Our ‘Dog House’…
Consists of Georgia, my pretty, anxious black girl, who has always been the picky eater, and Maggie – my confident super chatty grey who has opinions on everything and will inhale most things you put in front of her.
I have had my girls now for 4 years. I spend a lot of time researching dog food, which quite frankly is horrific when you think about the rubbish so many brands wrap up in fancy marketing which is so unhealthy for our pups. My girls have premium non grain kibble, which is mixed with human grade beef mince, salmon (from the fish markets), sardines and more. When it comes to Lyka, I have seen the ads but till now, not jumped into the Lyka cult!
Lyka- Australian- Made, Vet-Backed, Ingredient-Led
Lyka was founded in 2018 by Anna Podolsky, inspired by her own dog’s health issues linked to commercial kibble. The brand is named after her Border Collie and she developed in partnership with integrative vet Dr Matthew Muir. Lyka is 100% Australian-owned and operated with kitchens in both Sydney and Melbourne and all meals formulated using human-grade ingredients and cooked at low temperatures to retain nutritional value. They say humans can eat it. I opened a packet of turkey and it smelled amazing! (but I didn’t eat it for dinner).
Sustainable Creds – Carbon Negative and B Corp
Lyka is Australia’s only carbon negative dog food, operating below zero kg of CO2eq per year compared to regular dog food’s – 1,600kg of CO2eq per year for a 12kg dog. As a certified B Corporation, they’ve significantly reduced single-use plastics, installed solar panels, and use at least 85% local Aussie produce. They use “ugly” veggies deemed unsuitable for supermarket shelves to address food waste while providing optimal nutrition and offset emissions through tree planting with Greenfleet, restoring native ecosystems across NSW, QLD, and Victoria. Each meal contributes to their live tree-planting counter, showing the environmental impact of the Lyka community. As someone who is passionate about sustainability this makes me feel good about the dollars I am spending, where it goes and my impact.
Signing up – The Quiz
The website is a font of information. I start by taking the quiz which informs portion sizes and recipe selection. I really like that they ask what breed of pup I have, how many dogs, I share their names, age, weight, body weight (no fat shaming here!), what type of food they are eating, food preferences, health issues and intolerances. They also ask me about exercise. Georgia is too anxious to walk on streets, so with a busy life I can generally only get her out once a day. Maggie has two walks and LOVES them. I really like how they try to understand the dog, their lifestyle and preferences.
Lyka produces plans for Georgia and Maggie. It offeres two plans. The first is FULL LYKA ie that’s the only thing my pups eat and the second option is called HALF BOWL PLAN ie half kibble, half Lyka. I choose full bowl. Georgia is 400g per day (one pouch) and Maggie 700g (two pouches). Easy!
The Cost
For the first time in a while I got my calculator out and broke down the current cost of their existing meals: kibble, Big Dog, fresh beef mince, sardines, basa, salmon etc. I hadn’t really done this before, mostly because I probably don’t want to know the real cost of feeding two greyhounds!!. I worked out that it is around $12-15 a day. So the options for Lyka are a bit more especially if I swap to full, but the half plan is more manageable financially long term.
The Subscription
Lyka operates on a direct-to-consumer subscription model. I opt for ‘full’ for both dogs, but I didn’t prepare properly. Within days my boxes arrive. I realise my mistake as I need to have room in my freezer and fridge. With two dogs weighing 30kg+ Two big boxes arrive. I am staring at the boxes and then staring back at the lack of storage. Lesson One – clear your fridge and freezer!!! Fortunately my friend Penny comes to the rescue and she stores half of the delivery in her freezer!
The Unboxing
I love how sustainable it is. They are frozen goods and instead of plastic cooling packs they have compostable sections which I give to our inlaws who are great gardeners! It makes me feel good knowing the care which has gone into this.
I unwrap and load small packets and big ones into my freezer and fridge. They also provide a cute poster ‘journey map’ which looks a bit like snakes and ladders with a day by day view on what I should be thinking of which i pop on the fridge with a magnet. I write their names at the top. Its the kind of thing a mum would do when her kid goes to kindy. It smartly taps into an emotional place of how much they care about the relationship we have with our pups. I am a fur baby mum and this is the first time a brand has leaned into this love and connection.
The Range – The Food That’s Actually Food
So lets chat about the food and choices. First up it really looks and smells like actual food – not the mysterious pellets we’ve been conditioned to accept as normal. Each recipe includes human grade food- veggies, oils, meats and supplements that sound like they belong in a Bondi smoothie.
