Lymphatics, senior dogs, parasite follow-up — plus some changes at The WellOiledK9 and a favor I need from you.

Hi friends,

I owe you a little bit of a do-over.

Last week’s newsletter didn’t quite make it out the way it was supposed to, but I’m actually glad we’re catching it now because August’s parasite work, September lymphatics, and what I’ve been thinking about with our senior dogs all connect.

The common thread is movement.

Moving fluid. Moving waste. Moving nutrients. Maintaining muscle.

And quite literally — keeping the dog moving.

For our seniors especially, I want us to stop automatically accepting every change as:

“Well… he’s getting old.”

Aging changes the dog. Absolutely.

But that doesn’t mean we stop asking what we can support.

🐛 First: How Did Your August Parasite Support Go?

If you participated in the August parasite protocol, I want to hear how it went.

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You may have no idea who I am, what The WellOiledK9 is, or why there is a paid membership attached to this Substack.

So let me start there.

The Well Oiled K9 Membership is not simply a paid newsletter.

Substack is one part of a much larger education and support membership I’ve built for dog parents who want to understand their dogs better, make more informed wellness decisions and have a useful place to come back to when the next question comes up.

And with dogs, there is always a next question.

Who Am I — And Why Am I Teaching This?

I’m Dana Brigman, a Certified Holistic Pet Health Coach and canine nutritionist (Cert.CN), and I’ve spent more than a decade working professionally with dogs and their people.

My work actually started heavily on the behavior and training side, but over the years it became impossible for me to separate behavior from what was happening physically in the dog. Food matters. Digestion matters. Pain, hormones, stress, sleep, the nervous system and the environment all matter. What we put on, in and around our dogs matters too.

That is what led me deeper into canine nutrition, fresh feeding, aromatherapy, herbs, homeopathy, Reiki and other complementary approaches to wellness.

Today, I look at the whole dog. Your Dog.

That might mean helping a pet parent improve the food bowl, understand allergies, support a senior dog, think through digestive problems, learn how to use natural remedies more confidently or recognize that an anxious or reactive dog may have more going on than a training problem.

I do not believe every dog needs a complicated protocol and twelve supplements.

I also do not believe every question should end with “ask your vet” and no further explanation.

Veterinary care matters. So does understanding your own dog well enough to notice changes, ask better questions and make thoughtful decisions.

That middle ground is where much of my work lives.

Why I Built The Membership

I kept watching dog parents get good information, use it successfully, and then end up right back at square one when the next issue came along.

• Maybe the dog stopped eating.

• Maybe diarrhea showed up.

• Maybe an allergy flare started.

• Maybe their senior suddenly seemed different.

• Maybe they wanted to improve the diet, learn more about essential oils, understand a supplement or figure out whether something they were seeing was worth worrying about.

Then back to Google or FB they went.

And Google can give you 4,000 answers, three sponsored products and six new reasons to panic before breakfast

Social media can be even worse. Ask one dog question in a large Facebook group and by lunchtime someone will have told you to change the food, never change the food, give pumpkin, never give pumpkin, fire your veterinarian and buy seven supplements and what a terrible pet parent you are. 😂

I wanted to build something more useful than that.

The Well Oiled K9 Membership gives you a place to learn, ask questions, find reliable resources and gradually become much better at understanding your own dog.

What Will You Learn Inside The Membership?

This is not about memorizing protocols.

It is about learning how to think through your dog’s wellness more confidently.

Inside the membership, we talk about things like:

• Nutrition & Fresh Food — improving the bowl, fresh feeding, homemade food, ingredients, protein rotation, fats, hydration and feeding through different stages of life.

• Natural Remedies — essential oils, herbs, homeopathy, botanicals and when each type of support may make sense.

• Digestive Health — diarrhea, reflux, poor appetite, nausea, food sensitivities, elimination diets and recurring GI problems.

• Chronic Health Concerns — education and supportive strategies around conditions involving the kidneys, liver, pancreas, thyroid, heart, skin, immune system and more.

• Senior Dogs & Longevity — mobility, cognition, nutrition, prevention and helping older dogs stay comfortable and engaged.

• Behavior & The Whole Dog — anxiety, reactivity, stress, nervous-system health and the physical pieces that can influence behavior.

• Seasonal Wellness — parasites, environmental exposures, detoxification, immune support and proactive seasonal care.

• First Aid & Everyday Questions — the things dog parents actually need when something happens and they are trying to decide what belongs in the “watch it,” “support it” or “call the vet” category.

And because dogs rarely arrive with one tidy little problem living in its own box, we also talk about how those pieces connect.

What Does Membership Actually Include?

Here is where the membership becomes very different from the typical paid Substack.

Member-Only Education

You’ll receive deeper articles and educational posts here on Substack, along with ongoing discussion around the topics I teach and the things I’m seeing in my work.

