If you have been following our newsletters, you know my husband and I have been working our tails off building out our very own converted school bus. We have totally downsized our footprint and we have hit the road, traveling across the country to visit stores and meet as many of you as possible. We'll be keeping a running log of our happenings here, so check back for updates!

DECEMBER

Hello Hello everyone!

What a year 2024 has been! Before diving into our December adventures (and there are plenty!), I want to take a moment to reflect. This year brought massive changes – we finally finished the bus and took the leap into full-time life on the road, which meant selling practically everything we owned (harder than it sounds!). As a company, we grew our small but mighty team, launched our new Omega oils, and have been working on updated packaging that you'll start seeing in a couple months. Most importantly, we passed our NASC audit, which was a huge achievement for our production team – they absolutely crushed it.

Our December journey took us through some of California's most spectacular spots; we had foggy mornings near San Francisco with the dogs chasing wisps of mist (and hares!), highway 101 coastline magic, and clear, crisp mornings out in Joshua Tree! First, I have to share our heart-stopping moment at the state park campsite. Miss Blanca, in her infinite wisdom, decided to go on an "adventure" without telling anyone. Kingsley, who's become her unofficial shepherd, took off after her into the wide open park. For 45 terrifying minutes, I was convinced I'd lost them both. Then here comes Kingsley, proud as can be, guiding an exhausted Blanca back to us. She was a mess – cuts on her face, sliced pawpad – but seeing them return together, well...honestly, how could I be mad?

Tim dropped me at Oakland for a quick Seattle trip (celebrating that NASC audit!), while he and the dogs discovered Van Foeken Farms through Harvest Hosts. The dogs roamed free while Tim worked in Ken's woodworking shop where they made... wait for it... a sprout holder! We're huge fans of sprouts and the dogs have them too, so now we can grow sprouts in our shower on the road. More on that adventure in the future!

The coast called next, and we found ourselves trying to maneuver our not-so-tiny bus through beach towns along the 101 and Highway 1. Pro tip: Hermosa Beach wasn't designed for school bus navigation! In Torrance, I got to see one of my favorite retailers, Dr. Amy Kramer at Beach Animal Rehab – I love watching their team work their magic getting pups healthy again. The conversations about their success stories and watching them geek out about ingredients reminded me that I'm not the only one obsessed with getting things just right.

Of course, to keep things real, we promptly broke down that evening! But then came something magical – crossing Terminal Island at night. America's biggest port was spread out below us, massive ships and cranes all lit up against the dark water. Not exactly something I thought I'd ever want to see, but sometimes those surprise views are the best ones!

We wrapped up December swapping the bus for a tiny cabin in Joshua Tree. The dogs had mixed reactions: Blanca appointed herself Chief Hole Digger of the Desert, while Harper perfected the art of luxury lounging. Me? I was in absolute HEAVEN with our outdoor soaking tub fed by hot springs – pretty sure stargazing while soaking is my new favorite thing in the world.

Now we're pointing east toward Florida, with some wonderful stops along the way (special waves to The Noble Beast and Bark'n'Luv in Arizona!). Looking ahead to 2025, we've got exciting new products coming and we're finally getting our social media presence up to speed – because apparently doing cool things without telling anyone isn't the best business strategy! Who knew?

To all of you who've supported us this year – thank you. I read every story and note you send, and it truly makes my day to know we've helped make a difference for your four-legged family members. Here's to an exciting 2025!

  • chief hole digger

  • charging the solar

  • broccoli sprout holder!

  • perfect sky

NOVEMBER

Hello Hello everyone!

I honestly don't know where the time went this month...but our purple bus adventure took an unexpected detour to Las Vegas to get me on a flight for a last-minute trip to Florida. Didn't know what to expect driving to Vegas but oh my goodness, was it incredible. Tim navigated us through a wind storm in Utah's ever-changing landscape, across vast valleys that took my breath away, and then down into Vegas which was hidden by a duststorm!

We stayed on the strip (Circus Circus RV park of all places) and took the pack strutting down past all the sights while F1 race preparations buzzed around us - definitely not your average dog walk!

After dropping me at the airport, Tim and the dogs braved Death Valley, though "brave" might be the wrong word since it was a perfectly civilized 71°F! They had the place practically to themselves and saw some amazing stars as the place transformed at night (apparently Death Valley is a designated International Dark Sky Park)We reunited in Reno, where we saw snow and stayed on an alpaca farm! Every morning, we’d wake up to these curious, gentle creatures surrounding our bus...and then Blanca* begin barking at them! We took the dogs to one of the fields so they could explore and run them while Tim got some lovely pics with some dreamlike fall colors with snow-capped mountains looming over us.

