A small family business, born in Burleigh Heads.
We exist to help dogs live happier and healthier lives through natural, functional food supplementation.
With a keen interest in wellness and longevity – and backgrounds in nutrition and naturopathy – we know that what we eat can directly influence the quality and length of our lives. It’s no different for our dogs.
While it may be true that not all dogs need supplements, the majority of them may benefit from them. Food is not only about energy and protein, it’s also about microbial diversity and signalling molecules that influence the expression of our genes, some of which may improve health outcomes and help return the body to a balanced state, also known as homeostasis. Supplements make many beneficial food compounds more accessible, and in amounts unlikely to be encountered in a regular diet. That’s why we created VITAL DOG. Learn more, below.
It all started at home.
We didn’t plan to create a new brand of dog supplements from the beginning. The origination point for VITAL DOG was actually a custom, functional food supplement that we made in our kitchen for Nala. She was suffering from chronic ear infections and joint inflammation from a jumping injury. Medications didn’t appear to help much, but we did observe some undesirable side effects that we wanted to avoid.
We decided to change tact. With support and guidance from other canine health experts, we created a natural food-based meal topper with functional ingredients to help reduce inflammation, support the immune system and improve gut health. We fed it to Nala daily, and it led to an amazing reversal of symptoms within weeks as her body healed itself. After witnessing the results, we were encouraged by friends and our vet to turn this one-off product into a new business that could help many more dogs.
Here we are!
We hold our products to higher standards.
Points-of-difference that keep our products a paw above the rest.
Real food foundations
Real, functional foods. Not synthetic ingredients.
They need to love it
Low-fuss, enjoyable nourishment.
Quality over cost
Pure and effective, not cheap and nasty.
Synergistic blends
Ingredients that work better together.
Nutrient-dense is best
Essential vitamins, minerals and aminos
Test, don’t guess
Extensively tested for safety, stability and quality.It’s barking-mad to choose another brand!
Why VITAL DOG meal toppers are a paw above the rest.
-
High levels of dog enjoyment 
-
No synthetic vitamins or additives
-
No cheap fillers or grains
-
Tested for pesticides and heavy metals
-
Independent feeding studies
-
Sustainable, fully-recyclable packaging
Canine wellness experts.
Keeping us on a tight leash when it comes to your dog’s health.
Dr. Che Phillips
Integrative Veterinarian
Dr. Che Phillips
Integrative Veterinarian
Che is an integrative vet with over 20 years of experience in the field of animal health. In addition to a Bachelor of Veterinary Science with first class honours (BVSc. Hons 1), Dr. Che has been motivated in recent years to incorporate additional modalities of treatment and care into her work alongside veterinary medicine and surgery. This led her to complete a certificate in Veterinary Western Herbal Medicine (CVWHM) through the College of Integrative Veterinary Therapies.
Fur fact: Che works as a small animal veterinarian on the Gold Coast and is our dog, Nala’s, vet! That’s how we met her. We may not have started VITAL DOG at all, had it not been for Che’s early encouragement.
Adam Hamilton
Canine Nutritionist
Adam Hamilton
Canine Nutritionist
Adam is one of our founders at VITAL DOG. A canine nutritionist (Cert. CN, Companion Animal Sciences Institute) with a background in health (Adv. Dip. Nut Med), he’s passionate about the role of food in the promotion of wellness and longevity for our dogs. He’s an advocate for raw, home-prepared and minimally-processed diets for dogs that are biologically-appropriate, and sees supplements as a way of optimising nutritional intake through natural, functional foods.
Fur fact: Adam has spent over 20 years working in marketing and product development for some of the world’s largest food and beverage companies, including those in the pet food industry. Knowing what he knows now, he would have never launched some of the products that he helped create in the early 2000s!
Feeding studies.
We ensure that our products are up to scratch for your pooch by performing various studies and tests before we bring a product to market.
In an independently-coordinated feeding study, we provided VITAL DOG meal toppers to a group of 20 healthy dogs for four weeks. The group consisted of a mixture of breeds, sizes and ages. Participating owners reported high levels of satisfaction, improvements to digestion, shinier coats, less “doggy smell” and a range of other benefits. Better yet, even the fussiest dogs in the group absolutely loved it!
Gut Health & Digestion
Healthy Skin & Coat
Joint Health & Mobility
4.7/ 5
Overall product rating
95%
Dog enjoyment rating
90%
Reported health benefits
Independently tested.
Sleep peacefully, knowing that our products are 3rd-party tested.
- Nutritional Analysis
Confirming energy, protein, fibre and fat content
- Heavy Metals Testing
Ensuring compliance with PFIAA standards.
- Residue Screening
Tested for 400+ pesticides, herbicides and fungicides.
- Safety Testing
Ensuring the absence of harmful microbes and toxins.
