5 Daily Habits to Healthier, Longer-Living Dogs

Glutathione is often called the “master antioxidant” because it helps the body detox, supports liver function, boosts the immune system, and protects cells from oxidative stress (which accelerates aging). For senior dogs, allergy dogs, cancer-prone dogs, and dogs dealing with chronic inflammation, glutathione can make a noticeable difference in energy, recovery, and overall vitality.

Benefits:

Risks:
Most dogs tolerate glutathione very well. The only real “risk” is giving too much. High doses can cause mild digestive upset in sensitive dogs — think soft stool or gurgly belly — but this is rare and usually dose-related.

What About Antioxidant-Rich Foods?

Blueberries and other antioxidant-rich foods (spinach, kale, broccoli sprouts, cranberries, etc.), but they work differently than glutathione. Antioxidant foods provide dietary antioxidants that help reduce inflammation and support overall health.

Glutathione, however, is the body’s master antioxidant — the one cells use to detoxify, repair damage, and protect the liver, brain, and immune system. Dogs naturally lose glutathione as they age, and chronic issues (allergies, inflammation, toxins) use it up even faster.

Think of it this way:
Blueberries = helpful antioxidants
Glutathione = the antioxidant your dog’s cells run on

Both are beneficial, but blueberries and broccoli sprouts can’t replace glutathione — they work best together to support long-term health.

My Go-To Products:

If your dog needs ongoing antioxidant support, glutathione is one of the most effective tools we have.

Read More: The Natural Dog Mom’s Guide to Raising Senior Dogs

Base mixes are amazing tools — I use a homemade version myself — but mixing them with only a single protein isn’t guaranteed to meet your dog’s full nutritional needs. That’s because:

This means your dog might get a near-balanced meal… or they might miss important nutrients like iodine, vitamin D, manganese, and omega-3s.

What to Use Instead:
I always recommend the Animal Diet Formulator (ADF) software because it calculates every nutrient in your recipe — protein, fat, minerals, vitamins, amino acids — and shows you exactly what’s missing. I began using the software to tweak my recipes, making sure I was covering all the nutritional bases for my dogs. A base mix is a good start, but ADF gets you over the finish line.

Balanced meals = fewer health problems later.

Getting Past the Price Tag:
This software isn’t cheap, but there are ways to get around it. Take advantage of the less expensive two-week trial offer or sign up for $25/month for a brief period.

Read More: The Hidden Dangers of Deficient Raw Diets for Dogs

Functional mushrooms — like reishi, lion’s mane, turkey tail, cordyceps, and chaga — don’t last in the body very long. Their active compounds (beta-glucans, terpenes, and antioxidants) are used quickly, and blood levels start dropping around the 10–12 hour mark.

That means feeding them once daily gives your dog a half day of support… and a half day of nothing.

Feeding functional mushrooms twice daily keeps your dog’s immune system, gut, brain, and inflammatory pathways supported around the clock. This is especially important for:

Small amounts, twice a day, = better absorption, better consistency, and better results.

My Go-To Products (Functional Mushrooms)

Read More: Functional Mushrooms for Dogs

For years, I’ve heard that feeding dogs once a day is “optimal,” but that never made sense for my crew. It’s too much food at once for my dogs, and several supplements — like functional mushrooms — only last about 12 hours. So feeding twice daily, but within a 6–7 hour window (intermittent fasting), works best for us.

Why Time-Restricted Feeding Helps:
Feeding dogs within a shorter daily eating window (like 6–7 hours) supports:

You can absolutely feed twice — just cluster meals within a shorter window to mimic natural eating patterns and support better metabolic health.

Collagen is the protein that supports joints, skin, coat, nails, gut lining, and connective tissue. Dogs naturally lose collagen as they age — just like we do — which can lead to stiffness, dry skin, weaker nails, and slower recovery.

Benefits of Collagen:

Best Food Sources of Collagen: Bone Broth & Real Dog Box

Each source has different strengths:

A mix of these gives your dog the full spectrum of collagen benefits.

Read More: Bone Broth for Dogs , The Benefits (and Drawbacks) of Bone Broth for Dogs

You may have noticed that this is a different format from the one I usually use - a deep dive on one topic. I couldn’t settle on one subject, so I decided to cover several today. Next week is the first Sunday of December, which means I’ll be sharing a recipe. If there’s a protein that you’d like me to focus on, let me know.

I’m not a veterinarian or a practicing professional canine nutritionist. The Raw Feeder Life newsletter is simply a place where I share what I’m learning about canine nutrition and holistic pet health — the wins, the tools, and the things that are helping my own dogs thrive. My goal is to give you ideas, not prescriptions.

Every dog is different, and what works for mine may not be the perfect fit for yours. Please do your homework, talk to your trusted professionals when needed, and always focus on the dog(s) in front of you.

Many pet owners worry that insurance won’t cover everything, especially routine care or pre-existing conditions. While that’s true in many cases, most insurers now offer wellness add-ons for preventive care like vaccines, dental cleanings, and check-ups, giving you more complete coverage. View Money’s pet insurance list to find plans for as low as $10 a month.

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