Kellie and Hercules' Story

Hercules is a sweet, smart and very determined little German Spitz. He has been my companion and best friend for the past decade. His cheeky nature and pretty little fox-like features have made him a celebrity at our local dog park. His attitude is the reason such a little dog has such a big name.

Not long ago, I noticed that Hercules’ gait had begun to slow. He wagged his tail less and his excitement for life seemed to diminish.

Even more heart-breaking, Hercules could no longer go the distance on our standard walks. He was only eight years old and just reached the midpoint in his life. Why was he so unhealthy at such a young age?

At the time, it was baffling. I was feeding him the best commercial dog food available, or so I thought, as I always purchased this from a local veterinarian.

As his symptoms grew worse, I took Hercules to the vet and barraged them with a thousand questions. The vet gave me some advice and recommended some nutritional changes. “No more canned food,” he said. He recommended a specially developed scientific brand of dry kibble only.

The most significant stress was Hercules' skin allergies. I watched his pain and suffering helplessly. I tried everything for him at the time, and nothing worked.

His skin was inflamed all over; this was especially noticeable on his tummy. He would scratch and lick himself excessively; this led to self-inflicted baldness and skin wounds that would become infected due to his excessive scratching. He was in constant pain and discomfort.

Even worse, he became fixated on causing further injury to himself just to find some relief from all the itching.

The vet advised eliminating the wet canned food from his diet and only feeding him specially formulated science kibble; this was a dry mix that was supposedly balanced, and Hercules was to get all his vitamins and minerals from this food while also sorting out his skin issues.

When that didn't work, the vet gave me a steroid cream. I followed the instructions precisely, but still, there was no change.

One evening I was channel surfing and stumbled across a documentary that would immeasurably change life for Hercules and me.

This documentary was an exposé about the pet food industry. I soon realised this was just the tip of the iceberg; the horror story that had just been revealed was way beyond my wildest comprehension. I learned about the poor-quality ingredients that manufacturers use and advertise as "science & specially formulated" for our pets. What infuriated me the most was that they were getting away with it!

The commercial pet food industry has been unregulated for the past 150 years. What's more, this industry answers to nobody. They are free to put low-cost ingredients into all their foods unsuitable for your pet's consumption.

That's when the penny dropped. The light bulb turned on in my head! Was it the commercial pet food I had been feeding my dog that had caused all his problems? Was it the food that I had purchased at inflated prices from my trusted vet that was, in fact, the reason behind Hercules' horrific skin problems and contributing to his poor quality of life?

Having learned a little at this stage about the cheap fillers, by-products, added preservatives, synthetic vitamins, food dyes and gelatines that go into pet food, I knew I had to educate myself further.

I went on to learn that commercial pet food was making a lot of dogs sick, not just Hercules. Obesity, heart disease, liver disease, skin ailments and cancers occur in dogs at an alarming rate. Worst of all, pets were dying. We have all heard about the recalls of commercial-grade dog food; however, it goes much deeper than that.

I was in shock. How could I have been so misinformed? How could I have been so blinded and brainwashed?

The more I learned, the more the horror story unfolded. I had been brainwashed into feeding Hercules "science pet food" that had been making him sick.

Over the next few months, I spent all my spare time researching dog health and nutrition. I left no stone unturned. I read every article I could find, and I started compiling lists about every discovery, every food topic, and all the do's the don'ts about feeding a raw diet to our pets.

I documented every piece of valuable information I could find. When I started my raw feeding journey, none of this information was easy to find. What's more, it wasn't all in one place. I spent endless hours searching and researching.

I booked some time with a holistic veterinarian and soaked in as much information from her as I could. She slowly and safely implemented the positive dietary changes Hercules needed. She began by changing Hercules' diet to a biologically appropriate raw food (BARF) diet. Suddenly, it all began to make sense.

I was so invested in this new feeding regime of the raw diet I went back to study and am now a Certified Raw Pet Food Nutritionist.

Both are canines, and both are carnivores. Their diet consists of raw meat, raw bones, organs, vegetation, and herbage, allowing dogs to achieve optimum health and longevity. It's what nature intended and biologically what all canines are designed to eat.

Dogs are scavengers. What's more, they were the first animal to be domesticated.

As humans are responsible for their domestication, we must protect our pets and stop feeding them poor commercial food choices.

If you think about it, this makes sense. We all know there is a connection between diet and health for ourselves. The same applies to dogs.

The miracle that brought me the most overwhelming joy was that I had the pleasure of watching my little doggy's skin allergies heal. Slowly but surely, day by day, I watched them disappear right before my eyes. It was nothing short of miraculous!

Shiny fur began to grow back in the patches on his body that his excessive licking had made bald. His little pink tummy began to regain its normal skin tone. The sores that incessant scratching had caused began to disappear.

His shiny black fur glistens these days, even though his aging greys. It was almost surreal how much his skin condition improved once he received all the quality nutrients he desperately needed from his diet.

Best of all, the stress we had both been under finally dissipated. It had been heartbreaking to watch him suffer. I spent many sleepless nights lying awake, anxious, and fretful, hearing him scratching and licking long into the night.

And this all came about because I educated myself and changed his diet to raw foods.

His stools improved once Hercules had fully switched over to the raw diet. Diarrhea became a thing of the past. What's more, his stools were near odourless.

Other dog owners report noticing similar improvements in their dogs' stools also. For example, dogs eliminate less often when eating a raw diet. And when they do have a bowel movement, it will be much smaller in size because they digest their food and derive the nutrients they need, so there is less waste. Furthermore, his breath, skin and coat are now odour-free, something I had never experienced when I fed kibble.

I had successfully found the answers to Hercules's dilemma. I had done it. I had put in the hard work and completed a difficult journey of discovery. And in the process, I changed the quality of life for my precious Hercules.

These days, I no longer believe the TV commercials and advertisements. I don't trust the labels on the dog foods in the stores, not even if they claim that the food inside the bag or box is scientifically formulated and endorsed by experts. I now know better.

What's more, I can't wait to share everything I've learned with you.

With a Raw Pet Food Nutrition certification and 12 years of raw feeding experience, my mission now is to change the health & longevity of dog's lives through raw feeding education.

I felt I owed my journey of discovery and learning to my beloved dog Hercules. Now, I know I can help your dog, too. Our beautiful canine companions are more than just pets; they are family members to us. They love us unconditionally and deserve much better than the meagre nutrition that commercial dog foods can give them.

Together we can break this cycle so all dogs get the nutrition they desperately need to thrive. No more fast-food cans. No more kibble. By feeding your dog the raw diet they desperately need, you'll give them a chance to live a longer, happier, healthier life.

I HOPE THAT MY STORY HELPS YOU AND YOUR FURRY FRIEND TOO.

Kellie & Hercules - the driving force behind The Rawsome Effect 18 years young.