I was always one of those kids who wanted to surround myself with animals, rescue everything, and spend more time with them than people.
I had a lot of love to give, but very little knowledge about how to truly care for them.
My family were farmers, so I learnt the basics growing up, and as I got older I picked up advice from the people around me. Some of it was good, some of it probably wasn't — but you don't know what you don't know.
I was never allowed to have dogs as a child, so when I became an adult, getting my first dog was incredibly special. He was a beautifully natured smooth collie, and I did the best I could for him with the knowledge I had at the time.
He was generally healthy throughout his life, but as he became a senior, his joints, eyesight, and cognitive function declined rapidly. I simply believed it was old age and that there was nothing more I could do.
My second dog was a rescue puppy from the SPCA. She was very unwell when I brought her home and had a severe parasite burden. After treatment from the vet, she slowly started to improve, but as she grew it became obvious something wasn't right with her back legs. She hopped frequently and never developed proper muscle tone in her rear end.
She was diagnosed with two fluctuating patellas. Surgery was discussed, but the vets warned it may not make much difference.
This was the first time I was introduced to the idea of supplements and nutrition supporting long-term health.
At the time, I was a solo mum on a very tight budget, so I did what most loving dog owners do — I bought the best kibble diet I could afford, especially ones marketed for joint support. She did okay, but looking back now, I realise there was so much more I could have done to support her body naturally.
Again… you don't know what you don't know.
Then came our three miniature dachshunds.
They completely took over our lives — in the best possible way.
By this stage, our children had grown up and left home, so the dogs became the centre of everything. We bought premium foods, spoiled them endlessly, and truly believed we were doing everything right.
Then our world changed overnight.
At only four years old, our girl suffered an IVDD episode.
We were devastated. The thought of her never walking again — or losing her entirely — was unbearable.
Thankfully, we had an amazing vet who guided us through surgery, recovery, and months of physiotherapy. We believed we had done everything possible for her.
Then less than a year later, another disc ruptured.
This time things were different. We didn't have the money for another surgery, and the support we received wasn't the same. We were terrified we were going to lose her.
But I refused to accept that this was the end of her story.
I became determined to learn everything I possibly could about recovery, inflammation, mobility, and long-term wellness.
We continued with physiotherapy, crate rest, and acupuncture, but I also started researching nutrition and how whole foods can support the body naturally.
That journey completely changed my perspective.
I began learning about inflammation, ingredient quality, functional foods, and how nutrition can influence overall wellbeing. It opened up an entirely new world to me and sparked a passion that eventually became Zest Paw Life.
Today, our girl is seven years old and living her best life, with no further IVDD flare-ups to date.
Every day, I continue learning how to better support her and our two boys through natural wholefood wellness, quality ingredients, and thoughtful supplementation.
I don't claim to know everything, and I certainly don't believe there is one perfect way to care for dogs.
But what I do believe is this:
Our dogs deserve the very best we can give them, and sometimes the smallest changes can make the biggest difference over time.
That belief is at the heart of everything we do at Zest Paw Life.