In this blog, we share the story of Arja, owner of Hondenoppas078 in Dordrecht. For many years, she has lovingly welcomed dogs into her home — both for day care and during holidays. What makes her story special is that Arja often looks after dogs that are sensitive or suffer from allergies. By chance, she discovered that many of these dogs thrive when they switch to a vegan diet. In this blog, we share her experiences!

When Arja’s cat Ilian passed away, her daughter was heartbroken. Not long after, they received a request to look after a Schnauzer puppy — and they didn’t hesitate. More requests soon followed, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was then that Arja decided to fully dedicate herself to pet sitting and founded Hondenoppas078. Today, she cares for between 70 and 90 dogs each week and also provides training for both dogs and their owners.

Arja noticed that many of the dogs she cared for were sensitive. They seemed allergic to their food and often had loose stools. Wanting to help these dogs, Arja started researching. She discovered that dogs are often allergic to (sometimes unknown) animal proteins. This sparked her interest in vegan dog food and snacks! After all, why spend money on expensive veterinary tests when you can simply switch your dog to a plant-based diet?

Although Arja was initially skeptical, she now always brings vegan snacks with her during training sessions. She also regularly recommends Greta to owners of sensitive dogs. While her clients often have doubts at first, they generally trust Arja’s advice and do switch to a vegan diet.

Here are the experiences of Arja’s clients after switching to Greta:

• The stool is good, firm, and odorless
• Skin problems have disappeared over time
• Stomach and intestinal issues have resolved

Does Arja continue to recommend vegan food to her clients? Her answer is a resounding: “ABSOLUTELY!” And we’re very happy about that! Happy dog, happy owner, happy us 🙂