Our History with Dogs
Our canine companions bring a world of joy, love, connection, experiences, and lessons to the life in which we share with them. It should be no secret to you that our pet’s health is often on a similar trajectory as human health; rife with chronic disease, hormone imbalances, cancer, and a shortening lifespan. Help me bring functional nutrition to our dogs in the 21st century!
The average age of a Golden Retriever in the 70s was 15 years. By 2005 this number had dropped to about 9 years. My Makai, pictured, is now 15 years young (2022).
My work involves helping provide nutritive care for the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of people and pets.
What I can offer
After six years as a certified Veterinary Technician, then 10 years in the pet industry, during which time I developed a comprehensive employee + partner nutrition education curriculum for both The Honest Kitchen and a 17-location pet store chain, it feels only natural to bring canines into the fold with the Functional Nutrition work at Enroot Wellness.
As Education Director, my role included extensive research and training on the history of pet food, pet foods offered on the market, and regulatory bodies within. Food is a dog’s primary input to their health; I can help with the overwhelming array of foods to choose from, supplements, and treats, all through functional nutrition…
What is Functional Nutrition for dogs?
This is about root cause resolution, finding the upstream causes to downstream conditions. This is personalized nutrition for dogs. Enroot Wellness is dedicated to listening to what your dog’s body is saying, and helping provide the means to restore vitality.
When I was working in Veterinary clinics, we would send nearly every single dog or cat home with prescribed pharmaceuticals – antihistamines, anti-inflammatories, antibiotics, antidepressants, you name it…the focus was all anti, not supportive, and certainly not preventive or auspicious.
I firmly believe that this is not the best we can do for our pets.
Like people, 70-80% of a dogs’ immune system resides in the gut. Though unlike us, a dog’s daily nutrition may rarely be rotated or diversified. Their food acts as signaling molecules and messages for turning on or off genes, contributes to digestion and hormone production, joint health and even aggression levels.
What are some conditions that may be improved with a functional nutrition approach?
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Pricing
SEED plan includes two visits, the initial and one followup: 250.
Appointments can be scheduled for in-office, via zoom or phone.
What to expect
Initial: physical exam, *tech options, overview of this work, review of dog’s food & symptoms, T-touch massage for dog, immediate & easy-to-implement options
Followup/Ongoing: massage for dog, discuss food & behavior, implement steps 1-4 of Enroot Wellness Functional Food Plan, and a tailored protocol provided
*Vet tech options for cleaning of ears, eyes, and nail trims
Dog Dogma®
Dog Dogma® is a set of credo’s intended to help infuse the human-dog companionship with more awareness, trust and connection. Makai inspired the writing of my book entitled Honor That Dog®. This has become a mantra. To give back in the way that dogs give. Dog Dogma is a tool to help Honor That Dog.
- Lose the Leash: when possible, release the leash.
- Meet ‘Em Outside: choose a neutral zone for meeting new dogs.
- Let ‘Em Go Naked: choose naked when at home, remove collar, chimes, harness, all clothes
- Let ‘Em Sniff: allow your dog to sniff more, here are good (health) reasons to allow your dog to sniff .
- Water that Kibble: more moisture lifts all life, this helps digestion, organ reserve, lymph and detoxification systems.
- Bones for Breath: marrow bones block bad breath.
- Respond: reciprocate their attentiveness.
- Rub it out: consider at-home massage.
- Keep it Clean: reduce exposures to chemicals and toxins, in the home and in their grub
- Prepare a Mantra: find your zen and balance together.
- Sit Bedside: snuggle with ‘em. Their bed not yours. Do nothing but sit. It’s a reverent act.
- Get Fresh: lose the process, curtail the kibble.
- Consider Holistic: diversify your healthcare path.
- Titer is Tighter: lefty loosy, righty titer. Consider titer testing before your dog’s next shot/s.
- Size Matters: size and age matter. Vaccines are not dosed based on body weight, so assess risk & reward before each shot.
- Be Mindful of Movement: be attentive of your dog as they age, or ask a friend if they see changes
- Respect Your Elders: to enhance longevity and comfort, consider eldercare between ages 5-7, depending on breed and size.
- Hips for Hopping: joint at the hip, consider hip & joint care as your dog ages.
- ABC: Alternatives Before Convention, and Always Be Cautious of conventional care. There is no one size fits all.
- Don’t Gift a Life: life is a gift. No surprises, please don’t surprise a loved one with a live animal.
- Only Jerks Jerk: yanking is not for yankee doodle dandies, please don’t yank on your dog’s leash.
- Antibiotics are Antilife: biotics = life, antibiotics = antilife
*Enroot Wellness is a proud supporter of the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study. This longitudinal study is aimed at identifying nutritional, genetic and environmental risk factors for cancer and other important diseases in dogs. This first study of its kind is focused especially on Golden Retrievers, as the rate of cancer is highest in this breed and their lifespan is decreasing. The findings are aimed to benefit all dogs.
Enroot: evolve expand flourish grow progress develop
