Meet Karl and Katrina, joint owners of Wholistic Paws, a one-stop-holistic-pet-shop with storefronts in Ramsey and Ridgewood. On any given day, pet families meander into the shop—with or without their furry friends—to restock their favorite pet foods, treats, and supplements, or simply to ask a question (or two, or three). It turns out that after 15 years of providing counsel, both Karl and Katrina really know their stuff.
Does your dog or cat suffer from allergies? Have you resorted to giving your pet allergy shots? Are you confused by the highly processed bagged foods lining the pet store shelves? If so, you’re not alone.
Heal Through Food
Karl and Katrina advise many customers looking for ways to either avoid medication for their pets or to transition their pets off of medication entirely. Karl shares, “Customers find out about our store after they’ve gone vet to vet to vet, and have given their pet a lot of shots. That’s when they decide to try the natural approach.” “But,” he continues, “every case is unique, and every dog is different.” In order to get to the root cause of the dog’s issues, Karl has long conversations with customers and asks probing questions until the problem presents itself. Often times, he shares, “The dog is not sick; it’s what the dog is getting.”
As with humans, high-quality food is imperative for optimal health. As Karl explains, “We may be biased, but we have fixed so many dogs through nutrition alone. We have vets sending dogs to us, and 95% of the time it’s dietary.” In addition, Karl reveals, “I’ve had pets my whole life and they’ve never had these health issues. How can that be?”
Choose Quality
With all of the options on the market, what is the best choice? While the optimal diet is raw food, quality ingredients matter most. Karl explains, “If you look at some ingredients out there, it doesn’t make any sense whatsoever. Some of it isn’t even real food. Sometimes the ingredients, or the sourcing of the ingredients, changes. You have to check for quality every time.”
While there had been some debate around the idea that grain-free diets contribute to heart problems, Karl emphasizes that dogs in the wild don’t eat rice and corn. “We don’t sell any dry food that has grain in it—never will.”
Wholistic Paws sells only high-quality brands with clean and simple ingredient lists that support long-term health. And as noted, all of their kibble is grain free. Again, Karl stresses simplicity. “If there’s an equation that’s this long in your dog’s diet, you need to shrink it. If there were eight pieces, you need to shrink it to four. Simple is everything.”
When asked which brands he’d recommend, Karl explains, “It’s a matter of subtraction. Everything here is healthy. You can’t really make a mistake with what you’re buying. But if someone tells me their dog is itchy, I’m not going to give them something that has rice in it.”
Maintain Consistency
While some dogs can eat nearly anything, others are very sensitive. As with people who suffer from food allergies, it might only take a very small amount of an allergen to create a strong reaction in a pet. For example, it’s not enough to just feed raw food. The whole diet—treats and supplements included—must be consistent. And that includes table scraps or the occasional dog biscuit your pet might receive from the mail carrier or groomer.
Karl shares, “Chicken is the number one protein that would bring about an allergy. If you come in and tell me your dog is scratching and has ear problems, I’m going to ask, are you giving chicken, are you giving pizza crusts, is your dog getting into the garbage? This is the stuff that triggers allergies. It’s really that simple.”
While it makes sense to start a puppy or kitten on a holistic diet, it is entirely possible to help an older pet who has been raised on processed foods. According to Karl, “Sometimes, it’s the easiest thing to fix an old dog or cat because they’ve been on the wrong stuff for so long. That’s when we’re going to see the biggest change. All of a sudden you put them on the ideal diet, and they get younger.”
Get Out and Exercise
Aside from choosing the right foods for your pet and maintaining a consistent diet, Karl highlights the importance of exercise. “Exercise is absolutely huge. Someone will come in and tell me their dog lived 16 years. Right away, I want to attribute that to food. But when they tell me their dog ate processed kibble, I wonder—how can this be? I ask if they were outside with their dog a lot, doing a lot of hiking. They say they walked the dog three times per day and went on three-hour hikes. That kind of activity can overcome dietary problems.”
For working pet parents who can’t commit to three walks per day, Karl explains, “As long as there’s some activity and you stay away from junk, you can maintain your pet’s health.” He continues, “My four dogs run out of the house like a pack. They run around, wrestle a little bit, and come back in. They have each other and that’s the nicest thing.”
Wholesome Service
At Wholistic Paws, Karl and Katrina aren’t just selling pet food—they’re offering time-tested guidance to help pet parents figure out what’s going on with their pets so they can fix the issues, naturally. Whether your dog has itchy ears and paws, your cat has an upset stomach, or you’re tired of guessing what’s in their kibble, Wholistic Paws is here to help. It all comes down to feeding real food, keeping things simple, and staying consistent. And don’t forget the power of a good walk. With the right approach, your pet can live a healthier, happier life.
“Customers find out about our store after they’ve gone vet to vet to vet, and have given their pet a lot of shots. That’s when they decide to try the natural approach.”