I learned about Inukshuk after seeing a few ads and talking to quite a few mushers who were feeding it. I was also impressed with the fact that delivery was fast and is available when you need it. Initially I was a little hesitant to switch because the food I was using worked well, but delivery and purchasing was an issue. Since feeding Inukshuk I’ve noticed that the dogs are very energetic and performing at a high level and I’ve also talked to others who made the switch and they have been happy with Inukshuk as well. Some of our dogs have been picky about foods I’ve fed them in the past – but with Inukshuk they devour it pretty rapidly.

Working with Corey Nutrition

I don’t have a lot of contact with Corey Nutrition, but when I do they are always helpful. They’re easy to get in touch with, and I appreciated the effort they make getting out to meet Inukshuk customers. I also like the fact that they deal direct – and if I place an order Monday I can usually have it by Friday.

Fun Working with Dogs

I enjoy spending time with my dogs. I got my first dog 10 years ago and it turned out he wasn’t really a good working dog, so now he’s our chief greeter. We have 19 working dogs and they get to interact and free play as a group on a daily basis. I feel that this helps them gel as a team and helps me to achieve higher performance from my teams when they are working.

Other customers would be happy to know…

Inukshuk is a good food, and our dogs seem to be weight training well as we work to get them ready for the season. The exercise carts are 380 pounds plus 2 adults and we’re running with 9-10 during training. The dogs look to be really strong this year and we’re hoping that come sledding season we’ll see the results.

I really appreciate the quality of Inukshuk and look forward to a long relationship.

Website Link: http://www.peacepupsdogsledding.com

Becoming Inukshuk Customers

In December 2010 we switched to Inukshuk because we had difficulty in our part of the world to find quality dog food that was available on a consistent basis. The food we were feeding prior to that was made locally (Salt Lake), but eventually it became impossible to get.

I also sell to customers and wasn’t able to supply them, which doesn’t work as a business model when you don’t know when you can deliver. So I researched what other foods were out there and came across Inukshuk on the internet (saw their ad). I contacted the company for more info, chatted with sales reps about my nutrition concerns, cost & shipping – and made the decision to switch. Early on we noticed some good results, but it takes a while for the dogs to assimilate the food before you can make any legitimate observations. The dogs love it, they digest it well and performance has been good.

Initial Interest in Inukshuk

Quality of the product was my primary interest – the high fat at a low price is very appealing and hard to find. Very few understand the nutrition for sporting and working dogs and at the time there were only 2 other places to compare a product even close to Inukshuk. Then further research uncovered the quality of the manufacturing process and the price was great. I think we initially ended us saving $6 – $7 per bag and the quality was excellent.

How Inukshuk Affected the Dogs

I was slightly surprise in how it manifested itself to my dogs because Inukshuk was similar in ingredients to my previous food. Previously my dogs’ coats, appetites, and energy was all good – but I started to notice an increase in their coat quality and weight gain. The coat surprised me because I thought they already had great coats! Coat, feet, joints are all related to fat in the food. What we thought wasn’t going to get any better did get better with Inukshuk – even our dogs digestion improved noticeably.

Competitors Brand

I was actually sponsored by a large food company several years ago and sometimes they mixed old product with new. This caused my dogs stool to turn to cattle stool and it creates alarm because you don’t know the cause. The dogs can’t tell you when you ask “Hey does your stomach hurt or what?” Is it a parasite, are you sick?

Quality of Inukshuk

With Corey Nutrition every bag appears the same. With other brands you open the bag and it looks different (colour). Corey Nutrition packaging is one of their coolest things because most of the air is pushed out with the one-way valve they use. It’s a real benefit, not just a gimmick because air is an enemy to fat. If you don’t store it then it doesn’t matter but to someone like me who stores it for a month or 2 or 3 at a time, a HUGE selling point. In fact, I think they’re the only dog food company that does that and as a result you know the food is always fresh.

