From Tragedy to Raw: The Journey That Transformed My Approach to Canine Nutrition

The moment that changed everything for me was watching a friend’s nine-month-old Great Dane puppy bloat and die. It was sudden, devastating, and it stayed with me. At the time, I was feeding what I believed was one of the best commercial dog foods available, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that nutrition played a role.

That moment sent me down a path of research that would ultimately change everything about how I feed my dogs.

As I dug deeper, what I found was deeply concerning. Wheat middlings—essentially sweepings off the floor—were being used as fillers. More troubling were the by-products: large vats that could include euthanized and diseased animals, along with chemical contaminants. At the same time, I discovered that in parts of Europe, where dogs were fed real, whole foods rather than processed diets, bloat was virtually unheard of.

That contrast made it impossible for me to ignore what I was seeing.

In the 1980s, I began exploring alternative feeding methods and followed the work of Juliette de Bairacli Levy, who advocated for a more natural diet of raw meat and herbs. I sourced large tins of raw meat and incorporated herbal supplementation, trying to replicate a more natural approach. But despite my efforts, I couldn’t keep weight on my dogs. Something was still missing.

Eventually, I went back to feeding high-quality commercial food, doing the best I could with what I had available at the time. I supplemented heavily—soaking oats overnight and adding them to their meals, along with cottage cheese, yogurt, and other whole food additions—in an attempt to improve the overall nutritional value.

I was trying to fix a system I knew wasn’t right, but I still didn’t have the full answer.

The Turning Point: When Everything Changed

Everything shifted for me in 1999 when I came across the book Give Your Dog a Bone.

Up until that point, I had spent years trying to figure out how to feed better—researching, experimenting, and moving back and forth between raw feeding attempts and higher-quality commercial diets. I had made progress, but I still hadn’t solved the problem.

At that time, I had a Great Dane who was bloating regularly—weekly. This wasn’t mild discomfort. I was passing a tube multiple times a week to relieve the pressure and keep him from progressing to a full torsion.

Anyone who has dealt with bloat understands how serious—and how dangerous—that is.

When I read Give Your Dog a Bone, it finally made sense. It wasn’t just the idea of feeding raw—it was the structure behind it. It filled in the gaps I hadn’t been able to figure out on my own.

I made the decision to switch completely.

I started with chicken carcasses and then moved into chicken backs and necks. I remember thinking very clearly at the time that if he bloated again, those bones were not going to come back up through a tube.

But he never did.

From the moment I made the switch, the bloating stopped—completely. He never bloated again for the rest of his life. That dog went on to live to 10–12 years old, and I never had to pass a tube on him again.

That was the moment I knew I was finally on the right path.

Refining the Approach Over Time

That turning point wasn’t the end of the journey—it was the beginning of refining it.

Over the years, I continued to build on that foundation, incorporating vegetables into the diet—initially grinding them to improve digestibility—while continuing to adjust based on what I observed in my own dogs. As my understanding of nutrition and gut health evolved, so did my approach. I transitioned from ground vegetables to fermented vegetables to support a healthier microbiome, and began incorporating natural probiotic sources such as raw goat’s milk kefir, along with homemade yogurt, fresh eggs, and other whole food additions tailored to the individual dog.

What I do today is not about creating a perfectly balanced meal at every feeding. It’s about creating balance over time—across days and weeks—based on the needs of the dog in front of me.

That level of understanding doesn’t come from theory. It comes from decades of hands-on experience, observation, and a willingness to continuously learn and adapt.

How to Find a Responsible French Bulldog Breeder

Finding a responsible breeder is one of the most important decisions a future dog owner can make. The popularity of French Bulldogs has unfortunately led to an increase in irresponsible breeding practices, puppy mills, and backyard breeders.

Understanding what to look for in a breeder can help ensure that your future puppy is healthy, well socialized, and raised with care during the critical early weeks of life.

Health Testing Matters

Responsible breeders perform health testing on their breeding dogs before producing a litter. These tests help identify genetic conditions and reduce the risk of passing inherited problems to puppies.

