More Than Essentials
At The Pet Essentials Hub, we believe pets aren’t just companions — they’re family. Our mission is to make caring for them simpler, healthier, and more joyful with trusted products, wellness guidance, and curated essentials for every pet.
Another pet company? Not quite.
My bond with animals started in childhood, nurtured by a family who felt the same. Dogs, cats, parrots, macaws, parakeets, hamsters, rabbits, ferrets, turtles, snakes, iguanas — even fresh and saltwater tanks. Add in family friends with ranches, and the list grew longer. Some animals I adored, others intimidated me, but pets and farm animals were a constant presence in my life.
Early memories...
When I was a little boy, we had a 15-year-old parrot named Yosemite. His room was usually locked — he wasn’t fond of me, and the feeling was mutual. Still, whenever no one was watching, I’d sneak in. Every time it ended the same: Yosemite flying and diving at me while I curled on the floor in tears. It took about a dozen tries before I finally learned my lesson.
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Jockey in the making
Did I mention my brief career as a child jockey? I thought I had horse riding down — until I told our family friend to let go. In an instant, I was off to the races (not by choice, and definitely not with joy). What felt like ages ended when a hero rode up beside me and lifted me clean out of the saddle.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The puppy perimeter. Yes, you read that right. Barns have rats — and when I saw my first, I was horrified. They were massive, like Splinter from Ninja Turtles had left behind his children. Huddled in the corner with a new mother and her puppies, I arranged the pups in a semi-circle, convinced they could protect us both.
I know I’ve shared some of the tougher stories — but isn’t that what life with animals is? For every challenge, there are countless moments of joy.
As we grow older, our bond with pets matures too. It becomes less about childhood fascination and more about respect, love, and true companionship. For the lucky few of us, pets are never “just animals.” They become best friends, loved ones, family — even emotional anchors. They change our lives in ways we never expected.
Their short lives mean we don’t only grieve with them, we grieve for them. Not everyone will understand that depth of attachment, and that’s okay. You’re not alone.
I started The Pet Essentials Hub for people who want the very best for their companions. And maybe, along the way, we’ll help others discover the same connection we hold so dearly.
More than family...
My story
I’ve shared some funny childhood moments, but my real bond began later. Today, I’m on my third generation of dogs.
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My first was Jake, a black lab I had in middle school. He was a typical family pet — I loved him, but to me, he was simply our dog. After Jake passed, my mom brought home a Parson Russell Terrier we named Jack.
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Jack changed my life. He came into my world in my mid-twenties, a busy time when I was still finding myself. Jack was the first dog I truly shared my adult life with. We hiked, ran, and explored together. He became a constant presence — and by the time he was six or seven, I realized just how deeply he mattered to me.
A best friend...
I didn’t realize it then, but six or seven years is a long time in a dog’s life. To me, Jack was invincible — my little superman. We did everything together, and while he meant the world to me, I still didn’t fully understand the depth of our bond.
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Time has a way of slipping by. In May 2021, I took Jack to the vet because he wasn’t feeling well. One appointment led to another, and soon we had the diagnosis: cancer in his adrenal gland, spreading to his kidneys. They told me he had less than three months to live. Even after multiple opinions, it didn’t feel real. I was devastated. I cried for days.
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That was the moment I finally realized what Jack truly meant to me. From then on, I didn’t care about the “normal” relationship between pet and owner. I cooked fresh meals for him every single day — he never touched dry or canned food again.
An extra life
Jack — that little guy had the biggest heart, larger than life itself. Thanks to what I learned about nutrition and care, I was blessed with three more years by his side.
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By April 2024, I knew our time was short. His favorite place was the beach, so I spared no expense: five days in an oceanfront suite in Monterey, California. Monterey turned out to be wonderfully dog-friendly. When we arrived, there was a sign with his name on it and a biscuit bowl refreshed daily. The sign stayed up until we left.
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Restaurants in the area even offered chef-made dog menus. Jack dined on steak, shrimp, chicken, rice, asparagus, smoked marrow bones — and more than I can even remember.
