How We Improved Our Supplements

For over two decades, the folks here at K9 Power have been dedicated to providing dog owners with the highest quality supplements to improve their K9 companions’ health, wellness, appearance and overall nutrition. There’s a reason discerning pet owners have chosen our supplements over our competition all these years, but even so, we thought we’d take that extra step to make our products that much better.

You may have noticed a change in our packaging and website (sexy, right?), but did you know that we improved all of our formulas too? That’s right, friends, K9POWER got a complete makeover and we’re so proud to say that we offer the absolute best products possible. We hired a top animal nutrition specialist, Dr. George Fahey, to inspect each of our formulas and make key recommendations to improve our product line. Backed by Dr. Fahey’s years of experience, we made each of these changes to improve the performance of our already stellar products.

How do these changes affect the quality of the products our customers have grown to love and trust? Read on for evidence as to how we have materially improved the performance of each of our upgraded dog dietary supplements and why.

Show Stopper – Show Stopper is our flagship product made with essential nutrients to improve your dog’s skin and coat, and the following adjustments were made to improve its formula:

• Chicken is now our number one ingredient, not to be confused with chicken meal or chicken byproducts
• Added coconut oil as a source of medium chain triglycerides, which protects against coat damage and conditions the skin

• Removed creatine to be in line with AAFCO and the NASC guidelines
• Increased amount of whole egg by over 5 times as the fatty acids in eggs improve skin and coat health and reduce flaky, dry skin
• Reduced rice bran to levels supported by research to provide the maximum benefit
• Changed overall formulation of fats, while maintaining an optimized ratio in our product by reducing chicken fat, beef fat and safflower oil and increasing olive oil, camelina oil and cod liver oil — resulted in an improved ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3
• Increased plant-based antioxidant levels dramatically through the addition of ingredients like powdered carrot, blueberry, tart cherry, beet juice and broccoli sprouts — antioxidants help reduce seasonal allergies and support a normal inflammatory response
• Added Icelandic kelp, which has easily digestible vitamins, minerals and protein to aid with amino acid absorption — helps with allergies, dry skin and alopecia
• Added prebiotics, the fiber that supports key intestinal bacteria
• Increased probiotics and digestive enzyme levels — same ingredients, just a more effective level
• Reduced salt and potassium levels
• Added vitamin E as minor deficiency results in itchy skin
• Added lutein, which improves skin hydration, elasticity and lipid content
• Replaced silicon dioxide with rice concentrate as a flowing agent to reduce clumping

Joint Strong – When it comes to joint health, K9POWER Joint Strong was already the leading product on the market, and we made it even better. Here are the changes we made:

• Increased MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane), a natural analgesic that blocks the transfer of pain impulses through the nerve fibers and blocks the inflammation by enhancing the activity of cortisol, a natural anti-inflammatory hormone produced by the body.
• Increased agave nectar to improve taste
• Added milk protein isolate to help reduce inflammation
• Increased CMO (Cetyl Myristoleate) levels to maintain joint flexibility by lubricating joints and softening tissue
• Increased curcumin levels, which comes from Turmeric and is a strong antioxidant with potent anti-inflammatory effects
• Added cod liver oil and increased camelina oil concentrations which are both good sources of EPA and DHA (omega fatty acids)
• Increased plant-based antioxidant levels by adding ingredients like powdered tart cherry, pomegranate and vitaberry mix, which can help with allergies and inflammation
• Added calcium ascorbate (vitamin c), which is necessary for collagen, the main structural protein found in connective tissue
• Added Icelandic sea kelp, which contains fucoidan, a complex carbohydrate that is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent
• Reduced salt and potassium
• Replaced silicon dioxide with rice concentrate as a flowing agent to reduce clumping

Go Dog – Our water-soluble hydrating formula, Go Dog, is the premier hydration drink for dogs. It’s like a sports drink for dogs! It’s great for competing athletic dogs as well as your everyday hiking pup. Here’s what changed:

• Balanced formula of electrolyte and calcium replacement elements based on canine requirements — magnesium, sodium, potassium and calcium levels are optimized for proper absorption during and after exercise
• Adjusted lipid ratios by adding medium chain triglycerides (coconut oil) to help store glycogen better and serve as an energy source to discourage muscle wasting and fatigue
• Upped the flavor quotient with more real chicken and beef
• Added quercetin which fights protein breakdown in the body during stress
• Updated key amino acid contributions adding L-threonine to help maintain proper protein balance in the body and L-tryptophan, to improve athletic performance.
• Replaced silicon dioxide with rice concentrate as a flowing agent to reduce clumping

Digest Forte – It’s often your dog’s “output” that indicates health issues first since the digestive tract contains up to 90% of the body’s total cells. Digestion is crucial to proper nutrient absorption, and Digest Forte’s balance of fiber, pre and probiotics helps things run smoothly (and keeps the house less stinky!). Here’s how we improved the formula:

• Increased our concentration of probiotics and digestive enzymes
• Optimized the balance of digestible and indigestible fibers (prebiotics) by reducing the rice bran content and adding psyllium fiber, kelp and yucca, which stimulates circulation, improves digestion, reduces inflammation, relieves pain and reduces stool odor (when used for 6-8 weeks) in some dogs
• Added real chicken as the first ingredient, which improves flavor and is a source of collagen, gelatin, glycine and proline, which contribute to good intestinal health
• Added agave nectar to improve taste and act as a strong prebiotic
• Added mannanoligosaccharides (MOS), which improves gastrointestinal health as well as overall health, improving energy levels and performance
• Added ginger, basil and kelp, which aid in digestion and help support normal gastrointestinal functions
• Replaced silicon dioxide with rice concentrate as a flowing agent to reduce clumping

Carnivore Cookies – Our dog treats, Carnivore Cookies, are a longtime favorite of pet owners, and we set out to make them not only healthier but also more delicious for your furry friends.  Dogs rely heavily on smell to enjoy flavor since they have far fewer taste buds than humans, so we added natural hickory smoke flavor to our cookies to give them that that barbecue smell that pups love. Here are the other improvements:

• Doubled the amount of real chicken in our recipe, giving them a great source of easily digestible protein rich in B vitamins
• Tripled the amount of egg, a good source of protein, vitamin A, riboflavin, folate, vitamin B12, iron, selenium, biotin and fatty acids
• Added carrots, which are packed with vitamin A, C, D, E, K, B1 and B6
• Added real blueberry powder, which is an excellent source of antioxidants, selenium, zinc and iron and is high in vitamins C, E, A and B complex
• Added tomatoes, which contain many healthy substances, such as lycopene, an important antioxidant which is known to work against cancer, oxidative stress and other diseases
• Added honey, which healthy for them especially when it comes to digestion, allergies and boosted energy levels
• Added coconut oil, which helps their skin, digestive and immune systems, metabolic function, bone and brain health
• Added chicken fat, a quality source of essential fatty acids and an excellent source of energy
• Added agave nectar, which acts as a prebiotic and replaces fructose in the recipe as the sweetener
• Added natural hickory smoke extract to improve the treat’s smell and palatability