Health testing varies by breed, but for French Bulldogs it may include evaluations for hips, patellas, heart health, and other conditions relevant to the breed.

A responsible breeder will always be transparent about the health testing that has been performed on their dogs and will be happy to discuss those results with potential puppy owners.

Puppies Should Be Raised in a Home Environment

The earliest weeks of a puppy’s life are extremely important for development. Puppies should be raised in a clean, safe environment where they are handled regularly and exposed to normal household activity.

Early experiences help shape temperament and confidence, which can influence a puppy’s behavior for the rest of its life.

Responsible breeders spend significant time caring for newborn puppies and closely monitoring their development during this critical period.

Early Development Programs Matter

At TerraSassa, puppies are raised using the Puppy Culture program, along with additional early developmental protocols from the Advanced Newborn to New Home program.

These structured programs are designed to support neurological development, confidence, and early socialization during the most critical stages of a puppy’s life. Puppies are carefully introduced to new experiences, gentle handling, and age-appropriate stimulation to help them grow into stable, well-adjusted dogs.

Experience in Neonatal Care

Caring for newborn puppies requires careful monitoring, especially during the first few weeks of life.

In addition to decades of breeding experience, I also have a professional background in neonatal respiratory care as a respiratory therapist. This experience has provided a deep understanding of the earliest stages of life and the importance of careful observation and early intervention when needed.

This background helps ensure that puppies receive the attentive care they need during the neonatal period.

A Lifetime Commitment to Every Puppy

Responsible breeders do not simply sell a puppy and move on. They remain responsible for the dogs they produce throughout the dog’s life.

For this reason, all TerraSassa puppies are sold with a contract that requires the dog to be returned to the breeder if the owner is ever unable to keep it. This policy ensures that every dog bred at TerraSassa will always have a safe place to return, regardless of age or circumstance.

This commitment helps prevent dogs from ending up in shelters or uncertain situations and reflects the long-term responsibility that comes with ethical breeding.

Final Thoughts

Finding the right breeder takes time and research, but it is one of the most important steps in bringing a healthy, well-raised puppy into your home.

Responsible breeders invest significant time, care, and resources into raising their puppies properly because those early weeks have a lasting impact on the dog’s health, behavior, and overall quality of life.

I will also be discussing many of these topics in more depth in the upcoming Polished Pup Podcast, where I plan to share insights on responsible breeding, puppy development, canine behavior, and raising healthy dogs.

When Should Progesterone Testing Start in Dogs?

One of the most common questions breeders ask when a female dog comes into season is when progesterone testing should begin. Proper timing of progesterone testing is essential for accurately identifying ovulation and determining the optimal breeding window.

While many breeders rely on traditional breeding days such as day 10 or day 12 of the cycle, the truth is that every female dog is different. Ovulation can occur much earlier or much later depending on the individual dog and even from one cycle to the next.

Understanding the Beginning of the Heat Cycle

The first day of visible vaginal bleeding is generally considered day one of the heat cycle. During the early part of the cycle, progesterone levels remain very low.

As the cycle progresses and ovulation approaches, progesterone levels begin to rise. Monitoring these changes through regular testing allows breeders to determine when ovulation is likely to occur.

When Testing Should Begin

For most dogs, progesterone testing should begin around day 5 or day 6 of the heat cycle.

Starting testing at this time allows hormone levels to be tracked as they begin to rise. Early testing helps establish a baseline progesterone level and makes it easier to identify the rapid increase that occurs just before ovulation.

Depending on the results, testing may be repeated every 24 to 48 hours until ovulation is confirmed.

Why Timing Matters

Accurate progesterone testing helps breeders:

• determine the correct breeding window
• avoid missed breedings
• improve conception rates
• coordinate artificial insemination or shipped semen breedings

Without hormone testing, breeding timing often becomes guesswork.

In-House Progesterone Testing

Many veterinary clinics must send progesterone samples to outside laboratories, which can delay results by 12 to 24 hours. During a breeding cycle, those delays can make it difficult to identify the ideal breeding window.

