A Breakdown of Each HOLI Protein

Chicken breast is a great source of B vitamins, especially vitamin B3 and B6.  B3, also known as thiamine, is an essential vitamin for lowering cholesterol and help reduce the signs of arthritis. Vitamin B6, or pyridoxine, is important for protein building, which is especially beneficial for highly active dogs and growing puppies. It regulates sodium and potassium levels, too!

Minerals like phosphorus and selenium can be found in chicken breast. Phosphorus partnered with Calcium helps with bone structure and density, decreasing your dog’s risk of fractures. Selenium has antioxidant properties which can aid immune function, keeping your pup from getting sick! Shop chicken breast topper and treats.

Lamb liver is a great low-fat protein source containing vitamin A and iron. Vitamin A plays a part in almost every bodily function dogs have. It is essential for the upkeep and functioning of both day and night vision. It also helps puppies develop their brain and their skeletal system properly. This vitamin also helps cells differentiate during their growth to specialize in their function. Like selenium, this vitamin helps boost immunity to fight off nasty illnesses!

Iron helps to create red blood cells and hemoglobin, and helps in oxygen transportation in hemoglobin throughout the body, keeping them from feeling lethargic. Iron-deficient anemia, just like in humans, can cause a lack of appetite, lethargy, and excess panting (well, we guess humans don’t do that one!). A mineral so important to your dog’s circulatory system should not be overlooked! Shop lamb liver topper and treats.

Rabbit contains more protein and lower cholesterol than most other sources (like chicken, veal, duck, and pork), making it a dense-but-lean and heart healthy option for both sedentary and active dogs. It also contains lots of vitamin B12, or cobalamin, which is important in cell growth and normal nervous system function.

Vitamin B12 helps your dog to not feel sluggish throughout the day, too, because it helps maintain energy levels! It also contains calcium, essential for healthy bone growth and maintenance. It’s especially important in puppies and pregnant and lactating dogs. It helps aid in muscle contraction (important for those long hikes and dog park zoomies!), hormone balancing, and digestive tract function. Shop rabbit topper and treats.

Our wild caught skin-on salmon treats are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids can’t be synthesized by your dog, so they must be included in their diet. There are so many benefits to including omega-3s in your dog’s diet. Skin and coat: omega-3 fatty acids keep your dogs coat shiny and healthy from the roots. This can also help to reduce shedding by strengthening the hairs on your dog's coat!

No, husky parents, this doesn’t mean your dog will never shed again, sorry! However, it can help nourish dry or irritated skin and reduce the amount of shedding. Dry skin and a poor coat can be an irritant for those of us that have allergies to dogs as well (making these a great gift for your friend who’s dog constantly makes you sneeze…win-win!). Those with dogs prone to hotspots know the struggle of remedying this problem. Feeding omega-3 rich foods can help to reduce the frequency of hotspots and make them a bit easier to clear up if your dog gets them.

We all had a huge scare when cardiomyopathy—heart murmurs—related to dog food was on the front pages. Omega-3s can help reduce the chances of heart murmurs and other heart problems, like high blood pressure or chance of stroke. In addition, omega-3s can reduce joint inflammation and improve signs of osteoporosis, and can benefit cognitive function! It has been shown to help puppies' development as well as reducing the chance of doggy Alzheimer’s Disease. Shop salmon topper and treats.

Beef liver is one of nature's most nutrient dense superfoods. Not only is it a great source of protein and a super high-value treat (trust us…this stuff drives them wild!), but it also has iron, vitamins A, B2, B6, B9, and B12. We’ve already talked about the benefits of iron, vitamin A, B6 and B12, so we’ll save you the recap. Vitamin B2, or riboflavin, is the key player working with enzymes (called a coenzyme) to turn fats and carbohydrates into energy. Like iron, riboflavin helps produce red blood cells, which helps deliver oxygen throughout the body.

B2 helps in absorption of iron and B6 as well. It can also help support healthy vision. Vitamin B9, folate, is essential to the healthy development of puppies in the womb. Like humans, pregnant people (and dogs!) need to supplement folic acid to have a healthy pregnancy and baby. Most of us are not planning to breed our dogs, so the benefits to our spayed and neutered crew are, again, this vitamin is used in the production of red blood cells, and it is also important for the synthesis of DNA and building new proteins. Shop beef liver topper and treats.

Turkey breast is full of vitamins and minerals that benefit your dog. Not only is it delicious, but it boasts high amounts of vitamin D, B6 and B12, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, and potassium. Unfortunately, our pups can’t synthesize Vitamin D from the sun like we can. They need it from their foods, like turkey breast! Vitamin D is important for the absorption of calcium throughout the body, and without it can lead to brittle bones, fractures, heart disease, and growth problems in puppies. It reduces joint inflammation and vision deterioration, the chance of kidney disease, and helps with dental health.

Magnesium is part of energy production in your dog’s body. It works in partner with calcium, potassium, and sodium to facilitate the transfer of energy from muscles and brain functions. Lowered amounts of this mineral can cause the other three to drop as well. Nervous system function and muscle movement and contraction are magnesium’s main roles in the body. Phosphorus works with calcium throughout your dogs body to give us healthy bones and teeth. It has functions in kidney health by helping the body to filter out toxins as well as helping comprise our dogs’ DNA.