From the Sofa to Zoomies: Rocco’s Story

Last Updated: 13 August 2026
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Dawid had always cared deeply about what went into Rocco’s bowl; cooking his meals from scratch at home, wanting to know exactly what his dog was eating. But despite his best efforts, Rocco’s paws were constantly itchy, and his stomach was red and inflamed. It took a neighbour, a German Shepherd, and a conversation about raw feeding to show Dawid what Rocco had been missing all along.

Author: ProDog Raw

Table of Contents

Meet Rocco
The Neighbour Who Changed Everything
March 2025: The Ligament Surgery
Adding Repel
Rocco Today
Could Raw Feeding and the Right Supplements Help Your Dog?

Meet Rocco

Dog: Rocco Breed: American Bully x Mastiff
Weight: 57-60 kg
Age: 3 years and 4 months
Owner: Dawid Mamet

Before ProDog

Rocco’s symptoms had been building for a while. His paws were constantly itchy and his stomach was red and inflamed, despite Dawid’s best efforts. The symptoms weren’t dramatic, but they were persistent, and they were getting in the way of Rocco being the dog he was meant to be.

Dawid’s vet suggested switching to kibble. That wasn’t something Dawid wanted to do.

“It was a very boring diet,” he said, and he wasn’t willing to settle for it.

The Neighbour Who Changed Everything

It was a conversation with a neighbour in July 2025 that opened a new door. The neighbour fed his German Shepherd ProDog Raw and had seen great results.

Dawid looked into ProDog, and made the switch.

The difference was almost immediate. Within weeks, the itchy paws had settled significantly and the redness on Rocco’s stomach reduced. After months of trying to get on top of the symptoms with home-cooked meals, the answer had been a natural raw diet along.

Building the Bowl

Dawid didn’t just switch Rocco to raw. He built his diet thoughtfully, starting with exotic novel proteins to give Rocco’s system a clean slate. Boar, goat, and venison came first, chosen for their hypoallergenic qualities and a removal of the more common proteins Rocco had been exposed to before.

From there, the range expanded. Rocco now eats lamb and offal, fish, and ProDog’s complete lamb and venison recipes. It’s a varied, species-appropriate diet that reflects exactly what Dawid had always wanted for his dog: real food, real ingredients, and complete transparency about what’s in the bowl.

March 2025: The Ligament Surgery

In March 2025, a few months prior to Rocco’s ProDog journey began, he needed surgery on a ligament in his back leg. For a dog who loves his ball, his zoomies, and playing with anyone who’ll have him, the enforced rest was hard.

It was a few months later, following the switch to raw, that Dawid started Rocco on ProDog Flexx joint supplement for dogs.

The results surprised him. Within three weeks, Rocco’s movement had improved and Dawid noticed he was moving around much more easily.

“He is like a new dog,” Dawid said. “I wish I’d known about Flexx and put Rocco on it long before.”

Discover Flexx

Adding Repel

Alongside Flexx, Dawid has started using ProDog Repel tick and flea supplement as part of Rocco’s routine. As someone who prefers to avoid synthetic treatments wherever possible, for his dog and for himself, Repel gave him a natural alternative he felt comfortable with.

The Expert's Take

“Rocco’s story is a great example of why I always look at the whole picture when supporting a dog with skin issues. Dawid was already doing the right thing by being so conscious of what he was feeding. But sometimes it isn’t simply about feeding good food. It’s about finding the right food and the right balance for that individual dog.

By moving Rocco away from the common proteins, he had been eating and introducing novel proteins through our exotic range, we were able to give his diet a complete reset while still providing the variety and nutrients he needed. The changes we saw in his skin and coat were really encouraging.

We also looked at what Rocco was being exposed to beyond his food. Where appropriate, replacing harsh chemical flea, tick, and worming products with a natural alternative such as Repel can help reduce the overall chemical burden on the body. I’m a big believer in looking at the bigger picture. The gut, the microbiome, the skin, and everything a dog is exposed to can all be relevant when supporting a healthy skin barrier and balanced microbiome.

Ultimately, it was about giving Rocco’s system the best possible environment to rebalance naturally: a varied, species-appropriate diet, novel proteins, real ingredients, and a more considered approach to his overall wellbeing.”

Alison Frost, Canine Nutritionist

Rocco Today

Rocco is, by all accounts, a force of nature. He loves his ball. He loves his cuddles. He plays with everyone who’ll have him, and he has the softest nature imaginable. At 57 kg, he moves through the world like a four-year-old toddler who hasn’t quite worked out where his body ends. Crashed furniture and knocked-over cups are part of life with Rocco, and Dawid wouldn’t have it any other way.

The itchy paws and inflamed stomach that once seemed impossible to shift are no longer part of daily life. The ligament surgery is behind him. He’s on a diet built around his needs, a joint supplement that’s made a visible difference, and a natural approach to parasite prevention that sits well with the way Dawid wants to care for his dog. And as for Dawid’s overall experience with ProDog?

“Any question is always answered very soon,” he says of the ProDog team. “Top quality service.”

Could Raw Feeding and the Right Supplements Help Your Dog?

Whether your dog is dealing with skin issues, recovering from an injury, or you simply want more from what’s going into their bowl, Rocco’s story shows what’s possible when food is built to do more than just fill a belly. ProDog’s raw food and supplements are formulated with functional ingredients, designed to support a dog’s body to do what it’s naturally built to do, not just feed it. If you’re ready to find out what your dog might be missing, our nutrition team is here to help you build the right bowl for them.

Rocco’s story is shared with the kind permission of Dawid Mamet. If your dog is showing signs of food sensitivity or joint issues, Alison Frost, Canine Nutritionist, and the team are on hand to help.