In-house testing allows breeders to receive results quickly and monitor hormone changes closely.

At TerraSassa, progesterone testing is performed in-house with results available in approximately 35 minutes, allowing breeders to make timely breeding decisions during the cycle.

Final Thoughts

Each female dog is unique, and cycles can vary significantly from one breeding to the next. Beginning progesterone testing early in the heat cycle allows breeders to track hormone changes accurately and determine the best time for breeding.

Careful reproductive management plays an important role in responsible breeding programs and helps increase the likelihood of successful litters.

Breeders interested in progesterone testing or reproductive services can learn more here:

Professional Whelping & Canine Reproductive Services

Why I Began Using Progesterone Testing in My Breeding Program

For many years I bred large breeds including Great Danes and Irish Wolfhounds. During that time I rarely used progesterone testing and still had very good success with breedings.

Like many experienced breeders, I relied on behavioral cues from the female and the male. When the bitch began flagging and the male showed strong interest, breedings were typically done around days 10 and 12 of the cycle. With those breeds, that approach worked very well and most breedings resulted in pregnancy.

However, when I began working with French Bulldogs, I quickly discovered that the same timing methods were not always reliable.

French Bulldogs often have much less predictable cycles, and relying solely on behavioral signs can easily lead to missed breedings or poor timing. Because of this, I decided to incorporate progesterone testing into my breeding program so that ovulation timing could be determined much more accurately.

Why Progesterone Testing Matters

Progesterone testing allows breeders to determine when ovulation is approaching and identify the optimal breeding window. Proper timing can make the difference between a successful litter and a missed breeding.

This is particularly important when:

• breeding cycles are unpredictable
• artificial insemination is being used
• chilled or shipped semen is involved
• coordinating breedings between different locations

Accurate hormone testing removes much of the guesswork and allows breeders to make more informed breeding decisions.

Laboratory Experience and Accurate Testing

In addition to my experience as a breeder, my professional background has also prepared me well for performing progesterone testing.

I am a respiratory therapist and have spent many years working in and managing hospital laboratories. I have extensive experience with blood gas analyzers and other diagnostic equipment, including performing calibration, quality control, and proficiency testing to ensure accurate laboratory results.

Because of this background, maintaining laboratory equipment and ensuring accurate testing procedures is something I take very seriously.

My in-house progesterone analyzer is maintained with the same attention to calibration and quality control that is expected in a clinical laboratory setting.

In-House Progesterone Testing

Many veterinary clinics must send progesterone samples to outside laboratories, which can delay results by 12 to 24 hours. During a breeding cycle, that delay can sometimes mean missing the optimal breeding window.

By performing progesterone testing in-house, results are available in approximately 35 minutes, allowing breeders to monitor the cycle closely and make timely breeding decisions.

Final Thoughts

While traditional breeding timing methods may work well in some breeds, progesterone testing provides a much more precise way to determine ovulation and plan breedings.

For breeders working with breeds that have less predictable cycles, this testing can significantly improve breeding success.

Breeders who are planning a litter and would like more information about progesterone testing or other reproductive services can learn more here:

Professional Whelping & Canine Reproductive Services

Welcome to the TerraSassa Breeding & Puppy Care Blog

Welcome to the TerraSassa Breeding & Puppy Care Blog.

This blog was created to share information about responsible dog breeding, whelping, neonatal puppy care, and raising healthy, well-adjusted puppies.

With over 40 years of experience breeding and whelping dogs, along with my professional background as a respiratory therapist with extensive neonatal care experience, I have spent decades studying the earliest stages of life and development.

Through this blog I will be sharing information about:

• French Bulldog breeding and preservation breeding practices
• preparing for whelping and caring for newborn puppies
• canine reproductive services such as progesterone testing and breeding timing
• puppy development and early socialization
• nutrition and raising healthy dogs

My goal is to help both breeders and puppy owners better understand the critical early stages of canine life so that every puppy has the best possible start.

You may also find updates from the TerraSassa breeding program and information about upcoming litters.