Entrepreneur starts natural pet food supplement business

Three years ago Christine Kleiman of Ashland, Oregon began manufacturing and marketing her own pet food supplement. Amazingly, Kleiman had no business experience whatsoever. However, she did have extensive knowledge about health and nutrition and wanted to put it to go use in the animal nutrition field.

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The powdered dog supplement can be added to the food of dogs and cats. It contains naturally-occurring seeds, algae, herbs, clay, minerals, and nutritional yeast. The product, called Super Essentials, has already been picked up by Shop’N Kart, veterinarian’s offices, the Ashland and Medford food co-ops and other stores in the area.

Kleiman will be launching the supplement with a West Coast marketing agency later this year. It’s been a long process, but the 51-year-old entrepreneur has done everything herself. Her business is based out of her home and she does all the grinding, mixing, label designing, packaging, and mailing of the product on her own.

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Kleiman has studied health and nutrition since she was a girl and she knew that her dog needed something more than just the regular commercial food that most dog owners feed their pets. She found a basic recipe in a holistic nutrition cookbook and added some additional superfoods that are extremely beneficial to humans.

She uses chia seeds because they have the highest omega-3 content of any non-marine plant, and yeast is a great source for B complex and also has a high mineral content. Another ingredient, Lecithin, is an excellent nutrient for the nerves and brain. Chorella is rich in protein, minerals, enzymes, and vitamins, and spirulina has lots of nutrients and antioxidants as well. Spirulina also fights infections, increases energy, and regulates blood sugar.

Other ingredients in these dog supplements include kelp, which has a wide range of vitamins as well as iodine and minerals, and algae which is full of calcium and raises alkalinity. Clay is another key ingredient because it contains 65 vital minerals, supports immunity, and helps to detox the body. The final ingredient is nettle which is a natural diuretic, anti-inflammatory, and cleanser.

For consumers that don’t live on the West Coast, the supplement can also be purchased from Kleiman’s website. The 8 ounce package retails for $20 to $24 and the larger 16 ounce package can be purchased for $39.

Amazingly, claims have been made that dog owners can begin to see the effects of this dog supplement in just one day. According to the manufacturer, they will notice a shinier coat, increased energy, and better digestion. It also gives canines whiter teeth, healthier joints, better immunity, and ultimately, longevity.

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