Dr. Marty & Freedom Service Dogs: Why I’m Obsessed

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Kiska came to me as a foster.

She was covered in fleas and required more baths than I can remember to remove them all. And there were so many around her eyes. Removing them was a seemingly endless process.

We’d put her in the bath and turn on the water to find the fleas. Then wash her down and use a fine tooth comb to remove all the fleas from her. There were so many that we had to have a “dipping bucket.”

Our dipping bucket was a big water cup where we’d put the fleas we removed to keep them from jumping—there were too many to get down the drain each time.

Once we got as many as we could find, we’d take her outside to dry off, continuing to search for and remove fleas. During that time, we’d change clothes and start a load of laundry to make sure they didn’t end up in the house.

Then, back in the tub she’d go.

Rinse and repeat. It was an exhausting process.

The transition to a service dog

The longer I had Kiska and the more we bonded, I realized her potential to help me in ways I had never considered.

I have a lot of physical and mental health issues, but Kiska first showed her potential at helping me with fainting due to POTS. If my blood pressure or heart rate started to drop, she’d be all over me and getting me to sit down.

The first time it happened, I thought it was a coincidence.

Then it happened again. And again. And again.

At only a few months old, she was already changing my life, and I knew she had found her forever home with us (even though I had been adamant about not having more than one female).

Related: What’s Next for Kiska?

Kiska had gotten most of my POTS symptoms under control, but I was still struggling with gluten cross contamination (I have Celiac disease).

I started hearing about gluten detection dogs and wondered if she could learn. I figured we’d give it a try. What’s the worst that could happen?

Check out these gluten detection dogs in action (Kiska is featured in the video as well)!

I couldn’t believe how quickly she was learning and how willing she was to work for me—especially for a Great Pyrenees! Anytime I asked, “Do you want to work?” she’d come running over to me.

Related: 10 Tips for Training Great Pyrenees

Kiska helps me stay safe and eat well, and I always want to do the same for her.

When I was contacted by Dr. Marty about collaborating, I first had to make sure their food was up to my standards. Dr. Marty Nature’s Blend is:

• freeze-dried raw dog food
• all-natural
• developed by America’s foremost integrative veterinarian, Dr. Marty
• free from chemicals and fillers
• made in the USA and Canada
• backed by a 90-day money back guarantee

Nature’s Blend ingredients: Turkey, Beef, Salmon, Duck, Flax, Beef Liver, Turkey Hearts, Turkey Liver, Sweet Potato, Eggs, Pea Flour, Carrots, Apples, Blueberries, Cranberries, Pumpkin Seeds, Spinach, Ginger, Salt, Mixed Tocopherols

Related: Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food from Dr. Marty

As I was perusing the site, I noticed something that made me love the company even more—they are a sponsor for Freedom Service Dogs of America.

Freedom Service Dogs of America

Freedom Service Dogs unlocks the potential of shelter dogs. They deliberately work to do something I stumbled upon with Kiska. She had more potential than I knew—and so do other rescue dogs.

At Freedom Service Dogs, we unleash the potential of dogs by transforming them into custom-trained, life-changing assistance dogs for people in need. The clients we serve live with disabilities like autism, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries, and more. We also serve veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.

– Freedom Service Dogs

Since being founded, Freedom Service Dogs of America has rescued over 1,000 shelter dogs.

Not every shelter dog is going to make a good service dog, but don’t worry—Freedom Service Dogs will adopt out the pups that are more the “just hang out on the couch” type to loving families.

These hero dog deserve to be fed the best, so I love that Dr. Marty is helping provide that for them.

Kiska had potential beyond what I ever thought possible. Freedom Service Dogs and Dr. Marty are helping find that potential in the dogs that are too often overlooked.

Give your hero dog the chance to try Dr. Marty’s Nature’s Blend today.

Disclaimer: We were compensated to share Dr. Marty on It’s Dog or Nothing. Don’t worry–we only share products we use and believe in.