The Alternative Dog Moms

Send us a text
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Francis Cabana to talk pet nutrition myths, unbalanced homemade recipes online, microbiome health, probiotics, and what it’s really like working in the pet food industry. We also cover whether dogs are true carnivores, zoo kibble, affordable ways to improve your dog’s bowl, and how to confidently choose evidence-based nutrition over internet noise.
Timestamps:
0:56 – Dr. Francis’s origin story: from zookeeper to PhD animal nutritionist
8:06 – Why she started sharing about pet food on social media
13:13 – Life for dogs, cats, and pet parents in Singapore
17:16 – Unbalanced homemade recipes and misinformation online
25:31 – Encouraging pet parents (and our own parents) to try something new
32:00 – PhD in Animal Nutrition vs online nutrition certificates
40:11 – Are dogs carnivores? And what’s the deal with zoo kibble
45:10 – The microbiome, probiotics, and gut health
51:11 – Working as a nutritionist for a pet food brand
57:38 – What Dr. Francis feeds + affordable ways to improve your dog’s bowl
Links Discussed:
https://www.instagram.com/fuelledfurlife/
https://www.fuelledfurlife.com/
Dr. Francis's published studies: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=francis%20cabana&sort=date&sort_order=desc
Social media:
Kimberly: Raw Feeder Life, RawFeederLife.com
Erin Scott: Believe in Dog podcast, BelieveInDogPodcast.com
Raw Feeder Life, Instagram.com/RawFeederLife
Believe in Dog Podcast, Instagram.com/Erin_The_Dog_Mom
Thanks for listening to our podcast. You can learn more about Erin Scott's first podcast at BelieveInDogPodcast.com. And you can learn more about raw feeding, raising dogs naturally, and Kimberly's dogs at KeepTheTailWagging.com. And don't forget to subscribe to The Alternative Dog Moms.

Send us a text
In this episode of The Alternative Dog Moms Podcast, Kimberly responds to unexpected criticism of raw feeding and tackles a common question: if cows and horses eat carbs, should dogs too?
We also share a helpful listener resource, discuss herbs that may help reduce histamines in bone broth, and give behind-the-scenes updates, including Kimberly and Zoey joining a Jope product study and testing a new product for anxious dogs.
Plus, Daisy Girl’s playday, a blood test Erin is geeking out over, Apollo’s birthday, and a conversation about why dogs form different relationships with different people.
Episode timestamps:
00:55 – Responding to criticism of raw feeding
10:58 – Should dogs eat carbs because cows and horses do?
16:25 – Listener resources, Woof Creek Wellness, and cutting the cord on cable
26:01 – Herbs for reducing histamines in bone broth
33:23 – Kimberly & Zoey join a Jope product study
35:55 – Trying a new product for anxious dogs
42:55 – Daisy Girl’s playday + a blood test Erin loves
46:45 – Apollo’s birthday and dogs’ unique relationships with people
If you love thoughtful conversations about fresh food, holistic care, and learning alongside your dogs, this episode is for you.
Links discussed:
Study re: Dogs in Laos eating rice (Geographically diverse canid sampling provides novel insights into pre-industrial microbiomes)
Kimberly's article: Is Raw Dog Food a Scam? What Science Really Says About Grains, Carbs, and the Gut Microbiome
Kimberly's post: Should dogs eat carbs because cows and horses do?
Helpful link: http://petdiseasealerts.org/
Mid-Atlantic friends:  See Erin & Woof Creek's co-founder Lisa Monk at the World of Pets Expo
The blood test you might want to ask your vet to check: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16pYwy6TKV/
Social media:
Kimberly: Raw Feeder Life, RawFeederLife.com
Erin Scott: Believe in Dog podcast, BelieveInDogPodcast.com
Raw Feeder Life, Instagram.com/RawFeederLife
Believe in Dog Podcast, Instagram.com/Erin_The_Dog_Mom
Thanks for listening to our podcast. You can learn more about Erin Scott's first podcast at BelieveInDogPodcast.com. And you can learn more about raw feeding, raising dogs naturally, and Kimberly's dogs at KeepTheTailWagging.com. And don't forget to subscribe to The Alternative Dog Moms.

Send us a text
In this episode, Erin and Kimberly catch up on life, dogs, and the pet industry — starting with Erin’s big news and why activated charcoal is always on hand. Kimberly shares updates from home, including more human cooking, Buffy’s recent vet visit, and navigating the lepto vaccine conversation.
They break down a confusing article on rising veterinary costs, reflect on lessons learned in 2025, and talk New Year’s Eve plans. The conversation then turns to growing concerns about trust in the pet and veterinary industries, including the mainstream recognition of a veterinarian whose work has been debunked.
The episode wraps with updates on their dogs and what they’re looking forward to in 2026 — with honesty, curiosity, and plenty of real-world dog-mom perspective.
CHAPTERS:
Erin's big news and why we keep Activated Charcoal on-hand (0:55)
Kimberly is doing more cooking [for humans], Buffy had a recent vet visit and lepto vaccines (8:30)
A recent article about rising vet costs was rather confusing (20:08)
New Year's Eve plans, what we learned in 2025, and other stories of the year (29:47)
How the mainstream vet industry is honoring a veterinarian whose work has been debunked (51:37)
Lack of trust in the pet & vet industries (56:54)
Catching up with Kimberly's & Erin's dogs plus what we're looking forward to in 2026 (1:09:15)
LINKS DISCUSSED:
NOW Activated Charcoal (https://amzn.to/49iWNWl)
Justice Dept calls for affordable vet care (https://san.com/cc/justice-department-calls-for-affordable-vet-care/)
AKC's Honoring Dr. Lisa Freeman (https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1QRTuUAy3A/)
Who Killed JFK podcast (https://pod.link/1714611578)
SOCIAL MEDIA:
Kimberly: Raw Feeder Life, RawFeederLife.com
Erin Scott: Believe in Dog podcast, BelieveInDogPodcast.com
Raw Feeder Life, Instagram.com/RawFeederLife
Believe in Dog Podcast, Instagram.com/Erin_The_Dog_Mom
Thanks for listening to our podcast. You can learn more about Erin Scott's first podcast at BelieveInDogPodcast.com. And you can learn more about raw feeding, raising dogs naturally, and Kimberly's dogs at KeepTheTailWagging.com. And don't forget to subscribe to The Alternative Dog Moms.

