How supporting pet health can “return the favor” to dogs

To mark National Pet Month, “CBS Mornings” is partnering with The Farmer’s Dog, one of the fastest-growing dog food brands, to celebrate the bond between dogs and the people who love them.

The company’s CEO and co-founder Jonathan Regev said the idea for the brand came from one special dog.  

His friend Brett Podolsky had a dog named Jada who was “constantly sick,” Regev said. Podolsky “always had to take her outside” because of constant stomach issues, he recalled. One day, Jada’s vet suggested feeding her home-cooked meals. 

“At first it was shocking to me. I thought it was crazy, giving his dog homemade food,” Regev said. 

But the results couldn’t be denied. 

“It totally changed her life,” he said. “That’s when we started looking into dog food and seeing the whole system was broken.” 

Traditional dog food is “ultra-processed,” Regev said, and even fresh options didn’t always “have all the right vitamins and minerals.” The pair began working together to create what would eventually become The Farmer’s Dog. 

Since having a dog can also bring health benefits for humans, Regev sees it as a way to give back. 

“The whole reason we started the company is how we return the favor to them,” Regev said. 

The Farmer’s Dog is also partnering with “The Oprah Podcast” to spotlight stories of dogs and their humans, including an episode on the relationship between a military veteran and a service animal. 

Oprah Winfrey said in a brief clip that the podcast series will have viewers “understanding why all of us dog people love our dogs so much and want to do whatever we can to make sure they stay healthy and as happy as they can be.” 

Regev said that working with Winfrey, a noted dog lover, just made sense. 

“Oprah is Oprah, you know?” he said. “If you know anything about Oprah, as a dog lover, she’s really of the top. She’s had dozens of dogs. And when you think of Oprah, she is really that person that helps us make sense of things, you know? The relationships and health. When it comes to being with dogs, one of the most important things you can do for your health is what you choose to feed them.”