We love our pets and want what’s best for them in love, health, and nutrition, and sometimes it’s difficult to decipher what the best food to get for your pet is. Cola’s Kitchen offer fresh, nutritious food for your furry friend, helping them maintain good dental hygiene, energy for physical activity, and keeping their minds sharp. Power sibling founders Sina & Salma share why they started Cola’s Kitchen, what it offers, and other health tips for our fury friends.

How did Cola’s Kitchen come to be? 

Unfortunately a few years back we lost our family doberman Max due to complications from a heart disease heavily associated with diet, even though we fed him the best available kibble on the market. 

When we rescued our weiner dog, Cola, we wanted to ensure he lived the healthiest and happiest life possible. The idea sparked after conducting a ton of research and connecting with animal nutritionist and researcher Dr. Goodarzi. We learned that the standards in the commercial dog food industry are highly unregulated and we wanted to change that.

Dr. Goodarzi explained the many benefits of feeding our dog’s fresh dog food, but also stressed the importance that these recipes had to be individually balanced, not generally produced, to meet individual requirements. From here, we joined forces to create Cola’s Kitchen, originally to better the life of our own rescue pup, however we realized that growing and expanding our business could have a much greater impact on dog’s all around.

What should people look out for when picking out food for their dog? 

One of the simplest ways to eliminate unhealthy dog food is to see if it looks like real food! Good dog food is one that is safe for you to eat but balanced for them. From a nutritional quality standpoint, many commercial dog food brands on the market are similar to human junk food. Just like yours, your dog’s digestive system isn’t designed to thrive on processed food.

Currently, the pet food industry is highly unregulated and known for heavily processed ingredients and misleading labels. Commercial dog food producers in North America are legally not obliged to reveal food formulation or the percentage and quality grade of each ingredient used. “Complete and balanced” is a generalized blanket statement that doesn’t necessarily mean complete and balanced for YOUR dog. “High protein”, “Premium”, “High calcium” are also terms found on the label of many commercial dog food brands, however they aren’t easy to prove and don’t mean much either. Not to mention, your dog may not even need them!

If we want to make sure our dogs live a long and healthy life, feeding them human-grade, fresh dog food customized specifically for your dog is a sure way to do so. In fact, a study by Lippert and Sapy found that dogs fed fresh food instead of industrial dog food, lived up to 32 months longer – that’s an additional three years of time spent with your furry family member!

What does Cola’s Kitchen offer that other pet food brands do not?

While there are other fresh dog food delivery services in Canada, Cola’s Kitchen is the only company that formulates and 100% personalizes meals based on up to 11 different factors including age, breed, gender and activity level. We don’t produce large batch recipes which means what you receive in your box was specifically made for your dog.

With the use of artificial intelligence and direct scientific guidance from animal nutritionist Dr. Goodarzi, each meal plan is customized based on your pup’s specific characteristics and unique conditions. Say goodbye to mass-produced kibble that fails to have your companion’s best interest in mind.

How crucial is brushing your dog’s teeth and why? 

Keeping up with canine dental hygiene can be a mundane task, however it’s extremely important to maintain to prevent infection and disease. Over 80% of dogs end up suffering from a dental disease before they celebrate their 4th birthday which can end up causing serious health implications if not taken care of. And no, kibble does not clean your dog’s teeth any more than potato chips cleans yours!

If your doggo isn’t a fan of teeth brushing, to get them more comfortable with the process you can start massaging their teeth and gums with your finger and toothpaste and slowly introduce a brush once ready.

Why is it important to keep teaching our pets’ new things? 

Dog’s are intelligent creatures that need more than just physical exercise to keep them happy. Mental stimulation helps prevent your dog from developing memory loss and the onset of behavioural issues. Teaching your dog new tricks (yes, even “older” dogs) such as retrieving or shaking a paw gives them something meaningful to do and ensures they’re mentally challenged.

What is a pet care tip that we should all know? 

Aside from feeding our dog’s high-quality, fresh food to ensure they’re getting all the required nutrients based on their personal profile, regular exercise is a key component to prolonging our dog’s life. Just like humans, a regular walk around the block can improve overall health, boost mood and regulate weight. A walk a day really goes a long way to keep the vet away!

What is next for Cola’s Kitchen? 

We’re always cooking up new ideas in Cola’s Kitchen on what’s next (pun intended). At the moment, we’re focused on educating dog owners on the benefits of feeding their dog fresh, customized food while growing and expanding our customer base. To stay up to date with the latest announcements and exciting news, make sure to follow @colas.kitchen on Instagram and check out colaskitchen.com.