*Blanca claimed the Alpacas gave her suspicious looks! And for those asking about our new Omega oils - they're flying off the shelves in California…must be all these pups getting ready for their winter coats!

Then over to beautiful Truckee and on down the 7,000ft descent that had me white-knuckling it the whole way (thank goodness for our brakes!).

Once in the valley we found paradise at Six Sigma Vineyard in Napa, where we finally slowed down enough to catch our breath and reconnect with our amazing Seattle team. The dogs particularly appreciated this pause - they've become quite the connoisseurs of vineyard napping spots!

We then journeyed up California's agricultural valley (Chico, Redding etc) and had a wonderful mix of store visits. Special shoutout to Ben's Barketplace in Roseville - watching your team help a customer pick out the perfect supplement combination for their senior golden retriever reminded me exactly why we do what we do! From there we had more hills to get to Eureka where we travelled on the 101 and CA1, through the Redwoods and along winding roads that are NOT for the faint of heart! And then Mother Nature decided to really test us with a bomb cyclone. As I write this, the rain is hammering on our roof and Tim's trying to fix a small leak, but we're cozy and dry inside our little home on wheels.

On the work front, I'm bursting with pride for our production team who just completed their NASC audit. Fingers and paws crossed as we await the results!

We're slowing things down a bit to really explore California and visit as many stores as possible. If you're in the area,

keep an eye out for our purple bus - we'd love to say hello!

Until next time, keep those tails wagging!

  • dogs on the strip!

  • jogging with the girls

  • scenic round of fetch

  • beautiful nights

OCTOBER

If it’s fall where you are then ENJOY IT! I’ve been traveling for nearly 3 weeks (CT, GA, TX) on different work events and let me tell you…it’s not fall in TX yet! 

I can’t begin to describe how much I’ve missed the dogs. Tim’s been looking after all four (4!!) and he’s frazzled, but I can’t wait to get back and be licked to death by my pups. I’ve been getting daily videos and photos with them swimming, sleeping, and getting in Tim’s way when he’s “redecorated”, whatever that means. We’ll see in 2 days!

Tim and I got back to Seattle in early September and it’s been a whole lot of rushing about, meeting with the team at the Makery, and “street parking”, which was a new one for me! Turns out we’ve been able to have the most wonderful views and walk the dogs in some beautiful areas, and then commute to work, although in a gigantic purple bus!

The Makery has been buzzing as we had to remake the new Omega Oils as stores reordered more quickly than we expected. If you’re one of the people that’s been waiting for the new silicone caps to arrive before ordering, well good news…they came early, we’re using them on all bottles now, and from personal experience, they work really well. Easy to “squirt” and they don’t drip.

Seeing the staff in person and not in zoom has been really nice. And while we’ve been back we got to recognize them and elevate them into new roles. Emily has been a godsend in organizing our trade shows, and she’s going to be my right hand in growing our retailer sales…which is something I’m really excited about. Being on the road is brilliant, but it can be exhausting and hard to stay in touch with everything day to day.

Tim’s about to start heading south where I’ll meet him somewhere in Oregon. If you see us on the bus…wave

  • oregon driving

  • bus 1, tree 0

  • canon beach

  • blanca goes hiking

AUGUST + SEPTEMBER

Hello Hello everyone!

What a whirlwind couple of months it's been! After an incredible trip to the UK to see family and a quick explore in Austria, it was back to the US to be reunited with our furry pack. Let me tell you, five weeks is a LONG time to be away from your pups and I'm not sure who was more excited - them or us!

A huge thanks to Tim from the Guiding Leash for taking such amazing care of them and doing an incredible job with their training. The dogs are now pros at walking in formation and getting in and out of the bus. Their recall has improved greatly, earning a solid B+, unless there's water nearby - then all bets are off! Austin leads the charge, with Kingsley hot on his heels, and the girls bringing up the rear. Blanca, our little mermaid, can't resist a good open water swim. Any tips on getting her back to shore are much appreciated.

Our drive to Colorado was breathtaking, this time driving through Iowa and Nebraska which stands out as a lovely part of the drive. We managed to visit fruit, lavender and hemp farms, and speak to the farmers about how they grow and harvest their crops.

Navigating buslife and finding perfect parking spots has been quite the adventure. We discovered that Cracker Barrel parking lots are a lifesaver on cross-country journeys, and started to make more use of "Harvest Hosts", an app that connects you with local businesses and farms for overnight stays, supporting small businesses while providing a comfy spot to rest. Finally we made it to Steamboat Lake State Park in Colorado which was breathtakingly nice with its tranquility and stunning scenery.

On the work front, we launched our new omega oils in stores to a fantastic response. The team had a great time sharing the story behind these products at the SuperZoo trade show in August. 