From the Dogs’…

After a run I always reward them with something, kibble thrown out on the ground to go forage for it. I take the Inukshuk 32 fat, I even use it on my house dogs they go crazy for it. It’s a rich food and the dogs view it as a treat.

Claims About Dog Food

There’s so much nonsense out there about dog food and one of the gimmicks is to take a brand of food and divide it up for a specifically targeted dog (senior, active, puppy). Why wouldn’t you want your senior dog who’s given you lots of good years the same food as your working dog. Just give him an adjusted amount. Somehow in the dog food world we buy into the nonsense.

Memorable Moments

Winning the American Dog Derby was one of our highlights two years ago. We’ve won two years in a row but the first year was my biggest thrill was taking the reins from the old grand master. He won every time and everyone felt ‘why bother because he’s going to win’. It was our highwater mark and because we won it from a man who had won the Iditarod for many years, with dogs I bought from him it was super special. When you can take good dogs (not his best) and beat him with them that’s pretty amazing. He then turned it into a positive, ‘hey look, I sell dogs that can beat me.’ With dogs – bloodline, quality nutrition (to give them their potential) and decent training philosophies are the three most important factors.

Appreciate About Corey Nutrition

I appreciate their focus on not putting something out there just to make a profit. I believe they have a pure interest in quality. It’s a real world and I get that they have to make a profit, however I do appreciate their focus on making a quality product that’s usable and advertising such. With Inukshuk there are no stupid claims – they’re authentic, and I appreciate them for that. They’re the David vs. Goliath of the dog food world and you see more companies trying to mimic what they’re doing now.

Skyline Racing Kennels Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Skyline-Racing-kennels/145852552124844

Biggest Surprise

Our biggest surprise was that their energy level went from a 3 or 4 (on a scale of 1–10) to 7 or 8. It was over the top, and we were feeding 26/16 (the lowest fat and protein content they have). I’d be a little afraid to feed the full meal deal, the 26/16 formula works for us as we’re not into the hard every day training like other folks.

The dogs attack the food, they love it! I swear they can hear the delivery truck or when we open a bag. Their coats are back they way they should be, soft and shiny. The older dogs with the digestive issues are also eating Inukshuk and they have no problems. We find Inukshuk also so easy for the dogs to regulate and maintain weight because the food is so consistent.

Every night after everybody has finished eating it’s as if the dogs give us  a big group “thanks for dinner howl” – and we say “you’re welcome!”

Memorable Moments

This all started when our son called one day (5 or 6 years ago) and asked us to watch a friend’s dog for a couple of days – which turned into weeks, and then a lifetime. The dog was pregnant and had 7 puppies and we ended up with four of them. We knew Lindy through another venue (nothing to do with dogs) and about 15 years ago she invited us to come see her dogs. After visiting with her we both got in the car and said, “why would anyone want 6 dogs?” Now we’re doing the same thing and loving it.  There’s nothing like the feeling of being out with the dogs, it’s so quiet and peaceful you can hear the snow under the runners.

Dave: Mine is when we’re someplace giving rides, I just love seeing people’s reactions. One time that sticks out for me is a 60 year old lady on her cell phone who was calling her brother in Alaska because she was so excited. She visits him every year but in the summer only but had never had the chance to go on a sled ride.

It makes me feel good to watch our dogs with people and realize how friendly they are – they’re such great dogs.

Darlene: Since all of our dogs come from rescues – some never had harnesses on before.  So when you hook them up and they figure it out you see it in their eyes when they realize ‘oh, this is what I was meant to do!’ – they love it!

One of our dogs we adopted was an escape artist, his previous owners couldn’t keep him in the yard. But give him a job to do and he settles right down, now he’s centered – he has a purpose.

We like to educate people about the breed. We like sharing our love of the sport and exposing people to it.

Working with Corey Nutrition

Lindsay is easy to talk to, very helpful and answers ALL our questions. We’re basically just old farmers here, and Lindsay does business like they used to…they do what they promise.

