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Ruby Balaram, cofounder of Real.Dog and the Feed Real Institute, joins the Alternative Dog Moms to discuss developing Real Dog Food, introducing a new dog food (choosing proteins, nutrient density, AAFCO standards, including fur in fresh food recipes), lessons from 11 years in the pet industry, and what to expect at this year’s Feed Real Summit.

• Welcoming Ruby back to the podcast and looking forward to the Feed Real Summit (0:55)
• What Ruby has learned from 11 years in business and her large breed dog that led her to develop Real Dog Food (2:28)
• Discussing the reasons why (and why not) pet parents switch to a fresh food diet (10:00)
• Ruby's approach to choosing proteins for Real Dog Food (15:32)
• Why rehydrating Real Dog Food will be an important step (19:11)
• Ruby’s approach to navigating logistical decisions and challenges of bringing Real Dog Food to life (20:56)
• Why Real Dog Food’s nutrient density means smaller portions and the pivot Ruby made to better balance calories across proteins (26:32)
• Why Ruby wanted to include fur in Real Dog Food recipes (28:48)
• Ruby’s approach to meeting AAFCO’s “complete and balanced” standards (31:38)
• Observations about the pet industry and experiences at SuperZoo (and also dancing) (33:24)
• What to expect at this year's Feed Real Summit (45:44)

LINKS DISCUSSED:

• Real.Dog (for dog food, subscription dog treats/chews)
• Feed Real Institute
• Feed Real Summit

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.

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What really happens behind the scenes at SuperZoo 2026?

In this episode of The Alternative Dog Moms Podcast, we recap our first SuperZoo experience as exhibitors with Real Mushrooms instead of content creators walking the showroom floor.

We share what goes into booth setup, the time and money brands invest in exhibiting, the growth of SuperZoo’s Natural & Health section, standout products, favorite people, and lessons learned along the way.

And because it’s Vegas, there’s also food, drinks, Wahlburgers, questionable transportation choices, parties, wagons, PlantCon inspiration, and a lunch where I (Kimberly) was definitely the third wheel. 😂

We also get into the less-glamorous side of working a major pet industry trade show, the 2 Crazy Cat Ladies party, SuperZoo’s charitable efforts, and how our dogs and partners handled things back home.

If you’ve ever wondered what SuperZoo is really like behind the booths, this episode offers a fun, candid look at one of the pet industry’s biggest events.

CHAPTERS:

• Thank you to the Real Mushrooms Team for sending Kimberly & Erin to SuperZoo (0:56)
• Behind the scenes of setting up for SuperZoo and the work that goes into the booths (3:34)
• The growth of the Natural & Health Section over the years and the expense for brands to have a booth (6:05)
• Kimberly & Erin return to Wahlburgers! Eating and drinking our way through Vegas (11:08)
• SuperZoo gives back (15:29)
• Products we were impressed by and some of the awesome people we got to see (16:28)
• The Less-Glamorous Side of SuperZoo (25:59)
• Wagons, PlantCon and Signage (32:27)
• Lessons learned as first-time SuperZoo exhibitors (36:33)
• Kimberly Felt Like a 3rd Wheel & Other (Mis)Adventures (40:03)
• Recap of the 2 Crazy Cat Ladies' Party (45:16)
• Wait, There’s More Brands and Products We're Still Talking About (46:31)
• Dance Party, Travel Quirks and more awesome people we saw (53:20)
• Wild Rides & Good Deeds (1:02:28)
• How our dogs + partners did at home without us (1:07:04)

LINKS DISCUSSED:

• Tick Mitt's At-Home Tick Test
• Totoniks
• Gnu Bone Broth Chews
• Real Dog Box's upcoming Food
• Real Mushrooms award-winning Qrill products
• PANTA Boxes

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.

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It’s officially Dog Mom Summer, and Kimberly and Erin are catching up on senior dogs, pet food industry news, raw feeding, and the questionable conversations happening online.

They begin with updates on their senior dogs and share encouraging news about KetoPet Naturals’ lawsuit against Hill’s regarding allegations surrounding the canine DCM controversy. Kimberly also recounts a strange interaction with a veterinarian on social media who questioned how she chooses to feed her dogs.

The conversation then turns to Hill’s upcoming therapeutic “fresh food” diet, which will reportedly only be available through veterinary recommendations. Is this simply another option for pet parents, or are corporations and veterinary professionals continuing to shape the narrative around what dogs should eat?

It may be time to pull out the tin foil hats.

Kimberly and Erin also discuss the upcoming Raw Feeding Awards outside the United States, explore what researchers from the Dog Aging Project are learning about the canine microbiome, and wrap up the episode with TV Talk.

CHAPTERS:

• Dog Mom Summer (0:54)
• Senior dog updates (6:17)
• Encouraging news about KetoPet Naturals’ lawsuit against Hill’s regarding DCM claims (11:08)
• Kimberly’s strange social media interaction with a veterinarian (17:47)
• Hill’s launches a veterinary-recommended therapeutic fresh food diet (29:33)
• Tin Foil Hat Time: Who controls the pet food narrative? (31:59)
• Raw Feeding Awards and Dog Aging Project microbiome research (47:58)
• TV Talk (54:14)

LINKS DISCUSSED:

• KetoPet won their appeal! (https://truthaboutpetfood.com/appellate-court-rules-hills-pet-food-lawsuit-will-continue/)
• Royal Canin is launching its first fresh therapeutic diet line for dogs, available only through veterinarians (https://www.dvm360.com/view/royal-canin-launches-first-fresh-therapeutic-diet-line-for-dogs-available-only-through-veterinarians)
• In England, they're hosting Raw Feeding Awards, the R’Awards! (https://dogstodaymagazine.co.uk/2026/07/14/raw-feeding-comes-of-age-as-industrys-first-dedicated-awards-are-announced/)
• New study released about Canine Microbiome from Dog Aging Project (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-73193-y#Abs1)
• Thunder Cat is taking over the internet (https://www.instagram.com/thunderxcat/)

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.