About Us
MEET AJ
Founder, A Dog’s Hearth
I’m AJ, and this is Chase (RIP). Chase had been with me over 18 ½ years, and while on the job as international humanitarian during the day, not only was he the best part of coming home from my journeys abroad, he was an inspiration to me in adding a canine lens to my poverty alleviation work across the developing world for these same 18 ½ years. So I thought after years of empowering healthy choices in communities all around the globe, what can I do to empower my own community right back here in New York? I am convinced that 18 ½ years of life for a 30lb dog should not be “amazing,” it should be the new standard we strive to achieve. I hope to contribute to this by empowering fellow puppy parents to make healthy choices for their furry loved ones.
Our Story
A dog is a dog….living a dog’s life. Chase was my family, he was my dog, he was our dog, he was our family, we were all one big happy family around one big hearth. So I guess, we were all living a dog’s life…around a dog’s hearth. Suffice it to say Chase was with us for over 18 years, and was happy and healthy throughout almost all of it. The number one reason why?, TLC, of course!, the number two reason, a healthy home-cooked diet of everyday food, made from scratch in our kitchen since 2006. Everyday food, I mean actual people-food. Hey, we could literally share a meal at times!
Passed down from my Dad, I learned the recipe myself and as it became second nature to me, I found that fellow pet parents and families thought it out-of-the ordinary, burdensome and/or even unhealthy (especially since kibble had all the “nutritional needs” for a dog). As Chase aged in years, but not vitality, his diet became an inspired point of discussion, even with the veterinarians that he met with throughout his 18+ years. As he received clean bills of health, passing age 8, 10, 12… year after year, I’d hear the same advice, “keep doing what you’re doing”
And so I did, and we were graced with Chase’s amazing presence for another 6.5 years! I miss him, will always miss him. As a small token of his memory I began sharing his simple menu of lamb, rice, and vegetables with my furry friends and neighbors, and before you knew it, here I am!
Why HEARTH?
Just as a hearth symbolizes warmth, comfort, and the heart of a home, fresh wholesome dog food represents a similar level of care and nurturing for a dog’s well-being within family; reflecting our commitment to providing the best and most wholesome nourishment and care contributing to your dog’s presence not just in your home but at the center, where the HEART(H) is…