Customers Would Be Happy to Know

Other customers would be happy to know about all of the things we’ve seen in our dogs. Inukshuk has everything you look for in a good dog food. They have three different recipes for different activity levels. Folks we know that started using Inukshuk since we did are loving it and are raving about the results.

Most Important About Nutrition

For our dogs the first thing I look at is where corn comes in on the ingredient list. In Inukshuk it’s 3rd after chicken and fish. The other food we were feeding we had to supplement but with  this food we don’t have to.

Message for Corey Nutrition Team

Thank you for making a great product and keep up the great work.

You guys are fantastic. You’re prompt with emails and we love your videos. We also love the packaging. The pallet takes several months to go through and there’s no change in the freshness from the first bag to the last.

You seem to be developing quite a following here in Maine. Opening the warehouse in Bangor definitely made things a lot easier.

I sell it to other dog owners to keep the product rotating and to keep it fresh. Fortunately the foil bags seal so there’s no smell delivering 17 bags all the way up to Cheyenne, Wyoming in the back of my car. If it’s part of my journey I’ll deliver. Otherwise people come to me.

Memorable Moments

I think what I enjoy most is just being out in the middle of nowhere and hearing the pads of the dogs touching down in the snow.

About 5 years ago we were having a white Christmas and I had my 4th grader outside with my Siberian husky and a German Shepherd. When we hooked up a harness to the dogs to pull her sled, the Siberian’s eyes lit up and she began to bark for joy. We had a lot of fun out there that day and that’s when I got the fever.

I’m a high school science teacher and reserve officer for the US Air Force and US Air National Guard and have been racing for three years with purebred Siberian Huskies. I own 9 Huskies and 2 German Shepherds and live with my family in the mountains. Mostly I compete in regional races as I can’t get too much time off from work. I do sprint-racing primarily but would like to do mid-distance if I could get more time to train.

My training in the summer is usually bike-joring with my leaders. I started off using an old cart but quickly realized I needed an ATV for pre-season training to tie the gang line to as it is a much safer way to go. In another month we should have enough snow down to start running sleds.

Biggest Surprise

The biggest surprise with the 32/32 how is how little you have to feed. I had 2 shepherds eating 4 cups Xxx Xxx (equivalent to 32/20 formula) and they went down to 2 cups. Other customers would be interested to know about the vacuum infusion process.

Also, people want to know they’re not going to get surprised and have the supplier change the food on them or add anything that’s not supposed to be in there – I like knowing that Corey Nutrition own their mills because sub-contracting can result in quality control issues. The fish they’re using is also a big sell.

Appreciate about Corey Nutrition

They’re willing to work with the average kennel owner out there and you get premium product as a good price. The bigger companies only want to work with the big feed stores.

I like knowing they’re (the dogs) getting good ingredients and I can rely on the company to not put something in there that’s not supposed to be there. For us they’re part of the family.

I have lots of pet owners on the 30/25 formula now and use it myself in the off season with Siberians when they’re not working. Dogs really love the taste!

I have been doing more wholesale now vs retail for the last few years and spend lots of time on the phone talking to clients about how to tire out their “energizer bunnies” – and often end up troubleshooting with customers over the phone.

My first race year was last year, I said “before I hit 60 I am going to do this”. I have collected some pretty nice kickass dogs, but I had stopped doing tours and focused on equipment – I make harnesses for every dog out there now.

I have 12 dogs now but we’re not touring anymore. It’s a hard row for the dogs to tour with different people on the back every day, so my partner and I do some racing just for pure enjoyment.

Feeding Inukshuk

I’ve been feeding Inukshuk since 2008. There was a gentleman by the name of Matthew Beasley who sent me an email at the absolute perfect time (I was in a dog food crisis). I had cut raw meat for my dogs for about 14 years and my hands were toast cutting cold meat every day. I said ‘there has got to be a dog food out there that supports a dog!’ I had tried xx. xxxx vet/racer food, but without the meat it wasn’t working.

