Today’s guest on All My Children Wear Fur Coats with Peggy Hoyt was Johnna Devereaux, a clinical pet nutritionist, founder of Fetch RI, a holistic pet boutique and Director of the Bow Wow Labs Nutrition and Wellness Center.

Johnna is pet mom to two American Staffordshire dogs – Diego, adopted 9 years ago and Lola, adopted 5 years ago. (Check out their pictures at FetchRI.com) When Diego came into Johnna’s life as a shelter volunteer, he changed everything for her.  Diego had lots of health problems that started Johnna doing a lot of research.  What she discovered was there was a void in the world of canine nutrition.  This motivated her to enroll at the Academy of Natural Health Sciences to earn her accreditation as a Clinical Pet Nutritionist.  She then opened her holistic pet boutique; Fetch RI.  And, the rest is history – almost.

One day Johnna got a phone call from Michael, one of the founders of Bow Wow Labs.  He told Johnna they had invented a safety device for dogs called the Bully Buddy.  Her ears perked up and her interest was piqued.  They have now joined forces and plan to launch the Bow Wow Labs Nutrition and Wellness Center, a one-stop holistic resource center for pet parents who crave information for their dogs.

Now my interest is piqued too!  I told Johnna I would be willing to work with them to address the concerns pet parents have about making sure they have an estate plan that includes the lifetime care needs for their kids in fur coats; the pets that make our lives whole.  Stay tuned for more information on this topic.

More about the Bully Buddy – this was the safety device Michael told Johnna about.  It’s a way for dogs to enjoy a bully stick without the danger of choking or getting an abdominal obstruction.  This safety device comes in 6 sizes so you can get the one that’s right for your dog.  Bow Wow Labs can help you find the right size for your dog.  Then, you need the right size bully stick for your Bully Buddy.  Bow Wow Labs only sells bully sticks that are made from free-range, grass-fed cattle raised in the Patagonia region of Argentina.  They are a single-ingredient, fully digestible treat and a healthier alternative to rawhide chews.  They offer a Starter Kit and Easyship.  You can also read their reviews and enjoy their blog, Story Tails.

Bow Wow Labs recommends you only feed a bully stick 3-4 times weekly and not every day.  This was a fact that impressed Johnna – finally, a company that cared more about the health of her dog than just making a sale!
Johnna’s personal philosophy on canine nutrition focuses on both the needs of the canine species and then on the specific individual.  Not two dogs are alike, and each should be evaluated for their special nutritional needs.  She encourages pet parents to feed the best quality dog food they can afford.  She says to look for limited ingredients and no soy, wheat, corn or sugar.

A big thanks to Johnna and Bow Wow Labs for all they are doing to ensure that our pets (especially our dogs) are safe, healthy and happy.