If you had told me a year ago that I would be making my own dog food, I would have laughed it off. A lot has changed since then, especially with the new addition to our household: Rocky, an Irish Setter who can’t sit still. Before we got Rocky, I had heard that the breed was known for having a more sensitive stomach compared to others, but having grown up with two labs who could eat almost anything without issue, I didn’t think it would be a big hurdle.
Things played out very differently. From the moment we brought him home, Rocky suffered from early morning diarrhea, a general lack of appetite, and lower energy levels. At first, we followed the recommendation of my husband’s colleague, who also has a Setter, to try a specialty kibble. For a while, it seemed to work. But slowly, his symptoms returned, and we felt like we were back at square one. Hours of research, trying various brands of kibble, vet visits that ended with prescriptions, and cleaning up after our little guy became a part-time job. Still, any pet parent knows that when you see your pup in so much discomfort, all that extra work feels like the bare minimum.
During one of my nightly scrolls through Setter forums, I came across an ad for a pet conference happening the following week in the city. I had a day off, and with it being only an hour and a half away, I figured I had nothing to lose.
I don’t think I’ll ever see that many pet professionals and brands in one place again. Everyone was so friendly and open to talking, which made me feel like I was exactly where I needed to be for Rocky. While exploring the rows of vendors, a machine caught my eye. At first, I thought it looked like the instant cooker I had at home and was curious. The man at the booth laughed at my comment and explained that it was a first-of-its-kind dog food maker called ChefPaw. From weighing ingredients to chopping, mixing, and cooking, ChefPaw could do it all.
When we were researching solutions for Rocky, we’d heard that homemade dog food was a great option. But the idea of creating nutritionally balanced meals on our own felt overwhelming, like you needed vet-level knowledge. This fear kept us from pursuing it. However, ChefPaw’s Dog Food Maker comes with over 30 recipes, and their app offers even more, complete with a pet profile feature that provides daily nutritional targets. After learning all this, I called my husband, and we decided to place an order.
I sometimes wonder what would have happened if I hadn’t gone to that conference. Since switching to fresh, homemade dog food with the help of ChefPaw, all of Rocky’s stomach issues have disappeared. His energy is back, and he’s once again the hyper, joyful puppy who keeps us laughing. And to my surprise, making his food at home has turned out to be easier and more affordable than I ever imagined, especially since we’ve saved on vet visits and can use simple, cost-effective ingredients that we can grab during our regular grocery runs.
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