Give your dog's joint chews with food, every day, in the amount the label sets for their current weight. For Everhound Hip & Joint, that means 1 chew for dogs under 25 lb, up to 5 chews for dogs over 100 lb. If you miss a day, give the usual amount next time and don't double up.
That covers the basics. The rest of this guide answers the questions that come up once the jar is open: how many chews your dog needs, how to fit them into mealtimes, what to do after a missed day, how long a 120-chew jar lasts, where to keep it, and how to serve a dog who is carrying extra weight.
How many chews to give, by weight
The serving follows your dog's weight on the scale today. Breed, age and activity level don't change it.
| Dog's current weight | Daily serving, with food |
|---|---|
| Under 25 lb | 1 chew |
| 25–50 lb | 2 chews |
| 50–75 lb | 3 chews |
| 75–100 lb | 4 chews |
| Over 100 lb | 5 chews |
If you don't know the exact number, weigh your dog. Many vet clinics will let you use their scale, or you can step on a bathroom scale holding your dog and subtract your own weight. Check again every few months, and more often for a young adult still filling out or a dog on a diet, because the serving moves when the weight does.
Every dog gets the same chew. Only the count changes, so a 15 lb terrier and a 110 lb mastiff can share a jar but not a serving. If you want to know why size matters for joints beyond the count, read our guide to joint support by dog size.
Each chew (about 2.2 g) contains glucosamine HCl 200 mg, MSM 100 mg, vitamin C 75 mg, chondroitin sulfate 65 mg, organic turmeric root powder 50 mg, yucca schidigera extract 15 mg, egg shell meal 10 mg and vitamin E 25 IU. To learn what glucosamine, the best known of these, is and how it's been studied, read glucosamine for dogs.
Giving it with food: timing and routine
The label's directions are simple: the serving for your dog's weight, every day, with food. Here's how that works at home:
- Pair it with a meal your dog never skips. Breakfast and dinner both work. The best time is the one you'll still remember on a rushed morning.
- Give it at mealtime. It's a chicken-flavor soft chew, and most dogs take it straight from your hand.
- Follow the label for anything else. If you're wondering about splitting the serving or changing how you give it, go by the directions on the jar, and ask your vet if your dog has trouble eating the chews.
- Keep the count steady. There's no extra start-up serving and no bonus chew after a long hike. Same amount, every day.
Keep an eye on your dog for the first week or two, as you would with any new food. VCA Animal Hospitals lists mild stomach upset, such as gas or soft stools, as the side effect to watch for with glucosamine. If it doesn't settle, or your dog vomits or goes off their food, call your vet.
If your dog takes prescription medicine or other supplements, tell your vet about the chew before you start. Cornell's Riney Canine Health Center notes that joint supplements can be given along with pain medications, and recommends checking with a veterinarian first so they know what problem they're dealing with. Ask before hiding a prescribed pill inside a chew, too.
If you miss a day
A missed serving isn't an emergency, and doubling up doesn't make up for it. Here's what to do:
- You remember later the same day: give the usual serving with the next meal, or with a small handful of your dog's regular food.
- You only notice the next day: give that day's usual serving and carry on.
- You've missed several days: start again at the usual serving. There's nothing to catch up.
That lines up with VCA's general advice for glucosamine: give a missed dose when you remember, skip it if the next one is nearly due, and never give two doses at once.
A dog who helps themselves is a different situation. Cornell's Riney Canine Health Center points out that it's possible to overdose on joint supplements, and advises handling them like medicines and keeping them out of reach. If your dog gets into the jar and eats more than their serving, call your veterinarian right away rather than waiting to see what happens.
How long a 120-chew jar lasts
Divide 120 by your dog's daily serving:
| Dog's weight | Chews per day | One jar lasts | Roughly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 25 lb | 1 | 120 days | 4 months |
| 25–50 lb | 2 | 60 days | 2 months |
| 50–75 lb | 3 | 40 days | 6 weeks |
| 75–100 lb | 4 | 30 days | 1 month |
| Over 100 lb | 5 | 24 days | 3½ weeks |
Sharing a jar between two dogs? Add their servings together. A 20 lb dog (1 chew) and a 60 lb dog (3 chews) use 4 a day, so one jar lasts them 30 days.
Order the next jar about a week before this one runs out so there's no gap. And don't try to stretch a jar by skipping days. The serving is a daily one.
How to store joint chews
Soft chews keep best when they stay cool, dry and closed. The FDA's storage advice for pet food and treats is a good guide:
- Keep them in the original jar with the lid on tight. The label has the lot number and best-by date if you ever need them.
- Choose a cool, dry spot below 80°F. An inside cupboard or pantry shelf is ideal.
- Keep heat and steam away. That means not next to the dishwasher, stove, kettle, laundry or bathroom, and never in a hot car or garage. PetMD notes that heat above 80°F and humid air shorten shelf life, and that moisture speeds up spoilage.
- Keep the jar out of direct sun. VCA advises protecting glucosamine products from light.
- Store it where your dog can't get to it. The FDA suggests a secure spot so a pet can't eat a whole supply at once.
If the jar has its own storage directions, follow those first.
Throw the chews out if they smell rancid or sour, show any mold, change color or turn hard. Those are the signs of spoiled pet food that PetMD lists. Don't try to dry out chews that got damp.
Serving an overweight dog
Serve by your dog's current weight, the number on the scale today, not the weight you're aiming for. Don't add chews because a heavier dog seems to need more help, and don't cut chews to save calories unless your vet tells you to.
Say your dog weighs 80 lb and your vet wants them at 70 lb. Today that's 4 chews. Once the scale settles in the 50–75 lb band, drop to 3. Reweigh every few weeks during a diet so the serving keeps pace.
The weight loss itself belongs to your vet's plan, and it matters for joints. Cornell says excess weight contributes to the onset and progression of joint disease, and that for overweight dogs, weight loss alone often brings significant pain relief.
Not sure where your dog stands? VCA's body condition guide describes a healthy dog as one whose ribs you can feel under a thin layer of fat, with a visible waist and tummy tuck. If you need firm pressure to find the ribs and the waist has gone, ask your vet to score your dog's body condition and set a target weight, a daily food amount and the exercise that suits them. Our guide to low-impact exercise for dogs has gentle ideas to talk through with them. When you plan portions, count the chews along with every other snack.
About Everhound Hip & Joint
Everhound Hip & Joint is a daily joint support chew for adult and aging dogs. We make it cold, with no heat and no added water, in an SQF-certified, FDA-registered facility in the USA. There's no corn, soy or artificial flavor, and every jar carries a 60-day money-back guarantee. The research on each ingredient is on our science page.
Ready to start? Get a jar for your dog and give the first serving with tonight's dinner.
FAQ
Can I give the chew on an empty stomach?
The serving is meant to go with food. If your dog skipped breakfast, give the chews with their next meal instead. A day that ends without a meal is simply a missed day, so give the usual serving the next day.
Should I give extra chews on active days?
No. The count follows weight, not activity. A big hike, a training day or a stiff morning doesn't change the serving. If your dog seems sore after exercise, or starts limping, talk to your vet rather than adding chews.
Can my puppy have joint chews?
Everhound Hip & Joint is made for adult and aging dogs. Cornell notes that some vets suggest starting around 1 year of age, when most dogs stop growing, while others go by activity level and risk factors. Our guide on when to start a dog joint supplement covers the timing.
Do I keep giving it every day for good?
The serving is written as a daily one, and joint support is a long-term routine rather than a short course. Bring the jar to your dog's checkups so your vet can keep it in the plan alongside everything else your dog eats and takes.