Live Q&A and Zoom Sessions

Members can participate in live sessions where we talk through questions, current topics and practical wellness issues. Replays are available when you cannot attend live.

A Growing Support-Guide Library

The member area includes a growing collection of wellness guides, troubleshooting resources, seasonal support material and practical references you can return to when something comes up with your dog.

The Remedies Class

Annual members receive access to my complete Remedies Class covering essential oils, herbs, homeopathy, botanicals, first-aid resources and practical ways to build a useful natural-remedy toolkit.

The Homemade Food Class

Annual members also receive my complete Homemade Food Class, designed to teach you how to think about balanced fresh food instead of simply following one recipe forever.

Community & Conversation

You can ask questions, participate in Substack Chat and learn from the questions other dog parents are asking too.

Resource Direction

Sometimes the biggest problem is not that information doesn’t exist — it’s that you have no idea which piece applies to your dog.

Part of my role is helping you find the right guide, class, article or next step instead of getting lost in a giant information library.

Member Discounts

Members receive discounts on eligible guides and private services when a situation needs more individualized support.

What Membership Is NOT

This part matters just as much.

The membership is education and group support.

It is not unlimited private coaching, emergency support, custom diet formulation, individualized treatment protocols, detailed lab interpretation or ongoing case management.

Sometimes your question will have a straightforward educational answer.

Sometimes I can point you to exactly the right resource.

And sometimes your question tells me your dog needs a deeper review.

When that happens, I will tell you.

I would much rather say, “This needs more than a membership answer,” than pretend every complicated dog can be responsibly managed in a comment thread.

You Do Not Have to Be “Super Holistic”

You do not need to arrive here feeding a perfectly balanced raw diet from a stainless steel bowl while diffusing Frankincense and growing medicinal herbs in the backyard. 😂

Some members are deeply immersed in natural wellness already. Others are just beginning.

Some feed fresh food. Some are trying to improve kibble. Some use herbs, essential oils or homeopathy regularly. Others have never used any of them.

Some are managing chronic health problems. Others have healthy dogs and are primarily interested in prevention and longevity.

There is no purity test at the door.

My approach tends to be food-first, whole-dog and lower-tox. I like fresh food. I use essential oils, herbs and homeopathy. I think prevention deserves much more attention than it usually receives.

But I also work in the real world.

You start where you are.

Why Substack Then?

The WellOiledK9 existed long before I started using Substack.

I am here because Substack gives us something a traditional website does not do particularly well: conversation.

I can publish something, you can respond to it, members can use Chat, we can keep discussions going and I can communicate directly with people who actually want to hear from me.

But Substack is not the entirety of the membership.

The simplest way I can explain it is:

Substack is where you subscribe and where part of the conversation happens.
The WellOiledK9 Membership is what you are actually joining.

Some of your membership experience happens here.

Some happens in the larger member resource library.

Some happens during live sessions and Q&A.

And some of the value is simply having someplace useful to start the next time you find yourself staring at your dog thinking, Okay… now what?

Why Join?

Because you are probably already spending money on your dog.

• Food.

• Supplements.

• Veterinary visits.

• Products somebody recommended online.

• Things you tried because they sounded promising.

Sometimes the most valuable thing you can have is not another product.

It is better information before you buy the next one.

The membership is designed to help you:

• understand what may matter first;

• recognize when you are dealing with a foundation problem instead of a supplement problem;

• ask better questions;

• make more intentional decisions;

• understand the options available to you;

• stop starting from scratch every time something changes with your dog.

My goal is to help you become much better at understanding and advocating for your dog.

Current Membership Pricing

The membership has grown considerably from what it was when I originally priced it.

Beginning September 1, 2026, new membership pricing will be:

$49/month

or

$399/year

But through August 31, you can still join annually through Substack for $150/year.

And this is important:

If you join at $150/year through Substack before August 31 and keep that annual subscription active, your renewal price remains $150/year.

That is not just a first-year promotional price.

You keep that rate for future annual renewals while your subscription remains active.

If you cancel and later decide to return, you will rejoin at whatever the membership price is at that time.

I am comfortable giving early members that advantage because you are joining while I am still actively expanding and organizing the membership.

You came early.

You get the cheap seats. 😂

If You Just Found Me Today

You do not have to decide anything because one article landed in your feed.

Read some of my public posts.

See how I think.

See whether my approach to dogs makes sense to you.

But if you are already the dog parent who wants to understand more, be more proactive and have a reliable place to turn when the next question comes up, I would love to have you inside the membership.

And if you are reading this before August 31, this is also your chance to lock in the $150 annual membership price before it changes.

You can join or upgrade directly here on Substack.

Questions are always welcome.

Welcome to The WellOiledK9.