Send us a text
Many pet parents focus on diet, exercise, and supplements to support their dogs’ health—but physical care is only part of the picture. In this episode of The Alternative Dog Moms Podcast, we sit down with dog trainer and educator Tori Mistick to explore the critical role of canine enrichment and engagement in raising emotionally balanced, fulfilled dogs.
This conversation helps dog parents understand why unmet mental and emotional needs often show up as “behavior problems,” and how small, thoughtful changes to daily routines can dramatically improve a dog’s quality of life.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction
01:16 About Tori Mistick's 
03:38 Limited podcast series about engagement
06:37 Engagement in a multi-dog home
09:24 Definition of enrichment
10:26 Variety is important to dogs
11:35 Food-based enrichment - treat trail mix
14:11 Sound/music + engagement
18:15 Enrichment + senior dogs
20:41 Novel enrichment - The Bubble Machine
26:34 Social engagement
32:12 Understanding limits/boundaries
35:05 It's not about trying them out / bonding+togetherness
37:35 Enrichment is good for pet parents too
39:40 Fetching a toy by name
41:44 The importance of choice
45:00 Dogs pay attention and learn from us all the time
49:02 Hemangiosarcoma (another commonality)
52:27 Wear Wag Repeat Society
LINKS DISCUSSED:
Dog Enrichment with Tori Mistick Podcast: https://wearwagrepeat.com/dog-enrichment-podcast/
Tori's website: https://wearwagrepeat.com/
Tori's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ToriMistick
Get Tori's Dog Enrichment Activity Pack: https://wearwagrepeat.com/dog-enrichment-mental-activity-pack/
Tori's Wear Wag Repeat Society for Petpreneurs: https://wearwagrepeat.com/society/
Hemangiosarcoma Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1A3h25H92G/
SOCIAL MEDIA:
Kimberly: Raw Feeder Life, RawFeederLife.com
Erin Scott: Believe in Dog podcast, BelieveInDogPodcast.com
Raw Feeder Life, Instagram.com/RawFeederLife
Believe in Dog Podcast, Instagram.com/Erin_The_Dog_Mom

Thanks for listening to our podcast. You can learn more about Erin Scott's first podcast at BelieveInDogPodcast.com. And you can learn more about raw feeding, raising dogs naturally, and Kimberly's dogs at KeepTheTailWagging.com. And don't forget to subscribe to The Alternative Dog Moms.

Send us a text
In this episode of The Alternative Dog Moms, Erin and Kimberly sit down with Dr. Steve Marsden — renowned holistic veterinarian and founder of Gold Standard Herbs — to talk about what it really means to raise dogs naturally. Dr. Marsden blends Eastern and Western veterinary medicine, and his integrative approach has helped countless dogs thrive through herbs, nutrition, and a deeper understanding of how the body heals.
We dive into how herbs can support digestion, immunity, inflammation, skin health, and emotional balance — and why traditional formulas still have a place in modern pet care. Dr. Marsden also shares how Gold Standard Herbs came to be, why sourcing and energetics matter, and how pet parents can confidently use herbs alongside conventional care.

CHAPTERS:
When did Dr. Marsden know he wanted to become a veterinarian? (2:00)
The experiences that led Dr. Marden to learn homeopathy and Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (4:23)
What led Dr. Marsden to create the first direct-to-consumer line of Chinese pet herbal formulas? (17:13)
Should Pet Parents be concerned about Chinese herbs interacting with medications or other treatments? (27:13)
How long does it take for Chinese herbs to start working and make an improvement? (32:02)
How important is our dog's diet compared to other treatments? (33:08)
Why does the veterinary profession have such a bias against feeding fresh food? (38:14)
What can Pet Parents incorporate from Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine in caring for our dogs? (46:21)
How to search the Ask Dr. Steve DVM Facebook Group (1:01:04)
LINKS MENTIONED:
Ask Dr. Steve DVM Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1158575954706282
OUR BLOG/PODCASTS...
Kimberly: Raw Feeder Life, RawFeederLife.com
Erin Scott: Believe in Dog podcast, BelieveInDogPodcast.com
INSTAGRAM...
Raw Feeder Life, Instagram.com/RawFeederLife
Believe in Dog Podcast, Instagram.com/Erin_The_Dog_Mom
Thanks for listening to our podcast. You can learn more about Erin Scott's first podcast at BelieveInDogPodcast.com. And you can learn more about raw feeding, raising dogs naturally, and Kimberly's dogs at KeepTheTailWagging.com. And don't forget to subscribe to The Alternative Dog Moms.