Guylaine from Toutoupourlechien.com (TTPLC): Justine, you are the founder of La cantine d'Owen, what is your project about?
Justine Rivière (JR): Through the Cantine d'Owen, I propose the formulation of balanced recipes for he althy adult dogs, growing puppies or seniors. The recipes are established according to very precise nutritional recommendations (National Research Council), and adapted to the animal. The watchword is individualization.
These are recipe cards with the different ingredients and their quantities by category, and a nutritional analysis of the recipe.When the recipes are sent, customers also receive a file containing the recommended supplements to use to balance their recipe (e.g. vitamin E, zinc), and a document with some tips and important points, as well as a help for transition for dogs that ate industrial food before.
TTPLC: how did you come up with the idea for this project?
JR: Everything was born thanks to Owen, my dog now 6 and a half years old and sick since he was 2 months old. Owen's pathologies (spondylosis, chronic inflammatory bowel disease and elbow dysplasia) forced me to reconsider everything concerning him, and his diet was no exception.
I started by creating a group on social networks, the Canine Nutrition group, towards a nutritional approach to BARF, in which I wanted to offer people a way to better balance food bowls. their dog themselves, advising them and explaining the basics of nutrition.The group grew quickly and today I am helped by Diane to manage it.
However, I quickly noticed that sometimes it was complicated for people to pay attention to all the parameters to be taken into account for a perfectly balanced bowl, and it was for them that the Canteen was born of Owen. I continue with Diane to help voluntarily on the group those who wish to take things in hand, and La Cantine d'Owen is there for those who wish to have a balanced and individualized turnkey ration!
It was complicated for people to pay attention to all the parameters to take into account for a perfectly balanced bowl, and it was for them that Owen's Canteen was born.
In addition, the profits are used to contribute to the care that Owen must receive on a daily basis as well as to the investment in my training in nutrition and he alth.
TTPLC: what is your background?
JR: I am initially a Veterinary Specialized Auxiliary. I worked for a few years in the clinic then I stayed more or less in the veterinary field, professionally or personally through Owen's complicated he alth, and I now work in pharmacy, a sector that taught me a lot. and still teaches me a lot for my current activity. Over time and as a result of Owen's problems, I began to have a passion for nutrition and wanted to rectify my rookie mistakes through solid knowledge that took place through many hours of reading. and summaries of scientific and specialized works, as well as various training courses given to Canadian professionals.
I am currently in the process of finalizing training in dog anatomy and physiology and am considering major and very dense training in Canada as soon as possible. I do not claim to hold the absolute truth, but to rely on factual and scientific data by always continuing to train myself, because nutrition is a field in perpetual evolution.
TTPLC: as a dog owner, when can I call on your services? How much does it cost ? Is this for all dogs?
JR: Orders are made directly on the website www.lacantinedowen.fr after having read the different formulas offered in the "services" section. An information sheet is then sent within 2 days to be returned completed with all the information of the animal allowing to establish its tailor-made recipes that it will receive with documents of recommendations and advice, and a follow-up is ensured for two months as much that the owner will need. The deadline to receive your recipes is between 10 and 15 days depending on the activity.
I propose 4 formulas:
- The household ration with CMV (mineral vitamin supplement), ideal for owners who do not have much time to devote to preparation or logistics but still want a safe and natural alternative to food industrial.This formula is suitable for all dogs, includes 2 recipes and costs €35.
- The BARF type ration called PMR+ (Prey Model +). For people attracted by BARF (Meat, fleshy bones, offal, fruits and vegetables and supplements) and wish to control the balance of what they distribute to their dog. Make a balanced BARF: it is now possible! This formula is intended for he althy adult dogs only, has 3 recipes and costs 65€.
- The NRC ration: This can be a cooked or raw ration, without CMV and without fleshy bones. Ideal for puppies and seniors for whom it is necessary to control the intake with precision, or for people who do not wish to give CMV or fleshy bones. Suitable for all dogs, has 2 recipes and costs 55€.
- The ration audit: for people who have already set up a ration and who wish to ensure the balance of the latter! Available for BARF type rations or household ration without CMV, and costs €25.
Find all of Justine's tips
on its website, www.lacantinedowen.fr and on its Facebook Group.
-Comments collected by Guylaine Vandekerkhove-