Rough Collie Co. Pet Boutique

08/15/2026

At Coffee with Critters today in Sunbury! Come see us 💙

08/15/2026

You can find us at the Bloomsburg Fair Farmers Market today until 1pm ♥️

08/14/2026

Feeding fresh is better for skin health too ☺️

🧬 WHAT DOGS EAT MAY CHANGE HOW THEIR SKIN PROTECTS ITSELF... AT THE GENETIC LEVEL.

A peer-reviewed study published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science, a well-respected international veterinary journal, suggests that a dog’s diet can influence much more than the appearance of their coat; it can also affect how their skin functions from the inside out.

Researchers at DogRisk Research Group compared dogs eating a minimally processed raw diet with dogs eating an ultra-processed kibble and found that the raw-fed dogs showed greater activity of genes linked to healthy skin, natural immune defenses, and the body’s own antioxidant system, including glutathione. They also found that dogs with allergies had changes in hundreds of genes involved in skin barrier function, inflammation, and skin cell repair, highlighting how important a healthy skin barrier is for protecting against allergens and environmental irritants.
One possible reason is the food matrix—the natural structure of whole foods, where nutrients, fats, proteins, fiber, and thousands of naturally occurring compounds work together in ways that isolated nutrients or highly processed foods may not fully replicate. While this study wasn’t designed to determine why these gene changes occurred, the food matrix is one of several factors researchers believe deserves further investigation.

This study adds to a growing body of research suggesting that nutrition can influence health all the way down to gene activity. That’s one reason Dr. Karen Becker recommends feeding a balanced, fresh, minimally processed diet whenever possible. Whole foods provide nutrients in their natural form and may help support healthy skin, immune function, and overall well-being as part of a healthy lifestyle.

And remember, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. If you’re currently feeding kibble, simply starting with a teaspoon of fresh, whole food added to the bowl is a great first step. Small changes can be a simple way to start adding more fresh food to your dog’s diet.

08/09/2026

At Coffee with Caines in Millersburg until 4pm come see us!

08/08/2026

We love learning of new research supporting fresh food diets!

Its RAWgust - ask us how you can make the switch for your dog's health 🫶

🧬 CAN WHAT YOUR DOG EATS CHANGE HOW FAST THEIR BODY AGES?

A fascinating new peer-reviewed pilot study suggests it might.
Researchers followed pugs for 6 months, comparing dogs that stayed on extruded dry kibble with dogs switched to a cooked, minimally processed, human-grade diet formulated by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist.

Instead of just measuring weight or bloodwork, researchers looked at changes in the dogs’ DNA associated with biological aging — essentially, how old their bodies appeared compared with their actual age.

🥩 The surprising finding? Dogs switched to fresh food showed a nearly 1-year shift toward a younger biological age in just 6 months, while dogs that stayed on kibble did not show a significant change.

🥩 Fresh food: +2.75 years → +1.80 years
🥣 Kibble: +2.77 years → +2.46 years

Even more interesting, the dogs’ bodyweights remained stable, suggesting the shift wasn’t simply due to weight loss. Researchers also found significant changes involving KISS1R, a gene associated with metabolism and obesity, in the fresh-fed dogs but not the kibble-fed dogs.

Published in Veterinary Record Open, a peer-reviewed journal of the British Veterinary Association published by Wiley, the study adds to growing research on the potential benefits of balanced, minimally processed foods.

🥦 Want to add more fresh food to your pet’s bowl but aren’t sure where to start? That’s why Dr. Karen Becker and Rodney Habib wrote The Forever Dog LIFE.

It includes 30+ complete and balanced fresh-food recipes that can be served raw, poached, slow-cooked, or baked, with versions for dogs and cats, different activity levels and life stages, plus hundreds of variations online.

Whether you feed fully fresh or simply want to add more fresh food, The Forever Dog LIFE helps you do fresh food right. 🐶🐱🥩🥦

08/08/2026

Come see us at Gilson Summer snow day! We have ice cream for your pups to keep them cool and a bunch of healthy chews and treats!

08/06/2026

THIS COMMON SPICE COMPOUND MAY HELP PETS WITH KIDNEY DISEASE 🐾🫚

A new randomized clinical trial published in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine found that cats with Stage 3 chronic kidney disease receiving oral curcumin alongside standard treatment showed improved kidney health markers, including lower SDMA, less protein loss in the urine, and reduced inflammation and oxidative stress. Some benefits appeared in just 30 days.

Omega-3 fatty acids are another well-studied nutrient for kidney support. Research shows EPA and DHA helps reduce kidney inflammation, decrease protein loss, support healthy blood flow, and may help slow the progression of chronic kidney disease.

That’s why Dr. Karen Becker formulated Roe Mega™ with omega-3s from herring roe and sustainably sourced small fish, providing EPA and DHA in both phospholipid and triglyceride forms, plus naturally occurring astaxanthin, choline, and specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs).

While no supplement can cure kidney disease, evidence-based nutrients like curcumin and omega-3s can be valuable additions to a comprehensive kidney-support plan.

Comment ROE and we’ll send you the link via DM.