Why do I need to use more supplement than it says on the label?
When we formulate homemade diets according to FEDIAF nutritional guidelines, the amount of supplement needed is almost always higher than what’s printed on the packaging — and that’s not a mistake. This article explains why, and what it means for your dog’s health.
FEDIAF: Nutritional Precision Per 1000 kcal
FEDIAF (The European Pet Food Industry Federation) provides detailed nutritional recommendations per 1000 kcal, tailored to: * Different life stages (puppies, adults, seniors) * Varying activity levels * Special needs such as health conditions or low metabolism These guidelines are used to create precise, nutritionally balanced recipes, where supplements are adjusted based on the actual nutrients in the food — and how much the dog eats — not just their weight.
Supplement Labels Are General – and Often Insufficient
Most multivitamin/mineral supplements provide dosage recommendations based only on body weight. These guidelines: * Assume you’re feeding a standard BARF diet (muscle meat, organ meat, and raw bone) * Don’t account for activity level or individual energy needs * Don’t consider variations in the nutrient profile of the ingredients you’re using So they do not take into account: * The actual nutrient content of your recipe * Whether bones or organs are included * How many calories your dog eats daily * The dog’s age, lifestyle, or metabolic needs When working with professionally formulated recipes, we calculate exactly how much nutrition is missing — and use supplements to fill the gaps. As a result, the required amount of supplement is often far above what's recommended on the label.
Lower Food Intake = Higher Nutrient Density = More Supplement
A fundamental nutritional principle is: Dogs with lower calorie needs eat less food — but still require the same amount of vitamins and minerals **per 1000 kcal.** Example: * An active dog eating 1000 kcal/day will get more nutrients from their food * A low-activity dog eating only 600 kcal/day will get fewer nutrients * Therefore, the nutrient density of the food must be increased * More supplement per gram of food is required This is why dogs with lower activity levels often need more supplement — not less.
Why we use AniForte Canine Complete
AniForte Canine Complete is one of few multinutrient products suitable for formulating balanced diets because it: * Clearly states the exact amounts of vitamins and minerals * Provides a broad spectrum of essential micronutrients and trace elements * Is based on natural, bioavailable ingredients Ingredients: ***Nettle leaves, blackberry leaves, chamomile, dandelion root, milk thistle, brewer’s yeast, linseed cake meal, seaweed lime, eggshell powder, moringa powder*, and seaweed meal (*from organic farming)*** This makes AniForte both safe and functional when used as part of a carefully balanced, nutrient-calculated recipe.
What About Zinc? Often Too Low
Although AniForte is well-formulated overall, the zinc content is too low to meet FEDIAF’s minimum requirements on its own: * AniForte contains: 37.5 mg zinc per kg * 20 g provides only 7.5 mg zinc * FEDIAF minimum for adult dogs: 15 mg zinc per 1000 kcal As a result, it’s almost always necessary to add a separate zinc supplement. This isn’t a flaw — it’s simply a result of AniForte being a broad-spectrum, gently dosed supplement.
Example: Same Dog, Two Diets – Different Supplement Needs
Let’s take a real-life example to illustrate how this works: **Meet Tor** Nearly adult, intact male. 36 kg. Normal activity level. Daily energy requirement: around 2000 kcal/day. According to AniForte’s label, Tor should receive about **8 g per day.** Now let’s look at two different recipes, both tailored to Tor using FEDIAF guidelines: **Recipe A – For Lower Activity Dogs** * Designed for dogs with reduced energy needs * Uses few protein sources * Contains no bone, and only liver as organ meat * Very limited variety of ingredients **→ Most micronutrients must come from supplements** Result: **30 g** AniForte per day needed **Recipe B – For Normal Activity Dogs (like Tor)** * Includes multiple protein sources, including fatty fish (salmon) * Salmon is fed with bone → contributes natural calcium and phosphorus * Includes multiple organs, not just liver **→ More nutrients come directly from the food** Result: **17 g** AniForte per day is enough **Why the Difference?** * Recipe A lacks natural sources of key vitamins and minerals → more must be added through supplementation * Recipe B includes richer ingredients → less supplement is needed Both amounts are correct, because they’re ca…