Aaron's Story

Aaron Tucker is a retired firefighter, paramedic, police officer, tactical medic, and cadaver K9 handler with over two decades of real-world experience and knowledge in the field of emergency K-9 care.  Aaron lives in Florida with his service dog Archer, a black Belgian Malinois.  Also pictured in the photo above is Aaron's long time K9 partner Falco, which sadly passed away this past November (2023).

Aaron suffers from PTSD.  "The fact is a part of my life, but having PTSD doesn't mean I'm broken; it just means I'm molding into a new person rather than being who I used to be.  I'm not the same person I was 5 years ago, but I like who I am now, the new me", says Aaron.  

For over 20 years Aaron was a part of a team, police officer, firefighter medic, SWAT medic, Cadaver K-9 Handler, but that came to a grinding halt when he was diagnosed.  Gone were the days when he worked out for SWAT, and trained combat medics.  His diagnosis meant he was no longer part of a team.  The new reality left him trying to find himself, and figure out where to go, and what to do.  The only certainty he had, was his dogs. 

 Aaron had always wanted to be a dog handler, and I was before this new version of his life.  Being a dog trainer was never on his short list, but it was a natural fit.  So as he carved out a new path for himself, he trained other people's dogs as well as his own.  In doing so, he was making a name for himself, but still something was missing.  Aaron then happened upon an obstacle race, and thought "What if...", and from there Aaron and Archer were born.  Getting back into racing gave him a purpose.  It's his new missions, and now, he has a new team!

As a retired firefighter, paramedic, and police officer, Aaron has seen it all, and with those jobs came the duties of making sure working dog programs had the best training possible, especially in volatile areas of the world, like the US Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan.  Aaron made sure that the dogs under his care were well trained and ready to perform.

Aaron still runs his dog training school, Florida K9 Unleashed in Central Florida, and to this day, he continues to work with dogs.

 

 

 

What is DoggyRade Unleashed?

DoggyRade Unleashed is a ready-to-use Hydration + Prebiotic drink, formulated by veternarians, specifically for dogs. It contains larger doses of amino acids and prebiotics, in a balanced electrolyte solution. All of these ingredients facilitate efficient recovery of hydration and intestinal function.

DoggyRade Unleashed contains easily absorbable carbohydrates, so your dog can recover quickly, with less amount of fluids. Therefore, reducing the risk of bloat.

Low in calories and fat, it is easy on a dog’s stomach, helps prevent dehydration, improves intestinal nutrient absorption so they get the most from their food.

Why are electrolytes and amino acids important for my dog, isn't water good enough?

Electrolytes are minerals in the body that have an electric charge, water does not contain electrolytes. Electrolytes become an electrically conducting solution when dissolved in water. They are found in the blood, urine, tissues, and other body fluids. Electrolytes are important because they help balance the amount of water in the body.

DoggyRade Unleashed contains a mix of electrolytes, amino acids and easily-absorbed carbohydrates to support good hydration. The water in DoggyRade is purified by reverse osmosis to improve the taste and eliminate impurities.

What are micronutrients?

Micronutrient are often referred to as vitamins and minerals. They are vital to healthy development, disease prevention, and wellbeing. With the exception of vitamin D, micronutrients are not produced in the body and must be derived from the diet.

Why does my dog need prebiotics, and why prebiotics instead of probiotics?

Prebiotics are specific types of fiber that the beneficial bacteria in your pet’s gut will use to grow. The gut bacteria perform many important functions in the body of your pet. Prebiotics can help ensure that your animal has the right balance of these good bacteria to keep its gut microbiota healthy.

Prebiotics are a source of food for the gut’s healthy bacteria. As they cannot be digested; they go to the lower digestive tract and act as food to help healthy bacteria to grow. Prebiotics feed the good bacteria already living in the gut without getting destroyed during digestion. Prebiotics are also generally more robust than probiotic supplements, they are shelf-stable and do not need to be refrigerated and will also not be impacted by freezing. They support good gut health, digestive health and intestinal function.

What are the benefits of L-glutamic acid?

Glutamine is an amino acid derived from glutamic acid. Glutamine is the preferred energy substrate for the enterocyte and as such it plays a key role in maintaining the integrity of the gut barrier. It is also the preferred fuel source for other rapidly dividing cells such as lymphocytes and fibroblasts especially during times of critical illness.

What is fructooligosaccharides (FOC)?

FOS are prebiotics and naturally-occurring substances that provide beneficial effects on digestion through their activity in the large intestine. FOS are fermented in the colon to product short chain fatty acids, which have important anti-inflammatory effects. FOS help to increase the concentrations of beneficial bacteria such as Bifidobacterium spp and Lactobacillus spp and may decrease concentrations of harmful bacteria such as Clostridium perfringens. Our prebiotics are human food grade and sourced from a highly reputable manufacturer based in Belgium and Germany. In fact, our particular grade of FOS is one of the few that is recommended for use in baby foods.The amount of FOS in our products is based on those amounts that have been shown to be effective in dogs and cats, and published in peer-reviewed journals.

What are the benefits of glycine and glucose?

Glycine has been shown to improve intestinal mucosal morphology and hasten their solution of diarrhoea. Glycine also enhances the update of glucose from the gut.

Glucose enhances sodium and water absorption through a cotransporter mechanism, even in the face of active secretion due to infection. Glucose in the gut also enhances mucosal blood flow.

DoggyRade is "isotonic", what does that mean?

DoggyRade Unleashed is isotonic, so it has a similar concentration of sale and sugard to the the human body's fluids. This allows dogs to quickly absorb and utilize the drink's electrolytes and fluids, helping them to rehydate more quickly, and more efficiently than just water.

What are the benefits of DoggyRade Unleashed targeted nutrition approach?

DoggyRade Unleashed uses a specially designed targeted-feeding approach that helps to maintain the integrity of the lining of the intestine and provides the intestinal support your pet needs. It is low in calories and fat, it is easy on a dog’s stomach, helps prevent dehydration, improves intestinal nutrient absorption so they get the most from their food.

Where can I purchase DoggyRade Unleashed?

DoggyRade Unleashed can be purchased directly from our website, Wal-mart Marketplace, and on Chewy very soon.