Dana

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Weekly live group support, practical holistic guidance, member-only content, community conversations, and discounts that help you keep learning—without turning every question into a full consultation.

Ready to get started?

Subscribe to The Well Oiled K9 Membership

Purchase the Remedies Class Only

Purchase the Homemade Food Class Only

Choose monthly membership for ongoing community support, or choose the yearly membership to receive the complete Remedies Class and Homemade Food Class at no additional cost while your yearly membership remains active.

You love your dog. You just need a better place to sort through the noise.

Food, allergies, gut issues, anxiety, senior dog changes, supplements, products, natural remedies, and those “Is this normal?” moments can get overwhelming fast.

One person says chicken and rice. Another says Benadryl. Someone else says change the food. Then the internet gives you 37 open tabs and no actual plan.

Not every question requires a full consultation.

Sometimes you need:

• Quick direction

• A better question to ask

• Help understanding a product or label

• Guidance on which resource applies to your dog

• A clearer idea of what may matter first

Some dogs do need deeper support. Part of the value of this community is learning the difference between a simple next step, a helpful guide, and a situation that deserves private support.

This is not just a library. It is a support rhythm.

Every member receives:

• Live group support

• Member-only content

• Community access

• Replay access

• Discounts on wellness guides

• Discounts on consulting services

• Help finding the right guide, class, replay, or next step

Yearly members also receive the complete Remedies Class and Homemade Food Class at no additional cost.

The point is not to collect more information. The point is to understand what applies to your dog and where to start.

See the available wellness guides

How the community works

The community is built around connection, reminders, live support, and practical direction—not random posts floating into the void.

Tuesday Live Support Calls

Live Zoom calls are the heart of the membership.

Members can submit questions, listen in, learn from other dog parents, and receive practical direction from Dana.

Some calls may focus on a specific theme. Others may be guided by member questions. Some will be a little bit of both.

The goal is always the same: to help you understand what to look at next.

The monthly schedule includes:

• Two Tuesday Lunch & Learn calls each month for members who prefer daytime support

• Two Tuesday evening support calls each month for members who need an after-work option

• Replay access when you cannot attend live

• Question submission so focused questions can be addressed during the calls

Choose the community space that works for you

Some people love Facebook. Some people would rather chew tinfoil.

Members can use the community space that feels easiest.

Private Facebook Group

The Facebook group provides a familiar place for:

• Reminders

• Community discussions

• Dog updates

• Product questions

• Member conversations

Substack Chat

Substack Chat provides a quieter, more organized space for discussions, questions, reminders, and support threads.

Members may use the Facebook group, Substack Chat, or both.

Neither space provides private one-on-one coaching. Membership questions should be posted in the community spaces or submitted for the live calls—not sent through private messages, direct email, or text.

Keeping questions inside the community allows everyone to learn from the discussion.

What can you bring to the community?

This is where we talk through the “What else can I do?” moments that come up when you are trying to support your dog naturally.

Food and feeding

• Fresh food and food transitions

• Raw or gently cooked feeding

• Kibble upgrades and toppers

• Homemade food questions

• Food labels and ingredient concerns

Common wellness questions

• Allergies, itching, yeast, and skin support

• Gut health, loose stool, and digestive support

• Anxiety and nervous system regulation

• Senior dog wellness and comfort

• Seasonal support

• Recovery support

Natural support options

• Supplements

• Herbs

• Homeopathy

• Essential oils

• CBD

• Product and label questions

• “My veterinarian recommended this. What should I understand?”

• “Which guide or class should I start with?”

For past clients

You may not need private support every day, but you may still want a lower-cost way to stay connected, reminded, and proactive.

Membership can help you continue with:

• Monthly wellness reminders

• Seasonal protocols

• Product updates and discussions

• Food and supplement conversations

• Replay access

• Smaller follow-up questions

• Ongoing education

• A way to stay consistent instead of slowly drifting back into old habits

For new members

If you are brand new to The Well Oiled K9, membership is a lower-cost way to become familiar with Dana’s approach before booking private support.

You can:

• Hear how Dana thinks through dog wellness concerns

• Ask focused questions

• Learn from other dog parents

• Understand what may matter first

• Discover when a guide or class may be enough

• Recognize when a deeper private review would be the better fit

What Every Member Receives

Monthly and yearly members receive the same core community support.

Live group support

Weekly Zoom support with daytime and evening options throughout the month.

Community access

Access to the private Facebook group and/or Substack Chat.

Replay access

Watch the support call replays when you cannot attend live.

Member-only content

Members receive access to seasonal reminders, practical protocols, wellness topics, support resources, and the FAQ resource:

What Can You Try Right Now—Until I Can Answer You?

