Meet Cheshire native Julia! Learn all about our newest team member’s background, her pets, and her dog’s favorite NPP toy.

What brought you to NPP?

 I started as a Veterinary Receptionist in 2018 with hopes of becoming a Certified Vet Technician, although I ended up working at an animal shelter in various positions. I ended up as a Foster Coordinator where I was helping care for homeless and sick pets waiting to be available for adoption. Many of these sick pets had skin infections, diarrhea, or joint issues, and although our vets helped them with prescriptions, I wanted to do more in the way of nutrition. We saw pets thrive on things like omega oils, pumpkin, and glucosamine and thus began my curiosity in pet nutrition! 

Tell us about your pets…

My boys are all rescues from having worked at a vet/shelter for a few years. My pekingese Kingsley was “adopted” in 2019 when a client couldn’t afford his medical care (dry eye,16 teeth removed, and anemic) so I took him home that day on a whim. Ferguson my dollfaced Persian is my first cat adopted at the beginning of 2020 and at the end of 2020 I rescued Bean from a Louisiana hoarding case with over 160 dogs. They are all sweet mamas boys![vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”9019″]–  Bean[vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”9020″]–  Kingsley[vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”9021″]–  Ferguson

Tell us your must-have item from NPP.

Glucosamine is a must have item in my house because I’ve always had senior dogs. With having rescued them I got to see them transform and be more active after being on glucosamine, it is so rewarding!

What are your pets’ favorite treats or toys?

My little dog only has 5 teeth left so his favorite is probably goats milk, but my big dog loves anything to chew on. We give him raw bones, bully sticks, and fish skins for enrichment on the weekends. 

What’s your favorite product to recommend and why?

Goats milk is a product I always recommend because there are so many benefits, and pets love it! I love that we have different flavors like blueberry for antioxidants or pumpkin for even better gut health. 

What is the most FAQ that you get?

I get a lot of questions about what is the longest-lasting chew for dogs, which I can relate to having a Pitbull who destroys chews in seconds. I always recommend antlers, water buffalo horns, or Himalayan chews.

Caitlin: What is your favorite supplement and why?

Anything fresh – I am an advocate for adding fresh food in every pet’s bowl (even in small amounts). In my experience, small additions of fresh fruit, veggies and lean meats can make a profound difference. 

Beth: What got you interested in animal nutrition?

Like many in this industry, it was my own sick pet that was the catalyst for diving into animal nutrition. Many don’t realize that I came from the human side, and soon realized that the animal nutrition field does not have the depth of research and options that human nutrition does.

Ashley: What supplement is beneficial for all pets’ health?

Short answer: None. Long answer is that every pet is different, and therefore they have unique needs that are based on genetics, lifestyle, breed, age and diet.

Savannah: As a small business owner, what do you consider to be your most noteworthy accomplishment?

The team that works here. Building a successful team that works together is no small feat, and without each of you NPP wouldn’t exist.

Leah: What was life like before your adventure with NPP?

From a professional level, l held several different positions that helped to shape my education and experiences: paramedic, pharmaceutical research and medical education. Prior to NPP I traveled often throughout the country and even internationally for various medical/nutrition related meetings and events. 

Tina: What would be your dream position be once you finish getting your PhD in canine nutrition?

There are a very small handful of PhD canine nutritionists in the entire world and there is a large need for more and a very large education and research gap for canine (and feline) nutrition. Many people don’t realize that many brands of pet food are never formulated or reviewed by a qualified PhD nutritionist. Therefore I believe the largest impact could be made by teaching other graduate students and veterinarians at the University level to elevate the pet food industry to do proper research and make meaningful research contributions to both human and animal health. 

Nikki: What has been your most impactful success story during your time doing nutrition counseling?

This is a tough question. We at NPP know that most pets improve with even incremental changes to their diets. Considering this, I think that success in that space is helping pet parents to see the bigger picture and why nutrition is fundamental to health and wellness.

Jenna: Everyone at NPP has learned so much from you. What have you learned from the team?

I am continually learning from this team. It’s probably not common knowledge that I had zero small business experience or full ‘people management experience. Everyone here is incredibly talented at problem-solving, adapting to change and speaking up when they have ideas – and we foster this environment! This approach has allowed each of us to learn and grow together and therefore each and everyone that is a member of this team has contributed to the success of NPP. 

Missy: What is your ultimate goal after you complete your PhD?

The purpose of a Ph.D. is to learn how to do research.  Another part is often to teach younger students of the same field you’re completing your doctorate in. I’m looking forward to doing both of these things and contributing advancements to the field of canine nutrition. 

Asking the important questions now…can we see some pictures of your pets?

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