Unpopular opinion: I never really “got” dog parents.
A year ago I didn’t understand the comparison between children and puppies or when people would spend exorbitant amounts of money on a stuffed toy just because it’s their furry friend’s favourite.
Then, I got Teddy.
Well, technically my grandparents got him, but as I’m living under their roof at the moment (ya know, exxy living costs and all that), he’s also my baby.
As a gal who loves her sleep, the lack of his was quite challenging in those first few weeks, not to mention his constant stealing of socks and my daily forage to find them. It’s been a wild ride, but I can finally say that I GET IT now!
Teddy is like my annoying little brother and sweet child, rolled into a fluffy ball of Spoodle and I’m utterly obsessed.
The way he greets me at the door, all excited with endless jumps and cuddles, is enough to warm any non-dog person’s heart, and I think taking him out on daily walks is genuinely helping my brain. And, if I do say so myself, I think he loves me more every day. He’s recently garnered the nickname ‘Shadow’ because you can’t leave a room without him trying to get under your feet.
Anyway, like any new dog parent, I want the absolute best for him. And the best means making sure he’s getting the ultimate nutrition. In a bid to see if Teddy will love me even more than he does (a tough feat), I started him on Lyka.
Lyka is a tailored dog food subscription service delivering fresh, wholefood recipes to your door.
The team makes fresh meals for your furry friend that are formulated with high-quality Australian ingredients from local farmers. A win-win for your dog and the economy, love to see it.
To start the process, I answered some questions about Teddy via their online on-boarding (or ‘on-bowling’) process. Based off Teddy’s age, weight, activity levels, health concerns and food intolerances, they created a customised meal plan just for him.
And not to expose him in a national publication but he has had a few… digestive issues going on lately. This can be spurred on by broccoli so Lyka formulated recipes sans the green stuff, (even though it can be good for other dogs).
Then, one Saturday a box full of fresh food was delivered to my door. All for my little prince to chow down on.
It included five chicken meals, five kangaroo meals, and four fish meals, all perfectly portioned for Teddy. Inside was also a handy welcome booklet, which detailed how to transition from processed food to Lyka; plus a complimentary jar of Go-to Gut Helper, a probiotic that gives the gut a boost and helps with a smooth transition.
I asked Dr. Matthew Muir, an Integrative Veterinarian and the co-founder of Lyka, about the benefits of shaking up your dog’s diet. He said that there’s no one-size-fits-all, but it’s not a good idea to have your furry bestie eat one type of food their whole life.
“It is natural and safer for dogs to have diversity in their diets, accessing nutrients from a wider range of ingredients,” he said.
So, basically, our dogs need a range of nutrients in order to live their best lives. It may seem obvious but I feel like it’s not spoken about enough. I mean, imagine if you could only eat dry cereal for every meal? Boring as and lacking some serious nutrition.
Anyway, back to the transition.
Day One:
On the first day, we gave Teddy the Fish Bowl meal. Having not tried fish before, the poor guy wasn’t sure what was going on, and was very curious about the new smell and texture. But, by the end of the day (and after a few false starts), his bowl had been licked clean.
According to my cuddle data, nothing much happened. He’d been on his Hot Girl IBS stuff that day, the poor thing, so we were tentative about this new food. I did learn that no matter what type of food you’re switching your dog to, you should always introduce it slowly, so as to not upset that little tummy.
Day Two:
It’s the chicken’s turn, baby. Like any dog in the world would do, Teddy chowed down on the OG recipe. Later on that afternoon, he put his head on my feet under the desk and curled up. MY HEART.
Day Three:
Next up for Teddy was the roo. My boyfriend called him Skippy all day because he was bounding around the house. Too cute. He seemed to be super attached again today. Is it the roo or because we’re working from home today? Curious.
Day Four:
I’ve never seen Teddy with this much energy. My boyfriend had taken him out on a big walk and Teddy had seen his girlfriend Coco (a beautiful Cocker Spaniel who looks like Lady from Lady And The Tramp), but he still wanted all our attention and love.
Does this mean he loves us more? Does he want more attention because he’s so grateful for his new food?
When chatting with Dr. Matt (as he’s commonly known amongst his fur family clientele), I asked what changes I could expect to see in Teddy on a customised meal plan.
“Depending on the quality of [Teddy’s] previous diet and extent of digestive issues you may see more energy, without becoming hyperactive, and more playfulness.”
Oh wow.
He also spilled the beans on other health benefits of customised, fresh meal options for dogs.
“Another significant benefit is allowing accurate portion control; this has been shown to extend the health span and longevity of your dog, with the inclusion of bioactive superfoods allowing us to meet a wider range of healthcare needs for an individual pet.”
The verdict:
Look, all in all, my dog already loves me because I give him shelter and a warm bed every night. But I can see how Lyka could put some dog-parent worries at ease. You know you’re getting all your pupper’s nutrients literally delivered to your door. This takes the guesswork out of playing chef for an animal that can’t properly talk to you.
This means more time for playing (or, in Teddy’s case, chewing).
Inspired to up your dog’s nutrition?
Use the code PTV20 for a 20% discount on your first Lyka box.
Offer expires on May 31 2023 and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer, first-time customers only.
This advice is general in nature, see your dog’s veterinarian if you’re concerned about their health.
