Hello-
It's me again-Kaiser's mom!
I was wondering if anyone has given Grand Flex to their puppies? I know some who have given it to older dogs around 2 years old, but is it safe for 5 months on up?? I want to give Kaiser all his needed vitamins and minerals and anything that might help him in the future to lessen any skeletal problems he might face.
Connie- He is thriving!! He is on the raw diet and is 5 months and weighs almost 60 lbs.
Thanks in advance for any replies!!
Melissa

Basically,a puppy fed a properly balanced diet shouldn't need anything like that added to their diet. On the other hand it shouldn't hurt to add a little something for joint support. Although, I don't think that I would bring out the big guns right from the start. I would save that for an older dog, especially a working dog, where there is a greater propensity for ware & tear, so to speak, due to their lifestyle. Or if you have a young dog that shows signs of HD or other skelletal problems.

I usually start adding something like a grand flex type suppliment with, glucosamine & chondroitin in it by the time that they are around 2, around when the growth plates close on a GSD & there is generally an increase in the exercise & work level that my dogs would get. I am very careful about the exercise that I give a younger dog....no hard running or jumping off or over anything high. I also don't even put them on the treadmill until after they are 2, with any regularity, & even then only for a very short walk. No trotting etc until they are 2 1/4 to be sure that the growth plates have closed. My treadmill is set a bit uphill so I am very careful. But that's just me.

As I am sure everyone knows, feeding a bunch of suppliments doesn't take the place of a properly balanced diet. Not refering here to salmon oil & Vit E, which is a totally different thing. It may help to fill an occasional gap or 2 in feeding over the long run, but is not meant as a replacement for proper nutrition. No different then us taking vitamins.

Thanks Anne-
Kaiser takes the Salmon Oil and the C and E as well as the kelp and alfalfa as referred to on Leerburg. I was just wondering when to start, so I will hold off until age 2, but thank you!
Your 2 shepherds are so pretty!
Melissa

Melissa, I am sure that there are others that do things differently...we all have our own ways. This is just what I do.

I have all my dogs on Nupro (2 huskies 6 yrs and 3 years, Leonberger 3 yrs and Working Line Shepherd 10 months). When I started the supplement about 7 months ago I noticed a huge improvement in my older dogs, my younger dog I have not noticed much but she is very muscular for a dog her age -not sure if it's breeding or the extra supplements. She is hard on her body being a high drive, high energy dog, so I thought this might help prevent future issues. Not sure if I'm right, but she is doing well on it so far.