We’d like to share a true story, one that’s still very recent and close to our hearts 💛.
In 2024, our beautiful Rottweiler, Lucy, had a litter of seven puppies 🐕🐶. The image on this blog. That’s them. All seven, healthy and absolutely gorgeous. It was Lucy’s final litter, and also the last we’ll ever have. Our journey as breeders began back in 1994, so this was a truly meaningful chapter for us 🐾.
As we write this in March 2025, it’s hard to believe it’s been nearly a year since those little ones arrived, born on 25th May 2024 🎉. We weighed the puppies daily, showered them with love, cleaned them constantly, and spent hours playing with them in the warmth of those sunny days ☀️. The calm, joyful environment helped nurture a confident, affectionate litter, four girls and three boys 💕.
Without question, this was the best litter we’ve ever raised. Each pup thrived, and we were fortunate to find seven wonderful, caring couples to give them loving homes 🏡.
But in this blog, we want to focus on just two of the boys, using them as a real world example of how nutrition can dramatically shape a dog’s life 🦴.
🐕 Puppy One: A Proactive Approach
The first couple were middle-aged, polite and friendly, and clearly besotted with their pup 🥰. From the outset, we explained that we’re not just breeders, we’re also qualified canine nutritionists. They were intrigued and asked plenty of questions ❓. We provided detailed guidance and were delighted when they chose to feed our own brand of dog food 🐾.
They embraced our advice wholeheartedly: rotating proteins, weighing meals based on the pup’s bodyweight ⚖️, limiting treats, and ensuring daily access to fresh water and regular exercise 🚶♂️💧. Everything we could have hoped for in a responsible, committed dog owner ✅.
🐶 Puppy Two: A Cautionary Tale
The second couple were also middle-aged, kind and pleasant and just as in love with their new puppy 💖. We shared the same introduction, highlighting our experience and qualifications in canine nutrition. But their response was quite different 😕.
They politely dismissed our advice, saying they planned to stick with an expensive commercial food, the same brand they’d used with their previous Rottweiler, who sadly passed away at just six and a half years old 🌈. They weren’t interested in rotating proteins, didn’t measure food portions and didn’t see any harm in giving daily treats. While they ensured fresh water and daily walks, nutrition simply wasn’t a priority for them 🚫.
✂️ The Turning Point
By sheer coincidence, both families decided to have their pups neutered in the same week, at the same high street veterinary practice 🏥.
Three weeks after the operation, Puppy One was fully healed, happy, and back to his energetic self 🐕💨. His weight? A healthy 38kg, right where it should be for his age and frame 💪. His recovery took less than two days. For us, it was yet another reassuring reminder that our feeding system and nutritional advice works. Seeing one of our puppies in tip top health continues to bring us a real sense of pride 🥹.
Puppy Two’s story was a stark contrast ❌.
He weighed in at 48kg, 10kg heavier than his brother 📉. The vet kindly described him as “a little overweight,” but in our professional opinion, he was significantly over. While the surgery itself went ahead, complications followed. He developed an infection, was prescribed medication 💊, and began attending the vet twice a week. Healing has been slow and problematic 😔.
His meals aren't measured. The owners only know his weight because the vet flagged it 🚨. They’ve mentioned that although he walks daily, he pants heavily and tires quickly 🥵.
Then the conversation turned to treats.
It was honestly eye-watering 👀. He receives up to five pig’s ears per day 🐖. We recommend no more than one every three days. He’s also fed four duck necks daily, along with tripe sticks, cow’s ears, dog chocolate and the list goes on 🍬🦴. It’s excessive by any measure and, unsurprisingly, without pet insurance, the couple have been caught off guard by the rising veterinary costs 💸.
Fortunately, they've recently started asking questions and we’ve responded with complete honesty 💬. We explained that history is already repeating itself. If they don’t make real changes to their dog’s feeding and care routine, we doubt he will reach the age of seven ⚠️.
They won’t be the heroes they believe they are. As we write this in March 2025, we’re delivering a bag of our dog food to them, along with a tailored, written nutritional plan 📦📄.
📚 The Lesson
This blog isn’t written in judgement 🙅. Both couples love their dogs deeply 🐾. But the reality is this:
Biology and science don’t care how much you love your dog. They respond only to the decisions you make.
We had two puppies. Same parents. Same litter. Same early environment. Yet they are now on two very different paths, all because of how they’re being fed.
Puppy One will be fine ✅.
Puppy Two has already been harmed through a mixture of naivety and an unwillingness to change. Without the neutering operation as a catalyst, it could have been years before the effects began to show and by then, it may have been too late. ⏳
If you truly understand the difference in these outcomes, then welcome to the world of a canine nutritionist 🧠🐕. It’s not just about dog food. It’s about giving your dog the healthiest, happiest, longest life possible 💛🐾.
📩 Need help choosing the right food? Contact us – It’s what we do best!