Member discounts

All members receive discounts on:

• Wellness guides

• Consulting services

• Additional educational resources when offered

Resource direction

Get help finding the right guide, class, replay, or next step instead of getting lost inside a large resource library.

Who This Community Is For

This community may be a good fit for:

• Dog parents who want better answers than random Facebook advice

• Past clients who want continued education and connection

• New members who want to learn Dana’s approach

• Prevention-minded dog parents

• People exploring fresh food and natural wellness

• Dog parents who want a calmer place to ask questions

• People who want practical education without booking a full consultation for every question

What This Community Is Not

Membership does not include:

• Private case management

• Emergency support

• Custom diet formulation

• Lab interpretation

• Medication guidance

• Unlimited one-on-one coaching

• A replacement for veterinary care

My goal is not to make you dependent on me.

My goal is to help you become a better observer, ask better questions, and become a more confident advocate for your dog.

I want you to understand what may matter first, when something may be simple, and when your dog deserves a deeper review.

Membership Options

Both membership plans include:

• Live group support

• Community access

• Replays

• Member-only content

• Discounts on wellness guides

• Discounts on consulting services

The difference is that the yearly membership also includes both complete classes.

Monthly Membership — $15 Per Month

Monthly membership includes:

• Weekly live group support

• Private Facebook group and/or Substack Chat

• Replay access

• Member-only content

• Seasonal resources and reminders

• Discounts on wellness guides

• Discounts on consulting services

• Help finding the right resource or next step

The following are not included with monthly membership:

• Remedies Class

• Homemade Food Class

Monthly members may purchase either class separately.

Choose Monthly Membership

Yearly Membership — $150 Per Year

The yearly membership saves you $30 compared with paying monthly for twelve months.

Yearly membership includes everything provided with monthly membership, plus:

The Complete Remedies Class

This class includes education on:

• Essential oils

• Herbs

• Homeopathy

• Botanicals

• Natural remedy safety

• First aid support

• The complete First Aid Guide

The Complete Homemade Food Class

This class provides step-by-step guidance for:

• Understanding homemade feeding

• Choosing appropriate ingredients

• Building balanced meals

• Understanding proteins, organs, fats, vegetables, and supplements

• Recognizing common homemade feeding mistakes

• Making practical food adjustments for your dog

Both classes are included at no additional cost while your yearly membership remains active.

Choose Yearly Membership

Prefer to Purchase a Class Without Joining?

You do not have to join the membership to purchase either class.

Remedies Class

Learn how essential oils, herbs, homeopathy, botanicals, and first aid resources may be used as part of your dog’s natural wellness toolkit.

Purchase the Remedies Class Only

Homemade Food Class

Learn how to make more informed, balanced homemade meals for your dog without relying on random recipes from the internet.

Purchase the Homemade Food Class Only

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between monthly and yearly membership?

Both plans include live group support, community access, replays, member-only content, and discounts on guides and consulting services.

The yearly membership also includes the complete Remedies Class and Homemade Food Class.

Those two classes are not included with monthly membership.

Can I purchase either class without joining?

Yes.

You may purchase the Remedies Class or the Homemade Food Class as a stand-alone product without joining the membership.

Is this private coaching?

No.

The membership includes group support, education, resource direction, live calls, replays, and community discussions.

It does not include private case management, custom protocols, custom diet formulation, lab interpretation, or unlimited one-on-one coaching.

Can I ask questions about my dog?

Yes.

Members may ask focused, general education questions inside the community spaces or submit questions for the live support calls.

Some questions can be answered directly. Others may be better addressed through a guide, class, replay, or private consultation.

What if I cannot attend the live calls?

Replays will be available so you can still learn from the support calls when you cannot attend live.

Can I use Facebook instead of Substack Chat?

Yes.

Members have access to the private Facebook group and Substack Chat. You may use whichever space works best for you—or use both.

What if my dog has a complex health issue?

You are still welcome inside the community, but complex cases may require a private Wellness Roadmap, consultation, or support package.

When a question requires a deeper review, Dana will tell you directly.

Bring the Question. We’ll Sort the Next Step.

Choose monthly membership for affordable ongoing support, or choose the yearly membership to save on the membership itself and receive both complete classes at no additional cost.

Subscribe to The Well Oiled K9 Membership

Purchase the Remedies Class Only

Purchase the Homemade Food Class Only

You’re receiving free posts from Dana Brigman. Free posts will still be informative and helpful. I promise. Similar to social media —with better organization and resource availability — without all of the other noise and limitations.

You have the option to receive notifications of new posts in your email, the substack app (yes there’s an app) or simply check-in when desired.

Dana Brigman
welloiledk9.com

To get every post and other paid subscriber benefits, upgrade to a paid subscription. There will be richer content for paid members, including guides, interactive Q&A beyond what I can cover on FB, seasonal protocols, live sessions, discounts on service packages, etc.

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