The Girl Behind the name
Harper-Tibetan Mastiff
Harper is a one-year-old Tibetan Mastiff. This 120 pound giant is a true gentle soul. The reason Harper & Friends got started is because of this girl. Harper was an incredibly sick puppy. We switched her to a gently cooked and raw diet hoping that would help strengthen her immune system, which it did. However, she had a terrible allergic reaction to one of the store bought foods we gave her that landed her in the ER as she almost stopped breathing due to her tongue swelling. The lesson we learned was that not all foods are created equal, we needed to feed her quality products with minimal ingredients that we can trust.
Fast forward and we learned Harper was born with a heart that doesn't function as efficiently as it should. To help her live a normal life as long as possible, we have dedicated ourselves into learning what natural foods can help her body function more efficiently. But it wasn't that easy, of course! Harper is one picky girl and did NOT like some of the supplements we added to her food, like beetroot powder for her heart. So we had to find ways to hide her supplements in products that she will eat.
We decided to share with everyone the treats, chews, and infused honey we have been making because we know how hard it can be to find a company you can truly trust. All our ingredients are hand selected with your pets in mind, if we wouldn't give it to our own dogs then we refuse to use it! We are excited for this new adventure and hope to have you join us along the way!
Patton-Japanese Akita Inu
Patton is a 3-year-old Japanese Akita. We rescued him when he was a puppy living in Texas. He is the sweetest and happiest boy you will ever meet. I hope you like dog kisses!
Athena-Rhodesian Ridgeback / Chow / Pitbull mix
Athena is a 3 year old. She was also a Texas rescue. Her mom was found on the streets with a liter of newborn pups. Athena is the most affectionate girl but is shy with strangers.
Emily-Cuban Amazon
Emily is a 15 year old Cuban Amazon rescue and is the most talkative girl. She loves to sing along to “Brass Monkey.”
Eunice-Black Headed Caique
Eunice is a 13 year old Black Headed Caique that was born with a scissor beak (a twisted beak). However, Euince's beak does not hold her back one bit.
Roosevelt- Pearl Pied Cockatiel
Roosevelt is a cockatiel and is about 8 years old. We rescued him after his owner, a teenage boy, became too busy to care for him. He is the smallest in our little family but is the boss.
Our Senior Fosters
The Minute We Stop Learning, we begin the process of dying. — Leo Buscalia
Below are some of the resources that we recommend.
- Nutrient Requirements for Dogs and Cats by the National Research Council
- Applied Veterinary Clinical Nutrition
- Small Animal Clinical Nutrition
- Safety of Dietary Supplements for Horses Dogs and Cats
- Veterinary Herbal Medicine
- Chinese Herbal Formulations for Veterinarians
- The AAFCO Manual
Knowledge is never static. It is constantly evolving. That is why it is important to never stop learning and reviewing the latest research, and that means more than just reading the abstract. We follow the research being conducted by more than 200 different researchers across the world.
While certain companies and influencers bemoan the fact that industry funds much of the research into canine nutrition and health, this is also because governments across the world provide very little funding for companion animal research.