Supplement amounts for dogs are set by body weight. Not by age, not by breed and not by how big a dog looks. A lean 60 lb collie and a heavy 60 lb bulldog take the same amount, because the amount follows the weight.
That sounds obvious written down. It is also the single thing people most often get wrong, usually by eye and usually generously.
Why is body weight the right measure
Because the amount of an active ingredient a body encounters depends on how much body there is. A dose that suits a 15 lb terrier is spread very thin in a 90 lb shepherd, and the reverse gives a small dog far more than the label intends.
Age does not work as a measure. A ten-month-old lab may weigh more than a nine-year-old spaniel. Breed does not work either, because the range inside most breeds is wide. Weight is the only measure that holds across every companion.
How do I weigh a dog that will not sit on a scale
Weigh yourself, then pick the dog up and weigh yourself again. Subtract the first from the second. It is not elegant and it is accurate enough, which is what matters here.
For dogs too large to lift, most veterinary clinics will let you use the scale in reception without an appointment. Ask first, go at a quiet time and it takes two minutes.
Weigh again every few months for a growing puppy, after any deliberate weight change and once a year otherwise. Companions gain and lose weight quietly, and a dose set two years ago may no longer be the right one.
How do the bands work
Every product carries a chart on its page that maps a weight range to an amount. The ranges are called bands, and they are not the same from product to product.
The Calming Support soft chews are one chew per 10 lb of body weight:
| Body weight | Chews per day |
|---|---|
| 0 to 14 lb | 1 |
| 15 to 24 lb | 2 |
| 25 to 34 lb | 3 |
| 35 to 44 lb | 4 |
| 45 to 54 lb | 5 |
| 55 to 64 lb | 6 |
| 65 to 74 lb | 7 |
| 75 lb and over | 8 |
The Hip + Joint Support soft chews are one chew per 8 lb, so the same dog takes more of these than of the Calming chew:
| Body weight | Chews per day |
|---|---|
| 0 to 11 lb | 1 |
| 12 to 19 lb | 2 |
| 20 to 27 lb | 3 |
| 28 to 35 lb | 4 |
| 36 to 43 lb | 5 |
| 44 to 51 lb | 6 |
| 52 to 59 lb | 7 |
| 60 to 67 lb | 8 |
| 68 lb and over | 9 |
Our oils use these:
| Body weight | Daily amount |
|---|---|
| Under 10 lb | 1.25 mL |
| 10 to 25 lb | 2.5 mL |
| 26 to 50 lb | 5 mL |
| 51 to 70 lb | 7.5 mL |
| 71 lb and over | 10 mL |
The cat chews use a third set again. This is the part worth reading twice: do not carry a number across from one product to another. Follow the chart printed on the product you are actually giving, every time.
If you would rather not read a chart, every product page has a calculator. Put in a weight and it returns the amount and how long a container lasts.
What if my dog sits between two bands
Follow the band the weight falls into. A 25 lb dog is in the 10 to 25 lb band. A 26 lb dog is in the next one. The bands are written to be read literally, and the edges are where people improvise most.
If a companion is genuinely on a boundary and you are unsure, speak with your veterinarian rather than splitting the difference.
Do I need to give more at the start
Some soft chews use a loading period, where the amount is higher for the first stretch and then settles to a maintenance amount. Where that applies it is printed on the pack, with the number of days and both amounts.
Two things worth knowing. Not every product has one, so do not assume. And the cat chews have no loading period at all, so if you give a cat and a dog the same brand, do not carry the dog's routine across.
How long will a bag or bottle last
Long enough that the answer is usually a surprise, in both directions.
A 237 mL bottle of oil given to a 40 lb dog at 5 mL a day is a little over 47 days. The same bottle given to an 80 lb dog at 10 mL a day is not quite 24. Same bottle, half the time, because the amount doubled.
This matters for two practical reasons. It tells you when to reorder before you run out, and it tells you whether a larger size is better value for your companion specifically rather than in general.
How much do cats get
Less, and on their own schedule. Our cat chews are 0.5 g, where the dog chews are 3 g, and the weight bands are much narrower because cats occupy a much narrower range.
| Body weight | Calming Support | Senior and Hairball Support |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 5 lb | 1 chew | 2 chews |
| 5.1 to 10 lb | 2 chews | 4 chews |
| 10.1 to 15 lb | 3 chews | 6 chews |
| 15.1 to 20 lb | 4 chews | 8 chews |
| 20.1 lb and over | 5 chews | 10 chews |
Note that the amounts are not the same across the three products even though the weight ranges are. Read the bag in front of you.
What if I miss a day
Give the next one as normal. Do not double up to catch up.
Consistency matters more than any single day, which is the honest argument for a routine: attach it to something you already do without thinking, like the morning feed. The most common reason a companion stops getting a supplement is not a decision. It is that the bag ran out on a Thursday and nobody noticed until the following week.
Should I use my dog's actual weight or their ideal weight
Use the actual weight. Then read the rest of this section if your companion is carrying extra.
Amounts on a label are set against the animal in front of you, not the animal you are working towards. A dog that currently weighs 80 lb takes the 80 lb amount even if the target is 65 lb, and the amount comes down as the weight does.
Where this becomes worth a conversation is that a dog carrying significant extra weight is usually a dog whose veterinarian has views about several things at once, of which a supplement is only one. If you are actively managing a weight change, mention what you are giving at the next appointment and re-check the amount as the number moves.
Do not round down as a way of being careful. An amount below the band does not make a product gentler, it makes it something other than what the label describes.
Why do the bands differ between products
Because the products differ, and a single rule stretched across a whole range would be a marketing decision rather than a formulation one.
Our chews, oils and cat chews use three separate sets of cut points. The oils are measured in millilitres, so they can be banded finely. The soft chews are counted in whole and half chews, which forces the boundaries to fall where a half chew makes sense. The cat chews are a sixth of the size of the dog chews and cover a far narrower weight range, so they need finer divisions again.
A range where every product used identical bands would be over-serving something or under-serving something else. Bands that differ are what it looks like when the amount follows the formulation rather than the other way round.
When should I talk to a veterinarian first
Before starting anything, if your companion is on medication, is pregnant or nursing, has a diagnosed condition, or is recovering from surgery. Also if you are giving more than one supplement and are not certain how they sit together.
Supplements are not medicines and they are not a substitute for veterinary care. Your veterinarian knows your companion's history, and that context is worth more than any chart.
Every product page carries its own chart and calculator: calming support, hip and joint, cat supplements and the functional oils. Put in a weight, read the amount back, and check it against the pack in your hand.
Related reading
- How to read a pet supplement label
- Cat supplements are not small dog supplements
- What the ingredients in a calming chew actually do
References
- World Small Animal Veterinary Association, Global Nutrition Guidelines.
- World Small Animal Veterinary Association, Body Condition Score chart for dogs (PDF).
