[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Wallyworld –

Personally, I would avoid fish based kibbles or kibbles high in DHA. It’s very likely to be rancid by the time your dog eats it and rancid omega 3’s are worse than no omega 3’s at all. It’s much better to feed a kibble low in omega 3’s (preferably with no added omega 3’s – although this would be difficult to find) and supplement with a high quality fish oil, tinned sardines and/or cage free eggs. If you subscribe to the Whole Dog Journal there’s a wonderful article on this topic titled “Fat’s Chance” by Steve Brown from December 2012 – it can be found in the archives online. I don’t use krill oil because it’s very expensive and I think a high quality fish oil is just as good. The most important thing when it comes to picking out a fish oil is quality – use human supplements only, never buy fish oil in pump dispensers, make sure the company tests for contaminants and make sure the fish oil contains vitamin e (helps to prevent oxidation). When it comes to fish oil you’re going to need to spend some money to get a quality product – good fish oil is not cheap. Make sure you store it in the fridge, use it within 2 – 3 months and if it smells “fishy” it’s rancid. I use Carlson Brand Salmon Oil Complete with astaxanthin – Carlson Labs is a very reputable company that makes some of the best quality fish oils for humans and they add high levels of vitamin e to preserve freshness. I also feed organic cage free eggs a few times a week (which are high in omega 3’s) and occasionally feed tinned sardines packed in water. Additionally, I sometimes add plant-based omega 3’s like sprouted flaxseed, sprouted chia seed and hemp seed.