WILDERBITES
A REAL TREAT NO MATTER WHAT YOU CHEWS
It’s been said that necessity is the mother of all invention. It certainly was for Stephanie Iwasaki whose new puppy Kuri didn’t have the appetite puppies are notorious for. The vet recommended adding boiled chicken, eggs and bone broth to the kibbles, but even that didn’t do the trick. No matter what kibbles or tricks of the trade she tried, Kuri wouldn’t lick the bowl clean and wasn’t getting the nutrition he needed.
That got Stephanie to thinking. “We knew we needed to try something new quickly,” she recalls. “I had heard about feeding animals a species-appropriate diet before Kuri came along, and the more I researched, the more I knew I needed to take the leap. I made him his first raw meal and he ate everything. I never looked back.”
With this little nugget of know-how and a food dehydrator, Stephanie began to make treats and sharing it with friends who had dogs. “We started off with chicken using the feet, hearts and gizzards and then expanded into other proteins.”
In April 2020, WilderBites became a business. Their mission is to “encourage pet parents to feed fresh, feed variety, feed wild, one bite at a time!” And they support that mission with a line of high-quality, biologically appropriate treats and chews.
“I think what sets us apart is the quality of meats that we use and our sourcing,” says Stephanie. “We ethically source from local farms that practice whole animal utilization, regenerative farming, organic, pasture-raised, grass fed/furnished meats. Most is sourced from California and we also get some from Washington and Oregon.”
Feeding dogs fresh, unprocessed foods just makes sense, she says. “Given that dogs are descended from wolves, why would we feed them a diet that is different from their ancestors and their biology?”
The results, she says, are noticeable too. “Skin and coats are healthier and shinier, there’s less shedding, the dog is less prone to inflammation and allergies, droppings tend to be smaller and odorless, the breath is cleaner because of improved dental health and there is a reduced chance of major health issues down the road because your pet’s diet is natural and raw, not processed in a factory somewhere.”
While the treats and chews aren’t meal replacements, they make great rewards and to use in training. With everyone staying close to home, WilderBites offers a delicious, nutritious way to keep dogs happy and healthy.
“It’s a good feeling that we can provide a product to our customers that we can tell them exactly where the ingredients came from. I really believe that food connects us all, whether you’re a human or a dog. And we’re so happy to have the chance to share our treats and chews with the four-legged family members of your Parkmerced residents. We’re even offering a special code on the first purchase so everyone can treat their dog to WilderBites.”
As a resident, enter the code PARKMERCED10 for a 10% discount on your first purchase at https://wilderbites.com/. The company offers free shipping on orders $75 and over.