Lyka has six distinct recipes, each tailored to different health needs and life stages. All are complete and balanced for all life stages, suitable for puppies and seniors alike:
Grass Fed Beef Bowl: These look like little meat balls (and my girls love them) A moderate-high fat recipe packed with vegetables, leafy greens, and psyllium husk for digestive health. Perfect for most dogs, though not recommended for those with severe pancreatitis history.
Free Range Chicken Bowl: We didn’t try this one as Maggie is a bit sensitive to chicken.
Grass Fed Lamb Bowl: The richest recipe in their range, designed for dogs with itchy skin or those needing a novel protein diet. Too rich for seniors or sensitive stomachs, but ideal for dogs needing extra nutrition.
Barn Raised Turkey Bowl: This is more of a mushy mess. Great to mix with kibble. Its Low-to-moderate fat, allergen-free (no corn, wheat, or soy), supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil and flaxseed oil for joint and skin health. It smells amazing.
Wild Caught Kangaroo Bowl: Another meatball style food. I have had other kangaroo dog food and the smell makes me feel quite unwell. This one doesn’t. Ultra-low fat, high protein, and highly digestible – good for dogs with pancreatitis, diabetes, and obesity. Rich in Vitamin B, Omega 3s, iron, and zinc. This is their leanest recipe and ideal for sensitive tummies.
Rangeland Goat (Hypoallergenic Pro): We didn’t try this one but it’s a therapeutic diet featuring goat as a single novel protein for dogs with food allergies, skin conditions, and gut sensitivities.
The Taste Test – Food which actually smells good (not like dog food.. barf!)
Dinner in our house can sometimes be a bit stressful. Georgia will not come down from her study upstairs, or does come down and then she starts to eat and there is a noise outside which freaks her out. So mealtimes are an ordeal. Maggie loves food, so no dramas there.
I started with the recommended introduction phase. Keeping their existing kibble but slowly introducing the food day by day, otherwise gut issues can kick in.
Their first meal was a beef bowl as normally eat beef most days. I feed them the little beef nuggets as a blind taste test and both were wide eyed-WOOF! GONE! I did the game with Roo in one hand Beef in another with my fists clenched. Both girls absolutely loved it and there was no clear preference – JUST GIMME IT NOW! They lick the bowl clean, then stare at me like I’ve withheld foie gras.
The next day, Georgia, who often grazes reluctantly through her meals, chows down on her Turkey Bowl with genuine enthusiasm. They also stay a few days at their grandpawrents and Rita comments that Georgia is supervising meal preparation! Yes, our girls have now gone gourmet – It’s like HelloFresh for hounds, minus the passive-aggressive recipe cards.
Two Weeks Later…
So what have I noticed? First of all, it’s really convenient. Buying fresh mince means it can go a bit grey by the third day, whilst these daily packages are super fresh for each meal. The girls absolutely love all of the different meals and I honestly couldn’t say one was more popular than the other though, the balls are fun to also use as training treats. The waggy happy tail factor of food enjoyment is the real winner. My girls have clean bowls, streamlined waistlines, (mind you it’s rare you see a fat greyhound) and never a crumb left behind.
The poo test? They had good poos to start with I am also using rosehip powder as a preventative given their racing lives. We had a little tummy upset with Georgia at the beginning but I don’t think that was due to meals. Dog farts? Ours never really have much of a problem but I would say it’s better. The coats were glossy, still glossy! Breath? Maggie has always been good, but Georgia’s breath could knock out a human at two paces (she’s had her dental checks too) so this is definitely an improvement.
The DA Verdict
Lyka isn’t cheap. But neither is vet care, dental surgery, or the emotional toll of feeding your dog something you wouldn’t touch with tongs..and they leave bowls uneaten. Yes. I am now going to be a customer. I really rate it more than I expected.
What Are We Addicted To? The Transparency: Every ingredient is listed and explained. No mysterious “chicken by-products” or “natural flavors.” I feel really good about the human grade food they are eating, the care of the ingredients, all Aussie produce, the different meals. Opening a packet doesnt make me feel sick with the smell of disgusting ingredients. The convenience of pre-portioned meals that thaw overnight means no more measuring, mixing, or wondering if I’m getting the ratios right. It’s peace of mind. The real winne is that Maggie and Georgia love it.
What We Need to be more Addicted? Let’s not pretend this is budget-friendly. The quality and nutrition come at a premium. For two medium-sized greyhounds, I am looking at an uplift in monthly investment, but going half bowl makes it manageable. Fridge and freezer space is an issue: Fresh food means freezer real estate. So I need to plan storage better. This isn’t something you can casually try for a week. Your dog’s digestive system needs time to adapt, and the benefits become apparent over weeks, not days.
Lyka – See website for details for direct to order 30% off your first two orders