is it appropriate for your dog’s age, food, medications, sensitivities and other supplements?
The better product is not automatically the one with the longest ingredient list or highest price. It is the one that best matches the job and the dog.
The seven-question cupboard audit
Line up your bottles, jars and bags on the counter. Pick them up one by one and ask yourself these simple questions:
What am I hoping to support? Name the reason clearly, whether it is digestion, skin, joints, dental care or another particular need.
What does my intuition say? You know your dog better than anyone. If your gut tells you something has changed in their energy, coat, digestion or mood, trust that feeling and then name what you are seeing.
What result am I watching for? Decide what improvement would tell you the product is doing its job.
What is in it and how much? Look for active ingredients and useful amounts rather than judging a product by the length of its ingredient list.
How does it compare and overlap? Compare similar products, then check the food and everything else you give so you do not unknowingly double up.
Are there long-term health factors to consider? Keep an eye on extra calories, iodine levels, medication interactions and any diagnosed health conditions.
When will I review this again? Choose a date to decide whether to keep it, adjust it or choose something better suited.
Choosing, using and reviewing
If a supplement clearly helps your dog or has a defined role in supporting an ongoing condition, keep using it with confidence. A review may confirm that it is exactly right or point you towards a better formula or dose for your dog’s current needs.
If something was prescribed for a diagnosed condition, do not change it on your own. Ask what it is doing, how long it may be needed and when it should be reviewed. That decision deserves a conversation with your veterinarian.
When changing brands, formulas or pausing a low-risk non-prescription supplement, change only one thing at a time. Keep everything else steady so you can see what makes a difference.
| A QUICK NOTE ON SAFETY Please do not turn this into a drastic overnight cupboard clean-out. Never stop veterinary-prescribed medication or a management plan for a diagnosed condition without speaking with your veterinarian first. Extra care is needed with heart or thyroid disease, bleeding risk, medication interactions, surgery and significant digestive, skin or mobility symptoms. |
The goal of the cupboard
Claire’s Cupboard exists to make supplements easier to understand. My goal is to help you know what a product is designed to do, when it may be useful, when it may not be the right fit and how to compare it with another product making the same promise.
Supplements can be valuable tools. This is not about using more of them or fewer of them. It is about choosing the right support for the dog in front of you, using it for a clear reason and knowing when to review it. The best cupboard is not the fullest or the emptiest. It is one filled with products you understand and can explain why each one is there.
Next Wednesday: Should I Keep Giving It? When should a supplement continue?
This article provides general education and is not veterinary advice. Persistent itching, ear disease, diarrhoea, pain, lameness or dental disease should be assessed by a veterinarian.
Sources and further reading
Big Country Raw: Product Lineup
Smack: Why Whole Foods Are Better