The founder of Wellbeing for Dogs, Helen McNall, was inspired by her two dogs and firmly believes that the best food for your dog is the one you make yourself. The company's motto is "nourish their bodies because they nourish our soul".
If you've never cooked for your dog, you will find lots of ideas, tips and recipes on her website for easy food to make at home to give you the confidence you need.
Helen's advice is to ensure your dog eats from different protein groups - chicken, beef, lamb, fish, pork, eggs, even dairy - along with a wide range of vegetables as well as rice, pasta, root vegetables, oats, millet, couscous or quinoa.
Here are some menu ideas to inspire you, then simply sprinkle the required quantity of Wellbeing Essentials on top of these meals.
What's Inside? - Taking a Closer Look at the Ingredients
Dogs have different needs to humans in nutrients: the main one is the calcium to phosphorus ratio. Humans are the opposite to dogs, needing more phosphorous to calcium. They don’t get this balance when fed a diet the same as ours.
Wellbeing Essentials ensures their food is balanced and they have all the calcium they need. This supplement was designed specifically to complement home made dog food meals, in accordance with AAFCO standards and the Nutrient Requirements for Dogs.
For the purpose of this review, we included the full list of these 20+ natural fresh wholefoods and super foods. These natural ingredients were chosen as they're multi-functional and also have the highest bio-availability (which means the retained amount of benefit).
1. Ground Flaxseed – Omega 3 essential fatty acid, low in processed modern diets, essential for brain, helps itchy skin and great for shiny coats.
2. Dehydrated Organic Lamb Liver – a superfood rich in Vitamine A, a powerful antioxidant, B vitamins, Iron and Selenium, all essential for the central nervous system and energy conversion.
3. Calcium Hydroxyapatite (Bonemeal) – Bonemeal is a balanced source of calcium and phosphorous.
4. Brewer’s yeast – B vitamins primarily which are essential for nerves and brains.
5. Lecithin – Choline metabolises fats and helps with brain function.
6-8. Sesame Seeds, Brazil Kernels, Pepitas – for Zinc and Selenium, essential minerals often low in Australian soils.
9. Wheat Germ – high in Manganese which helps bones and muscles.
10. Almonds – antioxidant with vitamin E, magnesium and Tryptophan – a calming, feel good amino acid.
11. Sunflower Seeds – EFA Omega 6 (linoleic acid) vitamin E, magnesium, selenium, all essential for optimal health.
12. Kelp – this particular ingredient is sourced from King Island and is added primarily as a source of iodine, which is essential for healthy thyroid function.
13-16. Reishi Mushroom powder, dried Bilberry, Barley Grass, Spirulina – all known powerful antioxidants, with many health benefits.
17. Celtic Sea Salt – naturally harvested sea salt is rich in mineral and trace elements.
18. Inulin - a prebiotic which encourages good intestinal bacteria to maintain gut health.
19. Tocopherols - a source of Vitamin E providing antioxidants and a natural preservative of essential fatty acids.
We noticed some of these ingredients are now popping up in the ingredients' list of some of the higher-quality (usually grain-free) dry dog food brands on the market ...
How to Make the Best Use of Wellbeing Essentials
This supplement is easy to use, you simply sprinkle it onto your dog’s food whether it is a home-cooked meal, a raw or commercial food option. There’s no judgment here on what the best/only option for your dog’s nutrition should be, which we found refreshing!
You only need to use small amounts but to obtain the best results you must be consistent and add it to every single meal for at least 3-4 weeks. You only need 1-2 teaspooons/day for small to medium dogs; 1-2 dessert spoons for medium to large dogs so with our pack (all weighing just under 30kg), we added 1 tablespoon per meal (twice a day). The pack comes with a spoon measuring 5g.
Dogs have different needs to humans in nutrients: the main one is the calcium to phosphorus ratio. Humans are the opposite to dogs, needing more phosphorous to calcium. They don’t get this balance when fed a diet the same as ours.
Wellbeing Essentials ensures their food is balanced and they have all the calcium they need. This supplement was designed specifically to complement home made dog food meals, in accordance with AAFCO standards and the Nutrient Requirements for Dogs.
For the purpose of this review, we included the full list of these 20+ natural fresh wholefoods and super foods. These natural ingredients were chosen as they're multi-functional and also have the highest bio-availability (which means the retained amount of benefit).
