Adding Dietary Supplements To A Pups Meals.

[Gayle.]

My 6 1/2 month old Aussie Shepherd pup has always had a home made diet supplemented by Eagle Pack large puppy kibble. I make up bags of food each weekend and freeze them for use during the week.

The basis of his diet consits of raw meat (beef, chicken, lamb) and bones. I try and make up packs of food with a variety of ingredients, working on the principle that variety is more important than exact quantities. I don't add any vitamins or minerals, but wonder if I should be doing so, in case he's missing out on something.

The packs of food I make up would consist of raw mince beef, chopped chicken necks or chopped lamb chunks with bones mixed up oatmeal, raw egg yolk, cooked egg white and grated veges (carrots, bok choy, zuchinni etc).

Then I add a few of the following.......

Grated cheese

Cottage cheese

Natural yoghurt

Grated apple and pear

Tinned mackerel

Cod liver oil

Honey (not very much and not often but he loves it)

Tinned spinach

So a meal would consist of a basic mix PLUS maybe yoghurt and fruit....or grated cheese and mackerel......or cottage cheese, spinach and cod liver oil.

He doesn't get every ingredient every week, but he does get the basic mixture almost every evening with at least two of the other ingredients.

His breakfast is either some raw meaty bones or a bowl of Eagle Pack kibble topped with tinned sardines. Is he missing out on anything and should I be adding something else to his diet? He looks fantastic....glossy coat, bright eyes, loads of energy and he doesn't have a doggy smell.

Very, very occasionally he might get a meal of "doggy takeout".......4 Legs meaty balls, or Ecopet dog roll. But as I build up a supply of frozen packs for him I have less need to buy ready made dinner for him.

Any suggestions as to additives to his diet would be gratefully considered and even some ideas for extra ingredients.