I am thrilled to announce that I am now certified with the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) as a Certified Pet Nutrition Coach.
The Pet Nutrition Coach program provides professionals with information to provide expert guidance about your beloved pet’s nutritional needs.
NAVC recognizes that nutrition and proper feeding protocols provide a foundation for preventive and therapeutic care.
NAVC also recommends that pets receive nutritional assessment at every vet visit.
Let me help you optimize your dog’s diet so that next time you go to the vet, you will feel confident and strong in your decisions about what you are feeding.
And not only when you go to the vet, but every day!
Best wishes,
Sarah Whitman, MS (Holistic Nutrition)
Certified Pet Nutrition Coach
Founder, Dog Food Coach
About Dog Food Coach
So many choices… so what dog food is best? With all the information out there, that might sound like a confusing question! But maybe the answer is: Perhaps the best dog food is not “dog food” at all.
Hopefully I can help clarify things for you. Please feel free to sign up for my free newsletter as a first step.
Just like us, our dogs do best on fresh, whole foods. And making that happen can be very simple once you learn a couple tricks of the trade.
Cooking. I have been home cooking for my dogs since 2008, and have learned some things along the way. I’ve also been fortunate enough to connect with some very progressive veterinarians and other pros who have taught me a lot over the years!
Learning. I’ve been studying human and animal nutrition since 1996.
Experiencing and Loving. My work on behalf of animals began long before then, and over the years I’ve had the pleasure of working with a number of nonprofit animal protection organizations. I believe my love and concern for animals was inborn, and is not going anywhere. 
My Education:
- 2022 – Pet Therapeutic Nutrition Coach Certification, North American Veterinary Association
- 2022 – Pet Nutrition Coach Certification, North American Veterinary Association
- 2016 – Master of Science, Holistic Nutrition, American College of Healthcare Sciences, Portland, OR – Delta Epsilon Tau Honor Society
- 2011 – Holistic Chef for Animals (HCA) certification, Global College of Natural Medicine, Santa Cruz, CA
- 2010 – Canine sports and therapeutic massage studies, Rocky Mountain School of Animal Acupressure and Massage, Carbondale, CO
- 2005 – Canine Massage Advanced Studies, Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy, Newington, CT
- 2000 – Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Political Science, University of Connecticut
- 1998 – Master of Science in Animals and Public Policy lectures, Tufts University, Grafton, MA
- 1997-1999 – Animal law and ethics lectures, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
- 1996 – Diploma, Comprehensive Nutrition (Dip.C.N.), Huntington College of Health Sciences, Knoxville, TN
My animal-related work has been featured in:
- The Shoreline Times
- The Guilford Courier
- Dog Fancy magazine
- NBC News
- The Waterbury Republican-American
- Voices
- The Litchfield County Times
- The Seattle-Post Intelligencer and elsewhere
About Cori, one of my inspirations for Dog Food Coach and so much more….
Cori, a golden ret
riever mix of some sort, came to me off the rescue truck as a scared pup from Georgia. During our time together, she overcame amazing hurdles, including becoming blind from glaucoma at age three.
Our journey into homemade food began in 2007, when I began researching pet foods and discovered that with a few exceptions, I can’t put my faith in the safety of most commercial foods on the market today.
Learning about recalls, chemicals, fillers, mold and all sorts of other contaminants led me to say “enough is enough,” and I transitioned my best furry friend onto homemade food. Now I know exactly what’s in her food. I control the ingredients, the quality and the freshness, and I feel at ease knowing I am not subjecting Cori to the culinary unknown.
After Cori began eating homemade, human-grade food, her fur became softer, a lump on her back disappeared, and her spirits remained high into her elderly years. I truly believe that giving her clean, whole foods — and constant love of course — made all the difference in her long life.
Best wishes,
Sarah