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| Flaxseed - Whole and Ground |
2. Dehydrated Organic Lamb Liver – a superfood rich in Vitamine A, a powerful antioxidant, B vitamins, Iron and Selenium, all essential for the central nervous system and energy conversion.
3. Calcium Hydroxyapatite (Bonemeal) – Bonemeal is a balanced source of calcium and phosphorous.
4. Brewer’s yeast – B vitamins primarily which are essential for nerves and brains.
5. Lecithin – Choline metabolises fats and helps with brain function.
6-8. Sesame Seeds, Brazil Kernels, Pepitas – for Zinc and Selenium, essential minerals often low in Australian soils.
9. Wheat Germ – high in Manganese which helps bones and muscles.
10. Almonds – antioxidant with vitamin E, magnesium and Tryptophan – a calming, feel good amino acid.
11. Sunflower Seeds – EFA Omega 6 (linoleic acid) vitamin E, magnesium, selenium, all essential for optimal health.
12. Kelp – this particular ingredient is sourced from King Island and is added primarily as a source of iodine, which is essential for healthy thyroid function.
 |
| Organic Dried Bilberry Fruit |
13-16. Reishi Mushroom powder, dried Bilberry, Barley Grass, Spirulina – all known powerful antioxidants, with many health benefits.
17. Celtic Sea Salt – naturally harvested sea salt is rich in mineral and trace elements.
18. Inulin - a prebiotic which encourages good intestinal bacteria to maintain gut health.
19. Tocopherols - a source of Vitamin E providing antioxidants and a natural preservative of essential fatty acids.
20. Lactobacticillus, Acidophilus
We noticed some of these ingredients are now popping up in the ingredients' list of some of the higher-quality (usually grain-free) dry dog food brands on the market ...
This supplement is easy to use, you simply sprinkle it onto your dog’s food whether it is a home-cooked meal, a raw or commercial food option. There’s no judgment here on what the best/only option for your dog’s nutrition should be, which we found refreshing!
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| When will dinner be ready mum? Prep time with Beef Stir-Fry Strips, Carrots, Broccoli and Wellbeing Essentials Supplement |
Genetics aside, if you want your dogs to live a long and healthy life what you're feeding them daily is essential. If you can't afford to buy the super premium brands of dog food, you could try the raw diet or the home-cooked meal approach but not all dogs will tolerate these. Always speak to your vet first before making changes, especially if your dog suffers from any medical conditions.
Our Experience - Wellbeing Essentials Review
We sprinkled the Wellbeing Essentials supplements on our dog food (we tried it with kibble, raw and also home-cooked meals) over a period of 4 weeks though I have to admit we were not as consistent throughout as we should have been.
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| Wellbeing Essentials Supplement |
Maybe it's the FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) syndrome or sibling rivalry in our household but if only one dog was getting what we called their "happy sprinkles", our other two dogs would go and sniff that bowl and wanted theirs too! The supplements did smell fresh and healthy and you do feel like you're making a real difference to your dog's wellbeing.
If one of our dogs had been suffering from a food or skin allergy, it would have been interesting to monitor if the supplements had a positive impact which we were unable to test...
The only obstacle for us to adopt this product as a regular user is really the price. However if you have a senior dog or a dog who needs a bit of a boost to their immune system, definitely give this nutritional supplement a try!
Please remember to refrigerate your pack after opening and to use your pack within 3 months.
The only obstacle for us to adopt this product as a regular user is really the price. However if you have a senior dog or a dog who needs a bit of a boost to their immune system, definitely give this nutritional supplement a try!
Please remember to refrigerate your pack after opening and to use your pack within 3 months.
Price & Where to Buy
RRP: from $33.00 (250g pack). Also available in 500g and 1kg packs.
Please note that the 1kg packet is the best value buy, providing around 200 serves for a 5kg dog. It is ideal for larger dogs and multi-dog homes.
For more details, please visit www.wellbeingfordogs.com.au
Disclaimer: Product supplied by Wellbeing Essentials for editorial consideration.
RRP: from $33.00 (250g pack). Also available in 500g and 1kg packs.
Please note that the 1kg packet is the best value buy, providing around 200 serves for a 5kg dog. It is ideal for larger dogs and multi-dog homes.
For more details, please visit www.wellbeingfordogs.com.au
Disclaimer: Product supplied by Wellbeing Essentials for editorial consideration.