A Certified Holistic Pet Health Coach is someone trained to look at a dog’s whole picture… behavior, nutrition, gut health, stress, environment, and more… rather than focusing on just one symptom at a time. It’s not a veterinary degree, and it doesn’t replace one. It’s a specialized training that focuses on natural, food first, whole body approaches to supporting a dog’s health and wellbeing.
Here’s what that actually looks like in practice, and what it means for our work together.
What the Certification Involves
I’m certified through Dr. Ruth Roberts’ Holistic Pet Health Coach Program™, led by Dr. Ruth Roberts, a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in integrative veterinary care.
The program is designed around 16 weekly sessions plus one on one mentorship, though in practice it typically takes most students four to six months to complete, depending on scheduling with your mentor and how much time you have to dedicate each week.
The program covers a wide range of topics, including nutrition, gut health, the liver and kidneys, the endocrine system, skin issues, musculoskeletal health, behavior and emotional wellbeing, and more. It’s built around looking at the whole pet… not just one symptom at a time… which is where my “whole dog” approach comes from.
Throughout the program, I also completed weekly one-on-one mentorship sessions, learning how to develop personalized lifestyle and nutrition plans based on each individual pet’s needs.
What This Means for Our Work Together
When you work with me, I’m drawing on this training to look at how your dog’s nutrition, gut health, stress levels, environment, and behavior are all connected… and to help you understand what might be contributing to what you’re seeing in your dog.
This is also where my interest in Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) comes from, which looks at each dog’s individual constitution, not just a one size fits all approach.
What This Doesn’t Mean
I am not a veterinarian, and being a Certified Holistic Pet Health Coach doesn’t change that. I don’t diagnose, treat, or cure medical conditions, and I don’t prescribe medication.
What I do is help you understand your dog’s whole picture… behavior, health, food, stress, and environment… and create a personalized plan based on that. This is meant to work alongside your veterinarian, not replace them. If your dog has a medical condition or you’re concerned about their health, your vet is always your first call.
Curious About the Program Yourself?
If you’re a dog (or cat) lover who’s ever thought about turning that passion into a career, or you just want to learn more about Dr. Ruth Roberts’ approach, you can check out the Holistic Pet Health Coach Program here.
This is an affiliate link, which means if you sign up through it, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. I only share this because the program genuinely shaped how I work with dogs and their people, and it might be a good fit if you’re considering this path too.
Have questions about how this applies to your dog specifically? Book a Whole Dog Discovery Session and let’s talk through it together.