The Kibble Quest: Navigating Challenges to Find the Perfect Partner
Announcing Harlow Blend as Paw Privileges 2024/2025 National Kibble Sponsor!
I am beyond excited to share that Harlow Blend will be Paw Privileges’ official National Kibble Sponsor for 2024/2025! 🎉 This partnership finalized last week, and finding the right fit has been no small feat.
Why Harlow Blend?
When I set out to find a kibble partner, I had a simple but non-negotiable list of requirements:
- Quality kibble — free from corn, soy, or synthetic colours and preservatives
- Canadian-made and ideally, Canadian-manufactured
- A company that supports breeders and owners throughout the entire journey of their pet’s life
- No recalls
While that sounds like a straightforward task, it was anything but. The search was grueling, and I was determined to avoid large corporations like Purina, Royal Canin, Hills, Acana, and Orijen due to a lack of transparency and the corporate politics that come with brands owned by Mars and Nestlé.
The Journey to Finding the Right Partner
I reached out to several companies, but many fell short on service, follow-up, or simply didn’t show interest in working with breeders.
- Inukshuk: Despite several attempts to connect with them, they completely ignored me. As someone running a large breeding program with 150 pups, a simple “thanks, but no thanks” would have gone a long way.
- FirstMate: After weeks of discussions, follow-ups, and broken promises, I decided they weren’t the right fit either. The product was fine, but their lack of service left me unable to confidently recommend them to the families I work with.
- Carna4: No response at all.
Why Harlow Blend?
After a lot of research, Harlow Blend came up on several top-rated lists. When a breeder I know recommended them, I decided to reach out. From day one, Debbie from Harlow Blend responded promptly, and we began a discussion. I didn’t make this decision quickly or lightly — it took careful consideration, research, and thorough communication.
House of Paws Pet Boutique, which many of you may know from their active social media presence, rates pet foods with a basic kibble grading system. All of Harlow’s products, except Lamb & Rice, received an A-grade rating. Beyond that, Harlow Blend uses chelated vitamins and minerals, and is made and manufactured in Canada — a huge bonus!
Their price point is reasonable, and they ship across Canada and the US, making it convenient for breeders and pet owners alike. After thorough conversations and evaluations, I am confident in this partnership and excited for what it means for all of us.
Exclusive Breeder Program Benefits
As part of this partnership, Harlow Blend has developed an exclusive breeder program that offers incredible savings and rewards, well surpassing any current breeder program I know of, really showing support for the Breeders but most importantly, for owners. Inevitably, that is the end goal. To provide Owners quality product that they can trust, cutting through the noise (and marketing) to find a company committed to their success.
Additionally, Harlow Blend produces a fantastic cricket powder-based dog treat that I can’t wait to share more about once everything is finalized.
Why This Matters
It’s really important to me that I’m transparent about this sponsorship process. Breeders have value, and you deserve to be respected by the companies you support. It’s disheartening when companies spend thousands on “influencers” but fail to recognize breeders who are producing the very pets their clients will love for years. We need to ask ourselves if these companies are truly invested in quality and the well-being of our pets, or if they’re simply focused on marketing and sales with popularity on Instagram.
Paw Privileges is built on the foundation of responsible breeding and, more importantly, educating pet owners about the importance of choosing ethical breeders and products. The sponsors we’ve brought on board so far have shown that they’re here for the long haul — for the entire journey, from puppyhood to adulthood — and that matters.
Stronger Together
My goal is to provide every tool possible for our pet parents to succeed, and to cut through the noise that exists in the pet industry. This partnership with Harlow Blend is a big step toward that goal.
We are stronger together, and with Harlow Blend as our National Kibble Sponsor, I’m confident we’re setting our pets and their families up for a lifetime of success.
Warm regards,
Angelique
Founder, Paw Privileges
www.pawprivileges.ca