Dog-Eh was officially launched online on December 3, 2021 hoping to keep our canine companions for longer
For many families, their furry friend Fido is just a family member.
This sentiment is especially true of Barrie’s Amanda Watty, whom the older bear has seen during most of life’s big stages.
As his longtime fur companion began to get older, Wattie wanted to help him make the most of his later years and allow him to be as active as possible.
“I wasn’t slowing down at all and wanted to enjoy as many moments as possible with me,” says Watty, noting that she started talking to her vet and giving Hershey’s glucosamine to help her joint discomfort.
After adding three more puppies – Hershey and Joey dolls and Winnie – Wattie found herself spending more time participating in canine athletic and agility competitions as she eventually began learning about other supplements that would help all of her dogs maintain optimal health.
“I started feeding him different things over the years and saw what really worked for him and other sporting dogs. I tried to grow my knowledge as much as possible because I think this is a key aspect, not just for companion dogs just to be able to get the most out of their lives and go on walks, but Also for sport dogs,” he said.
When COVID hit, Wattie, who works as a dog obedience trainer, set up a webinar to help dog owners and their dogs in their training endeavors, which is where she reached out to Manitoban Frank Fuchs.
The couple, who had not yet met in person, found themselves brainstorming different business ideas and eventually agreed to become business partners.
In October 2020, Dog-Eh – A line of Canadian Made, Human Grade, Limited Ingredient, No Filler Dog Supplements – Boy. On December 3, 2021, they officially launched their product online.
COVID has also seen an influx of people looking to add a dog into their lives, which Watty says has unfortunately led to poor breeding practices from some breeders just trying to make a quick buck. This means that there will be plenty of dogs with allergies, skin and coat issues, and metabolic issues, she says.
While the company hopes one day to expand its supplement offering, Wattie says they wanted to get to the three primary pain points that most dogs suffer from: joint support for elderly dogs, skin and coat to help address allergies, and metabolic support to ensure they are getting the correct nutrients that allow them to They absorb everything they can from their diet.
Health and nutrition have come a long way over the past two decades. In the ’90s, we saw a lot of supplements entering the human market, and people became realizing how important it was for their health care,” she says. Now, with the humanization of dogs, people are really starting to see the link between what we’ve been doing to help with our health and (how) it can help with our dogs as well.
“As we begin to care about the health of our dogs and start feeding them healthy foods, giving them the right supplements to help give them the most out of their senior years. – and throughout their lives – We’ll start seeing them live longer.”