I had another racer’s dog in here and his weight was dropping, temperaments were going south in the kennel and I was in a crisis. I ran to the butcher and had them grind up pork, beef & chicken to supplement the food I had and I put half the dogs on it and the other half eating Inukshuk. I watched everything settle back down to normal while both weight and temperament came back up. So I emailed Matthew back to say ‘where can I get it?’

As things evolved people saw my dogs and asked about what we were feeding and the whole started to snowball. Now I’m ordering 2 – 3 skids every one or two months. I bring in a variety of Inukshuk products and have been setting up partnerships between like-minded buyers.

Biggest Surprise About Inukshuk

It wasn’t a surprise as much as it was relief. That somebody had finally gotten it right  y finding a meat diet that could support high energy dogs.

Nutrition & Inukshuk

Every situation is different. A kennel might be interested in the dollar per pound to make sure you get more bang for buck. I like that their temperament is better, coats are better and that they keep their weight on (because the balance between fat and protein is better). It’s possible to keep them on Inukshuk all year as long as you adjust your amounts to feed this calibre food 365 days a year and not have them get fat. You can adjust it by kibbles.

Every person has a unique situation, so I look at nutrition based upon what their dogs need. One person’s dogs were obese and I told them to go on 32/32 and they lost weight. It even surprised me, but the balance between fat & protein is better so they’re filled faster and less likely to do the potato chip thing at night (just like humans). It’s all about education and proper exercise.

Message for Corey Nutrition

I’m pushing for high-energy dog treats. I want calories coming out your ying yang – not a low cal treat… something special for hunting dogs, fly ball dogs, agility dogs, search & rescue, and police dogs. You’re working these dogs so you need to constantly refuel the fire. A bone is ok for the yard, but on the trail you need something smaller.

Appreciate Most about Corey Nutrition

A: They know what they’re talking about
B: They’re nice
C: I can bounce ideas off them and they’ll look at it. They’re always in my corner for promoting the food to new people. JT’s always saying “let me know what you want and we’ll do it.”

Web Site Link: http://www.ravenswatch.on.ca

My dogs like the food – it’s like eating ice cream for them.

Biggest Surprise

The biggest surprise is the increase in their energy levels early in the season, and the fact that their are no more bloody stools when they’re working hard. A lot of dog foods have corn fillers and you get parts of the shuck of the corn that irritate the bowel, with the vigorous exercise of training you can sometimes create discomfort.

I was also surprised by the ease of doing business with Corey Nutrition, I just make a phone call to order a pallet and then in a couple of days it’s here.

Other customers would be happy to know Corey Nutrition is a positive company to partner with – they’re out at the races and they really listen to our feedback. This year I’m excited to try 32/32 trying to keep weight on them as we are racing a lot more.

Nutrition is a Priority

I work out myself and am used to doing 100 mile bike rides and I also run a lot – so I know how important it is to properly fuel your body. Inukshuk is a great food at a good cost, and I’ve been to a lot of seminars from vets about nutrition. You’re always trying to find what’s best for your dogs and when you can find something that’s predictable and performance-based you’re all set. If you have to start supplementing them you’re not feeding the right food, with Inukshuk we’ve eliminated that problem.

Personal Achievements

Last year was my first 60-mile race (Fort Kent). There was varying weather throughout the race, but the dogs never gave up. It’s a pretty amazing feeling (like seeing your child in a play or achieve something special) when you see your dogs challenge themselves and persevere.

I used to fly planes, scuba dive… but when I got on the runners of a sled I gave it all up. This is definitely a lifestyle for me as I’m in a stressful corporate world all week and at the end of the day I look forward to being with my dogs – they make me forget about everything and love you unconditionally.

Message for Corey Nutrition

A big thank you! You guys are doing a great job and Lindsay is a great person to work with!

I’m extremely happy we switched to Inukshuk and now it seems that everybody who runs dogs has switched, or is planning to switch. I have noticed our dogs are full of energy and I’m also hearing the same from friends who have their dogs on Inukshuk. All the dogs eat it well and I like that they have a lower calorie formulas for when the dogs are less active.