Well, that's the scoop for now. We're Seattle-bound for Labor Day and excited for the adventures ahead.

Until next time, keep wagging and wandering!

Kat 🐾💙

  • steamboat lake

  • smiling pups

  • staying by a farm

  • tranquil trail

JULY

Hello Hello! It’s been 12 weeks since I left Seattle with the dogs and we’ve now driven through…WA, OR, CA, NV, AZ, NM, TX, OK, CO, KA, IL, IN, KY, MO, OH, PA, NY, MA, RI, CT, NH, ME!! Along the way I’ve got to see the landscape and local culture change, the pups have experienced over 40 dog parks, and we’ve all had a brilliant time visiting all the stores we drove past.

Each day I set off in the car with the dogs in search of a park for a morning run to wear them out. Moxey then slowly follows me in the bus and each night we park up and work on completing all the loose ends. We’re now 95% complete and have officially started living as full time bus nomads!

With 4 (big) dogs it’s definitely a squeeze but we’re getting more organized. Feeding the dogs in such a small space needed some real discipline so we’ve got the same order for feeding, and getting on and off the bus. First is Kingsley, then Blanca, Harper, and finally Austin. They learned the order quickly but Austin hates being last so is always like a rocket when it’s his turn.

We’re going to be traveling through July so the dogs are now with one of our customers who is an amazing trainer. So while I’m away Tim from the Guiding Leash is taking care of my babies and elevating their training, recall, and getting them to sit on a log in a really cute pose so Moxey can get some nice photos 😋

To watch the dogs go to @guidingleash on instagram and you can see their progression.

  • mabel poppy when she turned up

  • blanca meeting mabel poppy

  • visiting the pupology store team

  • kingsley posing in some flowers

follow Kels and Jay!

CHECK THEM OUT

MAY-JUNE

Well y’all, the last few weeks have been filled with bus building, retailer visiting, new product designing, and even more dog rescuing! I left you last month on the cliffhanger that we’d decided to foster a TX stray that we named Kingsley. He’s a gorgeous white German Shepherd that has spent 18 months roaming the area we’ve been recently staying. To say he’s a gentle soul is an understatement. He integrated into our little pack so well that we’re going to keep him, and we’re redesigning the bus to accommodate him.

Half way through April a tiny puppy joined us...8-10 week ol’ Mabel Poppy arrived after a massive thunderstorm. She was exhausted, riddled with fleas, and could barely stand. We started to nurse her back to health but things went downhill and we suspected she had Parvo. It was touch and go whether she’d live but a week in intensive care and a new monoclonal antibody treatment and she’s now the proud pup of our bus builders, Kels and Jay.

I've also visited over 20 incredible retailers in Austin, San Antonio, and Houston. I love being on the road because I get to meet enthusiastic pet owners, all with hearts as big as Texas itself. And I get to tell the story of why I started Austin and Kat, and share our products with a new audience. Stores are set up a little bit differently than Seattle, but all in all, it’s the same vibe - everybody wants to take really good care of their pets and help give them a better, longer, happier life.

Here's to many more miles, smiles, and wagging tails! 🐾💕

MARCH + APRIL

Well, y’all the journey has begun! I’ve finally set off to embark on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure with the dogs and my husband Tim on an 18 month roadtrip around America in a (nearly) converted school bus! We’re halfway through the conversion and are finishing things in Austin (naturally), Texas with some help from our friends Kels and Jay, veterans in the art of renovating school buses, vans, and Airstream trailers.

I got to drive up picturesque mountain passes, rolled through lush California’s farmland, navigated the sprawl of LA, and drove through some amazing desert scenery. Sunsets have mostly been stunning, but we hit a patch of rain storms in the south which was amazing with the clouds and lightening over the covered landscape.

While Tim was all about driving, my daily routine revolved around the dogs, ensuring they adapted well to this nomadic lifestyle. I stayed in hotels where managers were nice, and some were just plain MEAN! The dogs have had morning walks around lakes, playful runs in dog parks, and done loop after loop after loop around downtown hotel lots - but each day has brought its own small adventures. Mostly, the dogs have thrived, although Harper does lots of panting for the first hour each day before she settles down.

While Tim was all about driving, my daily routine revolved around the dogs, ensuring they adapted well to this nomadic lifestyle. I stayed in hotels where managers were nice, and some were just plain MEAN! The dogs have had morning walks around lakes, playful runs in dog parks, and done loop after loop after loop around downtown hotel lots - but each day has brought its own small adventures. Mostly, the dogs have thrived, although Harper does lots of panting for the first hour each day before she settles down.

  • tinkering in the parking lot

  • getting hands on

  • meals on the go!
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