The Great Dog Health Debate
Help Shape the Future of Dog Health Conversations (nomination form below)
For years, I've watched people argue about dog health online. Conventional medicine on one side. Natural health on the other. Raw feeders arguing with veterinarians. Nutritionists arguing with researchers. Industry professionals arguing with influencers.
And if I'm being honest, I've been part of those conversations too.
The problem is that most of these discussions happen from a distance. People talk about each other rather than to each other. Assumptions get made. Positions become exaggerated. Nuance gets lost. Before long, everyone is defending a side rather than exploring the truth.
The Great Dog Health Debate was created to change that.
This is not a platform for personal attacks, manufactured drama or "gotcha" moments. It is a platform for respectful, intelligent and evidence-informed conversations between people who may see the world differently but share a common goal: healthier dogs.
My team and I will seek to pair participants with comparable levels of expertise, experience or subject-matter knowledge to encourage balanced, productive and intellectually honest discussions.
Whether you are a veterinarian, scientist, researcher, nutritionist, industry professional, educator, breeder, trainer or advocate, you are invited to bring your perspective to the table. You do not need to have all the answers. In fact, some of the most valuable conversations happen when people are willing to acknowledge uncertainty, challenge their own assumptions and engage in good faith.
One of the first people to put their hand up for the project was Dr Nick Thompson, founder of the Raw Feeding Veterinary Society. What impressed me wasn't simply his knowledge or experience. It was his willingness to openly acknowledge where evidence is strong, where it is weak, and where the honest answer is that we simply don't know yet. That kind of humility is exactly what these conversations need more of.
My role is not to pick winners and losers. My role is to facilitate the discussion, ask questions, keep the conversation respectful and help uncover both areas of agreement and genuine disagreement. Ultimately, viewers can listen to the conversation and draw their own conclusions.
- If there is someone whose perspective you would like to hear, nominate them and tell us who you’d like to see them debate.
- If there is someone you respectfully disagree with and believe would make for an interesting discussion, nominate both of you.
- If you believe you have something valuable to contribute yourself but unsure who you'd like to debate, I encourage you to put your own hand up and my team and I will try to find you the right match.
Because regardless of where we sit in the dog health conversation, we can all agree on one thing:
We all want healthier dogs.