Memorable Moments

I got my first Siberian in 1998 (they’ve always been my favourite dog0. I grew up ski racing and I wanted to be outdoors so I wanted a dog that demanded a lot of exercise. Eventually I got a second dog to keep him company from a guy who was a recreational musher who had 24 dogs and that was my first introduction to sledding.

I’m always in awe when you ask the dogs to do something for you – and they do it without question. People don’t always understand that with dogs you have to build a relationship with them where they trust and believe in you – and this takes time. I believe keeping it enjoyable for the dogs is one of the most important things and that’s why we only do two runs a day so they do not get bored with the trail. We believe that you have to keep your dogs happy and keep things fun for them.

One of the first dogs I owned, Sadie – would do anything I asked. I learned a lot from her and think she gave me the patience to work with other dogs. She was a very special animal.

Biggest Surprise about Inukshuk

With Inukshuk, we immediately noticed a difference in the sheen of their coats, plus every dog was fine on it. A lot of times when you switch food, a few of the dogs don’t take too well to it – but everybody did great. Over the summer we also found it a lot easier to maintain their weight without cutting back on the amount of food we were giving them. That is a huge plus in our world!

Customer service is a big thing for us and we get a positive response whenever we call the Inukshuk team. During Irene we lost our whole kennel and had eight and a half inches of rain from a small brook behind our kennel, and in a very short time we lost the whole thing down the river. We only had about 5 bags of food left and somehow Lindsay found a way to get food down to us. A person doesn’t forget that kind a commitment and caring – it makes all the difference in the world!

Website Link: http://www.huskyworks.com

I’ve been feeding Inukshuk since 2007. Dog mushers are an odd sort and it’s a tough sport because everybody is trying to feed a kennel beyond their means. Price is very, very important and most mushers switch foods not because of an ad they heard, but because they hear good things from other mushers. I did my homework when I switched to Inukshuk.

I have a really good relationship with my rep JT and he is always willing to stick his neck out for me. He’s creative in helping us think up ways to keep costs down and I appreciate the give and take relationship with a dog food company that wants to make things work. We’ve developed a friendship and it’s nice to know no matter who I talk to there I never need a formal introduction, I call and just say ‘it’s Gavin’. Familiarity with their clients is really important to Corey Nutrition.

Biggest Surprise

The most important thing to me is how the food is metabolized, and is there adequate nutrition and calories in the food? Physically a long distance race dog may need 10,000 calories a day versus a pet that may need 800 calories. I need to know how concentrated those calories are in the food I’m feeding? You have to be able to put the gas in but they need to be able to carry it (volume).

Aside from nutrition and the close relationship I have developed with JT and others in the Company, the biggest surprise is the cost savings. It’s a transition when you switch dog food and you just don’t see an immediate miraculous change. It was a little bit tough to get into buying food in pallets, but once I got into that mode I started to sell it as well. The results, price and the care shown to me by the Inukshuk reps at Corey Nutrition make for a great partnership!

Website Link: http://www.traildancer.com

Memorable Moments

One of my most memorable moments was taking some very young dogs into my first 100 mile race. The race was getting into the night and I was coming back in the dark by myself. It was quite an experience (“scary”), but to finish that race was one of the most memorable. I’ve also enjoyed giving rides to college presidents or anybody special –it’s fun taking them out in the basket.

Feeding Inukshuk

We’ve been feeding Inukshuk since 2007 after a friend recommended the food. He said he loved it so we gave it a try and now you couldn’t make me change. If the US could no longer get this food for some reason I would probably move to Canada!

The first thing that stands out for us is the dogs’ coats because it’s the number one indicator of their health. Their fur is just like rabbit fur, and the old dogs who have slower metabolisms, have great coats too. In addition, the dogs’ teeth and gums are very healthy. I had friends whose dogs whose energy was declining so I told them about Inukshuk – within 2 weeks of feeding they were obnoxious!

