Fresh Food, Variety & More: How Krysta Feeds Her Dogs
By Krysta Fox - Pug and Hound Pet Apothecary
When I’m working at my store, Pug & Hound, I often get asked: “Well, what do you feed your dogs?”
My philosophy is pretty simple. I feed as fresh as I possibly can, rotate as much as I can, and support the individual dog in front of me.
I don’t believe there is a single perfect food choice or one perfect supplement (although I certainly have my favorites). Variety is one of the best things we can give our dogs. Different proteins bring different amino acid and omega profiles, different plants provide different phytonutrients, so rotating foods helps create a more resilient microbiome while filling nutritional gaps naturally. I love to feed seasonally; I think it makes the most sense and doesn’t over-complicate things.
I have three dogs, with unique needs, so naturally they all eat a little differently.
Willy and Xena tend to run cooler, so they do best on warming proteins. During the colder months, I rotate proteins like lamb and venison. During the summer, I’ll often choose lighter warming options like chicken and turkey since the environment naturally warms them this time of year. They LOVE to sunbathe, and since light is such a critical part of health, I let them do so as long as they please. They always eat frozen formulas (as opposed to freeze dried), but I am adamant about feeding them their food at a warm temperature as dogs should not routinely be fed cold to the touch food. I use a warming plate to do this quickly and easily. My dogs NEVER eat cold food.
Willy and Xena are both supported with lymphatic herbs like Calendula and Nettles, which I absolutely love for its moisture and mineral content as well as gentle kidney support. They also get Beam Minerals every day for trace minerals, gut support, and gentle detoxification, digestive enzymes with every meal, omega-3s, Lua’s fermented golden paste (which has been an absolute game changer for Willy’s mobility and attitude), Bam’s Beets, and either Just Greens or Vitality Blend depending on what I’m rotating through.
Because both Willy and Xena are altered (spayed/neutered), they also receive Standard Process Symplex F/M to support the endocrine system, including the adrenal glands, thyroid, pituitary, and to help compensate for the absence of their reproductive organs. I also enjoy rotating in other whole-food glandular support from Standard Process throughout the year because I believe our bodies—and our dogs’ bodies—thrive on variety.
Since Willy and Xena are older (9 and 8 respectively), joint support is important, and changes depending on the season and their needs. Right now they’re getting Woof Creek Joint Support Powder, but that’s something I rotate regularly as well.
Xena is more sensitive- she’s anxious and has some fear-based behaviors, so her protocol includes additional nervous system support. Herbs like ashwagandha, chamomile, and medicinal mushrooms like reishi have become an important part of helping her body better adapt to stress.
When it’s flea and tick season, I prefer supporting the body from the inside out. I rotate sulfur-containing herbs, like garlic, alongside medicinal mushrooms such as tremella as part of my overall internal flea and tick strategy. I love Woof Creek’s Flea and Tick Support, as well as Earth Animal’s line of herbal protection products, and I rotate them regularly.
Now Clark, on the other hand, is a completely different story; he’s a young, intact pup, so his routine is even more fun for me since I can play with new things.
He naturally runs much warmer (as most puppies do), so I intentionally choose more neutral to cooling proteins for him. Right now he’s eating a rotation of Green Juju freeze-dried beef along with Duck Extras and Rabbit with Duck Liver. I choose freeze dried for him because it helps drain his damp energetics better than frozen. His gut also needs different support because he battled Giardia as a puppy, which really disrupted his microbiome. Because of that, I rotate all three of Green Juju’s probiotic blends to provide as much microbial diversity as possible. He also receives Cleavers and Nettles for lymphatic and kidney support, Beam Minerals for trace minerals and gut health, and krill oil, which is my personal favorite source of omega-3s.
While each of my dogs has an individualized protocol, there are a few things I rarely compromise on. Every one of them gets fresh food, digestive support, trace minerals, lymphatic support, glandular support when appropriate, and omega-3 fatty acids. Those are the foundations I come back to over and over again because they support so many of the body’s systems.
If there’s one thing I hope pet parents take away from how I feed my own dogs, it’s that nutrition isn’t static. It should change with the season, the individual dog, age, activity level, and health challenges. I don’t chase the “perfect” diet, I pay attention to the dog in front of me and adjust as their needs change.
At the end of the day, that’s really what holistic nutrition is all about. It’s not following a rigid feeding plan or buying every supplement on the shelf. It’s learning your dog’s individual needs, feeding as fresh as you reasonably can, embracing variety, and supporting the body seasonally in ways that make sense for that particular dog.
That’s exactly how I feed mine.
