Canine Vitamix: Herbal Supplement for Dogs

black dog

This recipe offers a robust herbal boost in vitamins. While it’d be just fine as an herbal tea for humans, I add it to my dog’s food. From puppy-hood on through the senior years, these added herbs offer up a wealth of vitamins and minerals that support general health. I substitute dried elderberries through the cold months for rosehips mainly for their anti-viral properties. You can use either for their nutritional value all year-round.

Ingredients

  1. 1 cup dried, cut rosehips or dried elderberries
  2. 1 cup oatstraw
  3. 1 cup dried alfalfa tops
  4. 2 cups dried nettle tops

Equipment

  1. Measuring cup
  2. Spoon or mixing utensil
  3. Mixing bowl
  4. Glass quart jar with lid or similarly sized, non-reactive, sealable container

Procedure

  1. Measure all ingredients into the mixing bowl.
  2. Mix them gently so as to not break the herbs open or into smaller pieces.
  3. Pour the mixture into the quart jar.
  4. Seal and label your jar.

Storage and Use

Store Canine Vitamix in a cool, dark place, like the pantry.

You can add this to your dog’s food as it is or infused. If you choose to infuse it, add the herbs to a small amount of boiling water and let it steep as you would a tea or herbal infusion for about 10 minutes before adding it to your friend’s food. If need be, let it cool on the counter for an hour or more so that it’s not too hot for your friend’s palate. If you make your own dog food using a raw food recipe like Wave-o’s Dog Food, or a cooked recipe, you can add this herbal mix to the recipe as a dry ingredient or infused as a wet ingredient as you make the food.

Use an amount that makes sense for your dog. Puppies and growing dogs as well as pregnant or senior dogs can use a  higher portion to aid in their growth. Adult dogs in good health can use a smaller portion. For a fifty-pound, young adult to middle-aged adult aim for a portion size of approximately 1 Tablespoon per day.

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