Human Behind the Handle
At Polkadog, we believe every dog (and dog parent) has a story worth celebrating, and that’s what makes our brand ambassador community so special. In our newest series, Human Behind the Handle, we’re shining a spotlight on two ambassador dog moms who embody the heart of our pack. Get to know Johanna from NC (and her dog Brax) and Kasondra from WA (and her duo, Rainier and Zelda). We love knowing that our treats are such a big part of their stories.
Meet Johanna & Brax from Asheville, NC!
Tell us a little bit about yourself: I am a millennial daughter of Cuban immigrants who has become loud about my values and morals. I work in employee benefits and wellness and empathy is at the core of so much of what I do. I am a true dog mom who prioritizes Brax even above myself many times. I enjoy reading and collecting books, as well as decorating my home and making it a space for both me and Brax to enjoy. I reside in Asheville, NC.
Now tell us about your dog! My dog's name is Brax, named after Abraxos from the Throne of Glass book series. He is a 2 year old Cattle Dog/Alaskan Malamute mix who I adopted about 2 weeks after moving to Asheville. I lost my soul dog, Dingo, in June 2023 when I lived in Miami, FL, and moved to Asheville in September 2023 to reset and start over with a new environment. I always knew I would adopt another pup, but told myself I needed more time. My rule was no cattle dog (because I was scared it would remind me too much of Dingo, and no puppy)... Of course, like many others, that didn't last long.
Moving to a new city all by myself, I found a photo of Brax and his big ears on the Blue Ridge Humane Society site and fell in love, I told my niece and nephew we could go see him but I would not be adopting. It was too soon and I had no furniture in my apartment. But of course, I left there with the love of my life, Brax, a 5 month old cattle dog mix who slept on an air mattress with me for over a week while we waited for my furniture to be delivered. I think Brax had more in my apartment than I did at the time. Brax is a very high energy pup who needs constant adventure and hikes, but shows me unconditional love. He is needy and loving, and I couldn't have asked for anything more.
Favorite activities to do with Brax: We love hiking and exploring the Blue Ridge Parkway and Mountains. It's such a great way to disconnect and reprioritize what's important in life. Brax has his besties and we always make time for fun play dates with lots of treats and chasing balls.
Why you love Polkadog treats: I lost my dog Dingo to cancer and while he was going through treatment I did what most of us do, read every post, article, you name it, and so much was tied to what foods go into our pet's bodies. I became very concerned with what Dingo ate and ensured only healthy limited ingredient foods and treats. Polkadog Cod Skins were some of his favorites. After chemo he needed to be enticed into eating and offering a cod skin or crumbling it over his food did the job! When I adopted Brax, that concern transferred over to Brax. He only gets healthy treats. When we saw the opportunity to become an ambassador, I was thrilled. Promoting a product that we use in our home, that's healthy, and honors Dingo's memory? Sign us up!
Where do you purchase your Polkadog treats: It's become our routine to do a treat run and pick up some Polkadog treats at our local Hollywood Feed!
Meet Kasondra, Rainier & Zelda from Seattle, WA!
Tell us a little bit about yourself: I've lived most of my life in the PNW and grew up with a Samoyed/Border Collie mix - so an active dog is all I've ever known. I grew up hiking and camping with my childhood dog, and that helped lead me to where I'm at with my girls. Most days we are out on some sort of adventure, whether it's in a local city park, hiking to an Alpine Lake, or camping with our friends. A huge thing that I am currently navigating is Zelda's anxiety - she's always been an anxious pup but as she has matured, it has steadily increased. I hope to capture our anxiety journey through social media. She is the most confident dog while out in nature - but the city life can be rough on her - we're going through trials of different pharmaceuticals paired with positive reinforcement training to navigate her anxiety, noise phobia, and fearfulness - and I hope it can help someone else struggling with this as well!
Now tell us about your dogs!
Rainier is an Australian Cattle Dog/Aussie/Border Collie/Brittany Spaniel mix. She is 4.5 years old. She is ball obsessed, treat obsessed (team cod skin), and loves to "mom shop". She doesn't know a stranger and is a total therapy dog for all who know her. She was my pandemic puppy - and a "Golden Retriever/Cattle Dog" mix off of craigslist - though Embark said otherwise. She embodies all of her breeds, and I'm definitely the "cow" that needs herding.
Zelda is a 3 year old Long Hair Dalmatian. Zelda is a mommas girl, huge lover, cuddle bug, and adventurer - with a heavy dose of anxiety. She is the goofiest dog I've ever met, loves to have me pick her up and dance in the kitchen, will copy anything her sister does, and loves to be little spoon.
Favorite activities to do with your dogs: Anything outdoors - you can typically either find us at the beach, hiking, or most recently, camping!
Why you love Polkadog treats: I try to only buy treats that are single or limited-ingredient, and it is one of the many things I love about Polkadog treats. Rainier first fell in love with the Cod Skins as a puppy and we have experimented with the different treats over the years as availability in the PNW changed. Both girls are picky eaters - and Polkadog is one of the few brands that they have consistently tried and loved. I also love that they are all natural and locally sourced!
Where do you purchase your Polkadog treats: MudBay! It's our favorite local PNW natural pet food/supply store, and where we're able to do a quick restock when we run out of cod skin and nuggets!