The Inukshuk bags are crinkly and we have them in the garage so if we bump into them in the garage, the whole kennel sets off into a “barkerama” that the next town can hear. It’s just crazy how they dive into it, and then they howl five minutes afterwards!

Appreciate About Corey Nutrition

Lindsay is like family to us, he’s a great guy and so smart about the business side of it too. I think the thing I respect about him the most is that he will not criticize another food – even if we do.

I really appreciate the quality of the food for the number of different dog profiles. In our case we have such a diverse kennel and I love how they have something for all of them. Being able to talk to the guys directly is great, and I appreciate the fact that on one occasion the owner of Corey Nutrition came to the Fort Kent race and hung out with us for the day.

Other Customers Would be Happy to Know

Other customers would be happy to know there’s very little poop to clean up. When a food is good, it stays in their body and they use it. You need a food that gives them energy for the long haul. A lot of dogs are also sensitive to race diarrhea and that has never happened on this food.

Where we live it’s difficult to supplement food with additional protein and fat. With Inukshuk we don’t need to supplement and that’s a huge bonus for us!

Customers should also know the dogs’ coats are just fabulous on this food.

Mushers take great pride in what they feed, and being as picky as I am, I’m always very proud to say we’re feeding Inukshuk.

Heywood Kennels Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Heywood-Kennel-Sled-Dog-Adventures/145995802484

We’re hobby breeders and have been careful to grow the business slowly with a focus on care and quality. We invest a lot of time researching the males we use to create lines we’re proud of, and produce between 4-9 pups per litter.

Feeding Inukshuk

Our first experience with Inukshuk happened after one of our females came back from breeding with a German imported stud dog. We noticed right away that she had a softer coat, smelled better and had put on some weight. That’s when we discovered they had been feeding her Inukshuk.

We believe it’s worthwhile to take the time to make others aware of Inukshuk’s benefits. We have people who order the pallet with us and believe it’s one of those well kept secrets that needs to be shared. We’ve even started to retail Inukshuk and have approximately a dozen customers who like buying from us.

What Potential Customers Should Know

Pound per pound you can’t beat the quality you’re getting for the price. Knowing what goes into Inukshuk (i.e. protein count, omegas, glucosamine, fish, chicken) is important and with this food you don’t have to supplement.

We also love the different formulas available so you can fit the dogs’ needs nutritionally depending on their activity levels.

Dealing with Corey Nutrition

One of the benefits of dealing with Corey Nutrition is that they speak the same language we do, they know dogs. Lindsay cares about his work with breeders and trainers, plus the quality and delivery is always consistently good.  We like their approach so much we actually talked to Corey Nutrition about the opportunity of being able to sell it to some high-end stores locally so more individuals could be using it.

Biggest Surprise

The biggest surprise with Inukshuk is that we’re feeding about 75% of what we’d normally have to feed (especially using 32/32). With Shepherd females it’s hard to keep their weight on during pregnancy and recovery after having a litter, but with Inukshuk we have none of those problems.

We have an older poodle that comes for daycare who had trouble keeping weight on, so we suggested they start mixing Inukshuk into another food their vet had recommended ($50 bag). About a month later the vet remarked about how well the dog looked to be doing.

Greatest Achievements

We have bred a German Shepherd that is able to live in a family environment as a companion. It’s important that people are happy with our dogs and appreciate their wonderful temperament. To hear them say our dogs are beautiful, loyal and friendly makes us very proud.

Once their was a Purolator guy who arrived with a delivery and when he jumped out of his truck three of our shepherds walked toward him and just looked at him. He hesitated, but then came forward and said he could just tell by looking at them how well mannered and friendly they were.

Memorable Moments

Hiking on the trails with our dogs off leash, teaching and training them is always a thrill for us. At the end of the day we’re in this business because we love the dogs, it’s not about the money.

Website Links: