Did you know that there are more bacteria on Earth than stars in the sky? Just like the universe, we don’t even know the vast majority of these bacteria yet. Studies estimate that there are close to 1 trillion different bacterial species, but only 1% (i.e. 0.001%) of them have been identified!

We know that bacteria and other microbes living in the gut, collectively known as the gut microbiome, play an important role in good health and may even influence our behavior. Microbiome research is at the forefront of today’s science, and there’s a lot more to understand.

Some beneficial bacteria have been identified and their effects on dogs have been studied. However, we still don’t know how many specific kinds of bacteria interact in dogs’ guts and affect their health. Every dog is unique and has a unique collection of gut bacteria. In fact, in every stool sample we analyzed, we found unrecognizable bacterial species! One of our goals is to understand what these mysterious bacteria do, and how they affect your dog.

The power of artificial intelligence and citizen scientists like you, who send fecal samples, help us solve this mystery. When a new species appears in more than one dog, we can begin to decipher their role in the gut. With more samples, we can learn more about bacteria, such as what they eat and how they affect the dog’s daily life. With this evidence, we can better tailor each dog’s food to meet their individual needs and improve their well-being.

Bookmark our website and we will not only provide healthy nutrition for your dog and its beneficial gut bacteria. Together, we can lead scientific discoveries to understand how new species of bacteria affect the health and well-being of your dog and dogs around the world.