A Love Letter to Big Dogs and the Care They Deserve
This week marks Lucy’s gotcha day — a date that will always be significant to me.
But this year feels different.
Lucy passed away in February of 2025, and this is the first anniversary without her physically by my side. There’s a quiet weight to that. A mix of gratitude, grief, and reflection that’s hard to put into words — but important to share.
The Dog Who Started It All
When I adopted Lucy, I had no idea how much she would change the course of my life.
I didn’t know much about giant breeds beyond the basics. I didn’t understand how quickly their joints age, how subtle early changes can be, or how much proactive care matters long before problems show up. Like so many dog parents, I was doing my best with the information I had.
Lucy taught me the rest.
She taught me to pay attention — to stiffness after rest, to slower movements, to the small signals that are easy to miss if you’re not looking for them. She taught me that loving a big dog well means thinking ahead, not just reacting when something feels wrong.
Those lessons didn’t come all at once. They came slowly, over years. And they changed everything.
From One Dog to a Bigger Mission
The Big Damn Dog Co. exists because of Lucy.
It exists because when I started looking for better ways to support her joints, I realized how few products were truly built for dogs her size. Too many options were under-dosed, overly generic, or designed without giant breeds in mind at all.
What started as a personal search turned into a much bigger question:
Why aren’t we doing better by big dogs?
That question became this company — not just products, but education, advocacy, and a community that understands that giant breeds have different needs.
Doing Right by the Dogs We Love
Whether you choose to adopt or work with a reputable breeder, the heart of responsible dog ownership is the same: doing right by the dog you bring into your life.
That means choosing thoughtfully. Preparing honestly. And committing to care that supports their long-term health, comfort, and quality of life.
Lucy’s story began in rescue, and that will always matter to me. It’s why we created the #AdopttheBigOnesFund, which supports giant breed rescues through product donations and financial contributions.
Rescue is part of our story — but so is education. So is prevention. So is helping every big dog, no matter where they come from, get the care they deserve.
Her Legacy Lives On
Lucy may be gone, but her impact isn’t.
She lives on in every product we formulate with intention. In every conversation we have with a dog parent who wants to do better. In every rescue supported through our fund. And in every big dog who gets more comfortable years because someone noticed early and acted thoughtfully.
This community — you — are part of that legacy.
Thank you for caring deeply about your dog. Thank you for choosing to learn, to prepare, and to invest in their well-being. And thank you for helping Lucy’s story continue to matter.
Here’s to honoring the dogs who shape us — and to giving the ones we love now more, better years.
With gratitude,
Sarah Co-Founder, The Big Damn Dog Co.
