Mission
(What we do and for whom)
To inspire dog owners to be in charge of their dogs’ wellness
Our mission is our vision.
At Real Dog, we make whole foods for dogs accessible and affordable in every community. We complement any diet and any budget and teach you how to incorporate fresh food into your lifestyle. We help you #feedreal food.
We don’t just make dog food, we teach dog owners how to make it. We also train the veterinary industry and nutrition enthusiasts on the benefits of real food, we partner with affiliates to tell their transformational stories, and we also organize community events to foster connections amongst dog owners. Some of our educational programs include:
Individualized Nutrition Consultations
Real Dog Food Nutrition Certifications
Real Dog Food DIY Workshops (online/offline)
Farmers Markets/Community Events
Weekly Community Pack Walks
Real Dog Food Group Purchasing
Pound for pound Real Dog makes the best dog food discovery box.
Our long-term goal is to be a marketplace for dog wellness products and services. There’s a gap between the low supply of canine nutrition experts and the high demand for nutritional advice and coaching. Because of that demand, more and more people want to become certified canine nutritionists, but no one knows where to start or how to sell their service. We are creating a global marketplace to connect dog owners to certified canine nutritionists and veterinarians.
ABOUT THE FOUNDERS
Turk Boortechin, Turkish, Eurasian immigrant, software architect, a former hacker, and (GS-12 Level) international broadcast journalist. I was born in Ankara and moved to Louisiana when I was 17. For the first 9 years of my life, I was partially deaf in both ears, but neither my family nor teachers knew that, and my peers didn’t make things easy for me. I relied heavily on visuals and kinesthetics. I learned how to read lips and play competitive sports through observation. Consequently, I bonded with dogs who were true companions for a misfit. I didn’t have role models so I had to be an integrative thinker to survive. Later on in life, I became obsessed with the future and technology, and started multiple online businesses but never got as far as I have with Real Dog. I’ve learned that it isn’t just grit and perseverance that build a lasting company, it’s also the partners you choose to have alongside you. At this stage of my life, nothing is hard, and nothing is impossible… It just takes time.
Ruby Balaram, First-Gen Asian American, former International Trade/White Collar paralegal. As a child of immigrants, I was encouraged and fortunate to be able to try any hobby I wanted. I excelled in math, languages and music. I’m naturally task-driven and thrive in mission-first environments, likely due to being raised in a military family. In my early 20s, I helped launch a startup law firm, left to teach English and travel the world, and returned years later to the golden handcuffs of big law. I chose to jump off of the corporate ladder because I wanted to create a space where people had a voice, where the culture was honest and women felt empowered and supported. One of my proudest accomplishments is that over 60% of our team is made up of women, and they also make up over 75% of our leadership positions.
OUR MANIFESTO
This is a declaration of our intentions, motives, and views. Part 3 is coming soon.
Part I: How we got here. (Why we are here)
Kibble the Superfood. Breaking into the Sector. The first of a three-part series of our journey into the technology and dog nutrition industry.
Part II: What we are doing. (What we do)
Kibble isn’t Real Food. Real Dog Box is a membership to real dog food.
Part III: Where we’re going. (The future of online dog wellness)
TBD until we expand our operations.
