We are celebrating the very blog with our first guest stars Laura and Luna. We take a look behind the bowl to see what motivates the creativity. We love the idea of revamping the entire feeding process and encouraging people to do their research into what they are feeding their dogs because fresh is best!
We are inspired by what you create for Luna and love that you have added a creative edge into what most people would consider a chore.
How did Luna come to join your family?
Luna is 3 years old and came from the lovely Mustabooblue Kennels on the Gold Coast. We could not have asked for a more well-adjusted pup and she even handled not only the flight from Gold Coast to Melbourne but then the 9 hour drive home from Melbourne like a champ at only 9 weeks old! I Grew up with a staffy cross rescue dog Roxy who had the most amazing temperament and character and so was familiar with the breed and when my partner met my family dog they bonded so well it was love at first sight. When we moved away we always knew we wanted a Staffordshire Bull terrier.
What do you love about Luna?
We could go on and on with how much we love Luna. She is a part of the family and so loyal. Her confidence is amazing, she is so smart and tries so hard to please. She is super affectionate with all animals and people and always has the biggest smile.
What made you start your fresh food journey?
I studied human nutrition and dietetics at university and have always wanted the healthiest diet for myself (am a vegetarian which makes people laugh feeding dog raw) and once we got Luna we wanted her to have the best diet for her to be healthy and live as long as possible. I originally planned to bring Luna up on a 50/50 diet with kibble and had also researched the most renowned and trusted kibble brand at the time. After having her for a couple of months and further research I realised I could be doing better and how many nutritionists and holistic vets recommend fully raw diets. I knew raw food was the way to go!
Have you seen any positive changes from making the switch to raw food?
Once I cut out the kibble and noticed a massive change in her body, shinier and softer coat, more energy, leaner and happier and less tummy upsets, less gas and better formed stools that weren’t as smelly or big.
Luna’s meals are works of art! What inspires you when making one of your fresh food artworks?
I originally just made sure Luna’s dinners were balanced with the correct ratio of offal, bone, muscle meat and vegetable matter. I then realised one night how well presented one of her meals looked and so took a photo. I decided to make Luna a doggie Instagram and I was so inspired by all the new raw feeding accounts I had found! I now source my inspiration from variety and human food and nature! I love giving Luna an abundant of nutrients and different ingredients to make the meals fulfilling and exciting for her.
What would you recommend to pet parents making the switch to raw feeding?
My biggest recommendation is to take it slow and do your research. Feeding fresh isn’t just buying raw dog mince from supermarket aisle (laden with preservatives and nasties) in saying that it doesn’t have to be expensive and doesn’t have to be hard! There are some amazing premade raw meals out there that are fully balanced like Big Dog Pet Foods or Doctor B's BARF and mixes like Vets All Natural which make it super easy for newbies starting to feed a raw diet. And if you don’t want to switch to fully raw that’s okay, feed what works for the dog in front of you. Even adding a raw egg or some steamed veg or other fresh food items can be a good start to increasing your dog’s nutrients!
You often include our Baked Cookies in your fresh food creations. We love seeing them on Luna’s Instagram! What do you love about Pluto & Ally Treatery and why do you include us in your feeding?
I love how your values align with my own. I first noticed Pluto and Ally Treatery with how bright and cute their treats are! I originally thought they would be full of flour, food colouring and preservatives. How shocked I was to find out the ingredients on the items such as Blueberry&Chia hearts (Ingredients: Coconut, oats, egg, high quality olive oil, cinnamon, blueberries, chia seeds). All fresh quality ingredients I include in Luna’s diet. Luna loved them so now I love using them as a way to add different flavours and textures to Luna's meal. An added bonus is they are super cute and small enough that they don’t throw out the balance of the meal.
Inspired to try your very own Fresh Food Creation? Make sure you tag us in your creations using #thetreatery
