To you and me, that doesn’t mean much. If anything, it ranks among the things we don’t need to know. But for a guy in the pet food business, those words are honey-dipped.

You see, firm stool tells RedMoon Custom Pet Food founder Jason Bailey two things. One, his product is working. And two, the fact that someone would sit down and write an email conveying such information means people care. Therefore, Bailey knows that his all-online, supplement-infused pet food is not only changing the lives of cats and dogs, but also the lives of the people who love them.

The pet food industry is a curious marketplace. Some companies would have us believe that dogs should be eating Banana Nut Muffins or that cats require a White Meat Chicken and Cheddar Cheese Soufflé with Garden Greens. Consumers must choose between purchasing food laden with unhealthy fillers and feeding their animals better than their children.

Many pets are even developing serious allergies to the ingredients that make up a large percentage of mass-market food. Gluten, corn, wheat, rice and soy are the main culprits.

So, Bailey started by cutting all of those out completely. Then he developed local ingredient lists that include fresh produce and high-quality meat – and lots of it. On average, you can feed your pet 30-40% less food because it contains more meat. In one example, Bailey talks about a 170 lb mountain dog eating just under two cups of food a day.

But the real game-changer here is that you can completely customize your pet’s food in order to meet specific diets or treat certain health problems. A user-friendly webpage makes it as easy as buying shoes. And every order comes with two free supplements allowing customers to target everything from bad breath and dull coats to immunity and joint health. They even have supplements for digestive, kidney and urinary health.

And it’s delivered to your doorstep. And there’s a 110% money-back guarantee.

If you need yet another vote of confidence, in the six months since they’ve launched, RedMoon has doubled its business every month and only had one bag of cat food returned.

Now that’s a stat every finicky kitty owner can get behind.

President and Co-founder Anthony Bennie, a nutritionist with 17 years in the pet food business, was inspired by the health problems of his own puppy. He explains: “I’m trying to bridge the gap between the two sides of the gulf – people food and pet food.”

While some pet owners will spend more to purchase premium pet foods, the nutritional value of treats is often ignored by shoppers. While parents may limit their children’s consumption of unhealthy foods like candy and chips, pet treats are often not critically evaluated.

“Blackwing’s products come from sustainable, free-range organic ranches and specialized sources that are certified as free of steroids, added hormones, antibiotics and pesticides,” Bennie elaborates. ”And to differentiate us even further, we handle all of the ingredients exactly as they would be handled for human food use – they are kept frozen until processed and then only processed at human food plants rather than pet food plants.”

Blackwing for Pets’ high standards are a direct result of the company’s roots in the food industry:

• Blackwing Meats is a family-owned company that supplies five star restaurants with certified organic meats from free-range ranchers
• The pet treats company was founded when customers began requesting dog bones and treats

Blackwing Five Star Organic Beef and Buffalo Bones, the company’s featured product, is made from organic piedmontese beef and organic buffalo. The product has no toxins, pesticides, hormones or other added chemicals.

The Blackwing website lists several online retailers as well as stores, by state, that carry the product. To show the company’s commitment to consumers, the website introduces the staff, including the safety manager, accounts receivable, transportation specialist and shipping specialist – Bijou, Isis, Tiger and Tucker all appear remarkably canine. A page of photos and testimonials from satisfied doggie customers follows.

To date, the company has relied heavily on word of mouth from industry insiders and specialty retailers. “If you make a great product and give it to family-owned stores and teach them what it’s about, they become your advertising and marketing partners,” says Bennie. “That’s how you market a great product.”  

Bennie further attests to the quality of the product, assuring, “We would eat it ourselves.” Perhaps we humans will pass on that, but Blackwing for Pets is mounting a brand challenge in a dog-eat-bone industry.