Many aspiring dog breeders and handlers are hoping that this is the year that their dog's bodies will transform into the bodies of their dreams. Unfortunately, dog breeder's love of hype puts them at the mercy of dog food, canine supplements and snake oil manufacturers and vulnerable to their marketing ploys. Professional athletes get it, trainers get it, veterinarians are now beginning to see the light but unfortunately a lot of dog owners don't. Either they don't care or they don't keep up on research. Fledgling breeders may not know as much as veteran breeders but they inevitably know that supplementation plays a role in their future dog campaigning success.

Where should these supplements come from? To answer this question, we must first look at the role of protein in foods versus protein supplementation. To really understand the influence of protein and amino acids on the body would take too long so we'll give you the short version. Over 50% of the dry weight of a dog's body is protein. The hemoglobin that carries oxygen in the blood is even protein. The structure of your dog's genes and brain cells is totally protein. Every single bodily function, from an eye blink to the creation of new muscle is controlled by thousands of different enzymes and enzymes are proteins! What it boils down to is if you want to breed or compete at high level, you need to get your dog's protein nutrition right and get it right ALL OF THE TIME! You can make big mistakes with the fuel foods, i.e. carbs, fats,) but the mistakes you make with your dog's protein will eventually haunt you. What nutrients are responsible for the majority of repairs when there is an injury? Yep protein. Protein structures are not there forever though. They die. About every six months, your dog's entire musculature is replaced. The body he or she has today was built from what they have eaten over the last six months. Ever wonder why your dog blows coat when starting them on a new food or supplement containing quality protein? If the proteins they ate were poor quality, then the tissue that was made from that protein is going to be poor quality. Getting the picture here? For optimum performance you have to feed optimum protein to build optimum structure. PERIOD.

Exercise injures muscle! Free radicals are generated every time you exercise your dog. Those free radicals act as shrapnel, injuring every muscle cell they contact. What's even worse is the free radical damage that occurs during exercise doesn't stop when you stop working your dog. The free radicals that are created continue to injure your dog long afterwards. How can you combat free radicals? Antioxidants antioxidants antioxidants!! Vertex is chocked full of the most effective antioxidants like vitamins C, E and even much more powerful antioxidants from micro algae called Astaxanthin. The same powerful phytochemical that makes salmon pink and is shown to give improved protection against oxidation and photo-oxidation. Research has shown that astaxanthin is also responsible for:

Aid in Reproduction and development,

Immune response,

Resistance to disease.

If you wait until the point that your dog is showing the signs of injury or deficiency, it's too late. The damage is already done. The key is to provide these nutrients to your dog before something happens that is either irreversible or at the very least costly to repair. Dogs are getting injured at an alarming rate. Whether it's a back or neck injury from that extra little enthusiasm of wanting that Frabo, turning the corner around the blind quicker or speeding around that agility course in hopes of shaving a second or 2 off their all time best. Dogs need nutritional help.

If we could recommend 1 product to you for any breed of dog or any activity, it would be Vertex. Vertex delivers a protein and amino acid profile that causes even the human supplement maker's jaws drop. Predigested liver, whey and egg! Unequalled and unmatched for PER, BCAA's and absorbable protein content. What's even better is that because of the nature of these proteins and their nearly 100% digestibility and absorption, you don't have to break the bank feeding it. 1-4 tablespoons per day for most breeds and activities.

Compare that to our competitors. You'll need to feed CUPS of theirs. Let's talk glycogen for a minute. Ever heard of it? Probably not but believe me, your dog and maybe even you have felt the effects of depleted glycogen stores. It's like going to your bodies' energy reserve account and the account is overdrawn. Glycogen is the body's first choice for quick energy and the only choice for brain fuel. It is produced by the liver and stored there and also in muscle tissue. Glycogen production takes time and when those stores are gone, they're gone. Dog's bodies are much more effective at converting food to glycogen stores, that act as money in the bank, fuel wise, but even with the increased efficiency, they tend to use the stores so rapidly in these unnatural sports that we do with our dogs that they are often running on empty tanks. In order to replace glycogen stores rapidly and without upset to the system, there is only 1 answer. Glucose polymers.

Glucose polymers in the form of maltodextrin are complex carbohydrates that when fed at the correct time, convert to glycogen relatively quick. The absolute finest glucose polymers are used in Vertex. They are also pre solubulized so that they dissolve instantly in water. Cold or warm. Do you know anyone taking glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate or even MSM? If you feed Vertex, your dog will be taking it. Quite a lot of it too. All three nutrients are now recognized by several health organizations for their effectiveness against pain and inflammation, especially and most specifically in the joints and connective tissue. Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are components of normal cartilage. They are the building blocks for proteoglycans and stimulate chondrocytes to make new collagen and proteoglycans. Because these supplements stimulate the production of new cartilage components, the supplements may be able to help the body repair damaged cartilage. There is evidence from patients that Glucosamine and Chondroitin can reduce pain from osteoarthritis, usually within several weeks to months after initiating therapy. MSM has shown benefits for a range of health problems including arthritis, muscle and joint pain. MSM has shown promise in the inhibition of pain impulses along nerve fibers, (analgesia), lessening of inflammation, increasing blood supply, reducing muscle spasms, and softening of scar tissue. Vertex contains pharmaceutical grade Glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate and MSM in just the right ratio to give your dog enough but not too much.