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On our last day, he ran like a puppy again. Zoomies in the sand, digging holes, hours of pure joy. It was everything I could have hoped for — and I dreaded when it had to end.
A love that never leaves
We knew the end was near when we came home, but nothing could have prepared us. Jack hadn’t seen his best friend in seven years — they had moved to New Mexico. When they heard about Jack, they drove all the way to California so the dogs could say goodbye.
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I’ll never forget Jack’s face: looking back and forth, as if he were in the twilight zone, unable to believe his best friend was standing in front of him.
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In the weeks that followed, old friends and acquaintances came to see him one last time. And on June 28, 2024, I held him through his final moments. I remember it as clearly now as the day it happened.
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Even a year later, telling his story is hard. But I find comfort in the life I was able to give him — and in knowing my love for Jack will always remain.
A new beginning
After losing Jack, I could barely leave my bed. Fourteen and a half years of love and presence were suddenly gone. I lasted five days before I picked up Dreamer and brought her home on July 4th — a personality larger than life.
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After so long with Jack, I had forgotten what it was like to raise a puppy. One night at 2 a.m., I let her out to potty. She ran straight to the covered doggie pool and flopped inside. Half-asleep, I spent an hour trying to get her dry before finally getting her back in the house.
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And if that wasn’t enough, in September I adopted Sparrow. She’s part dog, part cat — the way she flicks her tail around makes me swear she has feline in her. Sparrow is the needy one, always needing to touch me.
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Together, Dreamer and Sparrow dulled the pain and brought laughter back into the house.
My mothers dog
Full circle
I loved Jack, but he was truly my mother’s dog. For the last eight years, I had been helping care for her, and when Jack passed, she lost what little joy she still had. Getting another dog was the last thing she wanted — but I knew it was the right choice.
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Dreamer and Sparrow brought a light back into her life I hadn’t seen in years. As much as we loved Jack, it was draining to watch him decline. With these two, we got to see new life, youth, and energy fill the house again.
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Through it all, I grew closer to my mom than I ever had before.
By the new year, life had started to settle. The cooking I once did for Jack, I now did for us. The puppies were nearly a year old, finally outgrowing many of their early habits. Little did we know, a life-changing event was about to arrive.
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At the end of April, my mother was admitted to the hospital with a growth on her neck. A specialist confirmed it was stage 4 thyroid cancer — so rare it had no name, no clinical trials. Our world was turned upside down, and even the puppies seemed confused by the sudden shift.
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We had the best doctors at Stanford, but there was nothing they could do. A day before Jack’s anniversary, on June 27th, my mom was admitted for the last time. She declined on her birthday, June 30th, and we lost her the next day, July 1st.
What's next?
I’m still coming to terms with everything. For the first time in nearly a decade, no one was in my daily care. It’s the hardest part to write about — and honestly, I’m still at a loss for words.
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I spent a lot of time wondering how I could honor my mom. My mind kept returning to the animals that filled my childhood — the friends’ ranches we’d visit, the endless parade of pets at home. I can’t remember a single animal my mom disliked. Around every one of them, she smiled.
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In time, that memory became my answer. It led me here — to starting my own company.
The Pet Essentials Hub
What began as grief turned into passion — and it feels like the bricks are finally falling into place. The Pet Essentials Hub is built not only on pets’ wellness, but on the wellness of their people too.
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It’s a space to bring like-minded pet lovers together — people who understand that every day with our companions matters, and who want to honor that truth in how they care for them.
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Our focus is on care and consistency: carefully selected products, trusted sources, and a commitment to pets’ wellbeing. Every category — from dogs and cats to aquatics and home helpers — is designed to make life with pets simpler, healthier, and more rewarding for all involved.
Linda Kaye (June 30th 1954 - July 1st 2025)
Jack J (February 23rd 2010 - June 28th 2024)
In Loving Memory of Mom & Jack — whose love shaped everything I am building today
"Those who truly love will never walk alone."
- D. H.
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