If your pet is a picky eater or suffering from allergies or digestive problems, Just Food for Dogs’ flagship kitchen/store in West Hollywood could be the Valentine’s gift they need. Don’t expect any bling or toys here — this store is all about nutrition. You can buy treats, like strips of dehydrated beef brisket or even pumpkin and molasses crackers, but the store’s panel of veterinarians warns that treats should make up only 10% of your pet’s daily calories. The main event here is your pet’s daily nosh. The store specializes in what it calls “real food”— chicken, lamb, beef, even venison — cooked on the premises with ingredients like fish oil, spinach, zucchini, broccoli, whole-wheat macaroni, rice, carrots and apples, then frozen for you to take home and defrost, at a cost of $32 to $40 for 4 cups — roughly three to four days’ worth of meals depending on the size of your pet. (Note that dogs, unlike cats, are not true carnivores — they do fine with veggies. Cats are all about the meat, and JFFD’s cat meals and salmon bark treats have been tailored accordingly,) “We make food for busy people who don’t have time to do it themselves,” said Joe Ovalle, the store’s “brand ambassador.” You can buy smaller 18-ounce packages to see what recipes work best with your pet, then settle on a subscription or start making your own at home — the store even provides DIY kits that make 30 to 39 pounds of food for $22, which includes the recipe, cooking instructions and nutritional supplements. The “real food” ingredients you’ll have to buy yourself — but at least you’ll finally know what your pet is really eating.
