Hilary Wilkie: intention vs reality in feeding dogs

Hilary Wilkie: intention vs reality in feeding dogs

Hilary Wilkie is the founder of Thrive Dog Kitchen, and offers canine nutrition services. She believes in making it easier for dog parents to feed fresh, whole foods, whether that’s through frozen whole food blends or practical, evidence-based nutrition support. Her journey started thanks to her 13-year-old dog, Jessie. She was Hilary's greatest teacher. After years of off-and-on tummy issues and a surprise diagnosis of obesity, she turned to fresh food (with the support of her vet) to help her heal from the inside out. What began as a way to help one dog thrive turned into a mission to help as many as possible. Thrive Dog Kitchen was born from that mission and creates small-batch frozen blends made with locally sourced, human-grade ingredients in the Wairarapa. Thrive Dog Kitchen is also building a movement that helps New Zealand dog parents feel confident feeding their dogs fresh, one spoonful at a time. Since starting, Hilary has earned certifications from institutions in the US and Canada, and through the College of Integrative Veterinary Therapies in Australia. Hilary believes nutrition is a foundational pillar of dog health, but not a silver bullet. Her approach is balanced, evidence-informed, and practical for everyday life.

Carolyn von Ah: integrative solutions, one step at a time

Carolyn von Ah: My interest in natural nutrition grew from my work as a TCVM practitioner and osteopath. While my previous certificates touched on lifestyle and diet, I felt I was only scratching the surface. I wanted to dig deeper to ensure my canine patients could be as healthy and happy as possible. Because I couldn't find a structured, professional-grade course locally, I turned to CIVT. I wanted the ability to create recipes for my clients that weren't just based on TCVM principles but were also nutritionally balanced according to FEDIAF standards. The Certification in Small Animal Natural Nutrition course was exactly what I was looking for - it is, quite simply, the best and most well-organized program I have encountered. This qualification means I can now provide a truly holistic and evidence-based service to my clients.

Katherine Khoo: the human nutrition therapy road to animal nutrition

Katherine says "As a nutritional therapist with over a decade of experience, expanding into pet nutrition felt like a natural next step, though it was a deeply personal journey that set me on this path. It began with my two senior dogs - Wendy and Nicol. Wanting the best for them as they aged, I started looking into proper nutrition tailored to their needs. When one of them was diagnosed with kidney disease, that search became even more urgent. Around the same time, my professional work was growing to encompass animal nutrition, and I knew I needed both the skills and a formal qualification to do it well. The name CIVT came up during my research and interestingly, I discovered that my dog's own vet had attended a CIVT course too. That gave me all the confidence to enrol in CIVT's Certification in Small Animal Natural Nutrition.I can honestly say that taking this course is one of the best investments I have ever made — personally and professionally. It is beautifully structured, and the support from the tutors and staff throughout was outstanding. Assignments were marked promptly and returned with thoughtful, constructive feedback. The depth of knowledge I gained in small animal natural nutrition has been invaluable. Most importantly, this course has given me the confidence to step into this field with real purpose and competence. I am so grateful I found CIVT."

Meg Rac: supporting the body, mind, and environment is part of training

Meg Rac is the Founder & Head Trainer at Dynamic Canine. Meg brings a unique and well-rounded perspective to the world of dog training. Alongside her commitment to training canines, she also manages a diverse farm, which includes horses, cows and alpacas. In her leisure time, she enjoys all things equestrian, competing with her talented young performance horse. Her dog, Öcsi, who is prominently featured in the Dynamic Canine logo, successfully competes in weight pull competitions, obedience, and scent work trials in and around Melbourne. Meg’s background in science, combined with her love of learning, drives her to continually research in fields such as canine psychology, cognitive science, health and nutrition. This not only helps her stay at the forefront of the latest developments in the field, but it also allows her to understand the mental processes and emotions of both dogs and their owners, whilst recognising the significance of nutrition in behaviour and training. Meg remains dedicated to lifelong learning, constantly expanding her education to provide the most relevant and current information and training to her clients. Dynamic Canine was founded in Riddells Creek, with a mission to bring a new level of expertise to the dog training industry. The ultimate goal is to not only train dogs and build strong partnerships, but to promote their overall well-being, including behaviour, fitness, health and nutrition.

Tonya Coulthard: what do seals have to do with dogs?

I’m Tonya Coulthard, co-founder of B&T Pets, a Canadian women-owned and operated company committed to improving the healthspan of pets through single-ingredient, minimally processed treats made from ethically sourced novel proteins. My path to founding B&T Pets wasn’t a straight line. I earned my MSc from the University of British Columbia in 2005 and spent 18 years working alongside scientific researchers studying some of the most prevalent human diseases — including heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, asthma, and COPD. I loved my career, but over time I felt pulled towards a chage — one that allowed me to be home more with my children, who were then just 4 and 6 years old. That change led me to a new question: How else could I make a meaningful impact? Our first dogs, Baron and Tessa, were both allergy dogs. We struggled to find trusted Canadian-made treats with clean, single ingredients — and that challenge became the beginning of B&T Pets. Today, our Bullet carries forward their legacy and reminds us every day how lucky we are to be his humans. As we neared the end of Baron and Tessa’s time with us, I watched a 5-month-old Bullet zoom around the backyard and I kept wondering: “How can we delay the onset of age-related illness and debilitating pain — not just for Bullet, but for every pet?” That question changed everything. It became the spark that shifted me from employee to entrepreneur — and gave B&T Pets its purpose. Today, every small handmade batch is prepared from Canadian-sourced ingredients (except kangaroo) and designed to support longevity, mobility, and overall wellbeing. From seal (which I affectionately call my heart protein) and venison to kangaroo, duck, rabbit, and walleye — every protein has a purpose. We believe that our pets depend on us to make the right choices for them — we want to help others make those choices too.