WE BELIEVE THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT DECISION you make for your pet is what you put in their bowl

George’s Story

I had plenty of pets growing up: dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters, a few fish, and even a parrot. But George was my very first pet as a young adult—my first real responsibility and dependent.

The day he arrived was full of joy and excitement; little did I know how much this little creature was about to change me and the course of my life. As all new pet owners do, I became infatuated and obsessed with the new addition to the family, taking him with me wherever I went. He sailed through all the usual milestones: puppy jabs and boosters, first walks, first playdates, his first trip to the dog park, socialization, sleeping through the night, potty training, and learning new tricks.

In the weeks and months that followed, George began to itch, scratch, and lick himself incessantly—so much so that he was breaking his skin, bleeding, and developing numerous hotspots. George was not living comfortably, and this was heartbreaking for me.

Our local veterinarian diagnosed George with atopic dermatitis (atopy). Atopy is a common skin disease characterized by excessive itchiness (pruritus), and it affects at least 15% of dogs globally. Atopy is caused by a reaction to substances in the environment known as allergens, and it’s a lifelong condition. While there is no cure, effective treatment can still help your dog maintain a high quality of life.

We left the vet’s office with a course of steroids, which worked wonders for a few weeks; but alas, the itching returned with a vengeance. We headed back to the vet defeated and overwhelmed, leaving with a second course of steroids and a warning about the risks of long-term steroid use. That day, a fire was lit within me. I was determined to figure out what allergen was causing this itching and eliminate it from George’s environment.

Allergens generally come in four different varieties: environmental, domestic, parasitic, and dietary. Environmental: grasses, seeds, and pollens. Domestic: home cleaning products and fragrances. Parasitic: ticks, fleas, mites, mange, etc. Dietary: food allergens, sensitivities, or intolerances. After eliminating environmental, domestic, and parasitic allergens, it could only be a pet food allergen, sensitivity, or intolerance.

George arrived as a kibble-fed puppy, and I continued to feed him kibble as I did not know any better. Most pet parents don’t. In the weeks that followed, I learned more than I ever thought possible on the topic of canine nutrition and dietary requirements. What surprised me most was how contentious the topic was. With all the stakeholders at each other’s throats—from billion-dollar pet food companies to veterinarians, certified canine nutritionists, and passionately vocal dog owners—no one could agree on the best diet for dogs.

Confused but determined, I immediately got George off kibble and onto a fresh pet food diet. We started with two recipes that we would rotate: recipe one was chicken mince, rice, and butternut; recipe two was beef mince, sweet potato, and spinach. We also fed plain yogurt and eggs during this initial fresh-feeding period. After a few weeks off the ultra-processed kibble, we noticed a drastic change in George’s atopy; and within three months, the itching subsided completely. Not only did the itching stop, but we also noticed softer, shinier fur, reduced redness in the whites of the eyes, better dental hygiene and breath, increased energy levels, smaller poops that were firmer and less smelly, and a much happier and healthier George in general.