My mother used to say, “If I had a nickel for every time someone said that, I would be rich”. I feel that way about many things that I hear from guardians, but one particular issue comes up so frequently, that if my mother’s saying was true, I would indeed be rich! That issue is the picky eater. Guardians worry terribly as they try one dog food after another and they watch as their pup “turns their nose up” to everything.
My solution is always the same. I tell the frantic guardian that they have a highly intelligent companion dog that knows dog food is not for him or her. They are usually very skeptical when I suggest trying real, fresh food.
“My dog won’t eat anything."
“I’ve tried everything!”
So I recommend trying fresh, real food with Canine Health or Veg-to-Bowl and oh the joy when they call or write to tell me that their dog loves the food! “It’s a miracle” they say. Once again I remind them how intelligent their pup is and that their instinct leads them to the foods that they need and are healthy for them. The dogs aren’t picky they’re smart!
Megan Says It Best
We recently received this email from Lucy’s mom Megan. Her email was wonderful to read and because we know that there are so many guardians who are frustrated by their “picky eater” we decided to share her words with you. This is the email that we received from Megan detailing her journey with Lucy’s eating problems:
“Dear Dr. Harvey,
I have a 5-year-old Shih Tzu, Lucy, who has always been a picky eater. Not only that, she’s had stomach issues all her life – everything I’ve fed her has given her vomiting fits and diarrhea. I found a bland kibble that she seemed to like, but never really ate all of it and would occasionally vomit, though the diarrhea subsided. She slept a lot, and it was obvious when she wasn’t feeling well.A Chance Meeting
I was out on a walk when I met a woman named Barbara with a dog who was lively, sweet, and happy. We got to talking about our dogs, and I complimented how happy her dog seemed to be. She told me it’s the food, that most dog foods are chock-full of chemicals and preservatives, and these things can negatively impact the behavior of a dog. She recommended your food, saying that it’s the best thing she’s ever done for her dog. I went home and looked up your website. There’s an expression, “if it’s too good to be true, then it probably is”. After all, Lucy wasn’t THAT bad… she wasn’t vomiting very frequently, didn’t have diarrhea and she ate her kibble regularly. Maybe I met a crazy woman, maybe she was wrong. After stalking the website, watching the videos, reading the testimonials and ingredients in your food, I caved and bought a small bag of Veg-to-Bowl, just in case Lucy didn’t like it.
I brought home the bag and mixed a little of her kibble into the food, fearing that she would throw up and/or have diarrhea from the food switch (that is typical when I used to switch her food on her). I added the protein (some raw beef) and oil as well. My picky Lucy, who hated just about everything I fed her, literally ate AROUND the kibble to get to the Dr. Harvey’s mix. She’d take a bite and spit up the kibble, savoring the rest. I watched her in anticipation of the vomiting and diarrhea that was sure to follow – but she never did have a bad reaction to the food. I immediately stopped mixing in the kibble in on day 2. Again, she devoured it without any negative reaction. By day 3, her coat felt softer, her breath smelled better, and she was acting more like a puppy. She’s not lethargic. She’s happy. She does a tap dance when she sees me take out the bag. My fiancé, probably more doubtful than me, is amazed at the change in her health and behavior.
I Was as Skeptical as it Gets…
I was as skeptical as it gets about making the switch to your food. I was worried about the expense, the time, the commitment of making her dinner every night… but now I’m never looking back. I’m going to buy more of your products, because now I believe what Barbara had told me – it’s all in the food. I’m telling everyone I know about how awesome Dr. Harvey’s food is – my Lucy is living proof, and they should feed their pets Dr. Harvey’s. I hope you never stop making your product, because this is now a staple in Lucy’s life, as well as future pets I may have.And by the way, thank you for making it really simple to make the food. I have a lot going on in my life and it’s not a hassle at all. It’s ridiculously simple, and usually I just save a little meat from the dinner I’m making and put it in her food. I can’t thank you enough – but please, don’t stop making this food!
Your new faithful customer and her grateful dog,
Megan and Lucy"
Thanks Megan!
We thank Megan for sharing her story and hope that it will help other guardians who want to do the best for their companion dog.