Fueling Local Heroes

How Tucker’s, Pawstock, and Page’s Healthy Paws Power Working K9s

At Tucker’s, owner Jeff Kalish believes working dogs should be fueled like the elite athletes they are. That belief drives our K9 Feed Program; hands-on support for local K9 units paired with Tucker’s raw diets built around real meat, organ, and bone in balanced proportions. The approach is simple and measurable: consistent nutrition, clear feeding guidelines, and quick adjustments based on what handlers see in training and on patrol, so dogs sustain the power, energy, recovery, and focus they need to perform.

Pawstock & McHenry County: Don Buss’s Community-First Model

Walk into Pawstock in Woodstock, IL, and you’ll feel what owner Don Buss set out to build: a neighborhood shop rooted in know-how and service. Don moved to McHenry County in the early ’90s after years on the manufacturing side of the pet industry, and when local favorite pet store Woodstock Farm & Lawn closed after 41 years, he opened Pawstock so locals wouldn’t have to drive to the next town for quality food. His mission is clear: provide healthier alternatives at a lower price, and he’s even added home delivery to make that support even easier.

That same personal, practical approach anchors Pawstock’s partnership with the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office K9 team. Every two weeks, officers pick up their Tucker’s orders individually, and Don checks in on each dog: weight gain or loss, power, energy, focus, coat condition—the ground markers that tell you a diet is working. These dogs are active year-round and often train with neighboring counties, drawing lots of compliments for how they hold and perform and for their overall look. People ask, “What’s the secret?” Don’s answer is consistent, species-appropriate fuel plus smart iteration: protein rotation, clear feeding guidelines, and portions fine-tuned to workload and body condition. Jeff has met with the unit collectively, so logistics stay smooth, and education is top-notch.

Meet the Team Tucker’s and Don Help to Fuel

From Left: K9 Deuce (German Shepherd, joined 2017) is certified in narcotics detection, tracking, criminal apprehension, handler protection, and area/building searches, and assists narcotics detectives and the apprehension unit; he’s endlessly energetic and loves to play off duty. K9 Jett (German Shepherd, joined 2020) is assigned to Patrol but assists across divisions; his training spans tracking, article and building searches, narcotics detection, and criminal apprehension, and off duty he’s all about the ball. K9 Kylo (German Shepherd, joined November 2022) is assigned to Patrol and is steadily building on a strong working foundation through ongoing reps.

Page’s Healthy Paws: Jody Page’s Sponsorship Across Departments

Over in Lake Zurich, IL and Island Lake, IL, Jody Page has shaped Page’s Healthy Paws into a raw-diet destination. They will mark 19 years in October, with 20 freezers dedicated to all-natural, no-preservative foods; about 90% of brands are made in the USA. Jody sources locally—think hard bone broths and goat milk—partnering with farms in Southern Illinois and Bloomington, IL, and even works with local farms on meat and bone for Page’s Healthy Paws Raw Diet line. The culture is unmistakable: customer service first— “customers are friends”—backed by deep nutrition expertise.

That ethos powers Jody’s K9 sponsorship program, which supports six K9 officers across nearby departments—two in Waukegan, IL, one in Buffalo Grove, IL, one in Wauconda, IL, and two in Mundelein, IL. Three of the six are currently on Tucker’s, and two other raw-food brands participate as well. Officers come in once a month with their dogs to pick up food and review needs. The program started after conversations with handlers who told her, “Our departments don’t pay for raw food, just kibble.” Jody’s stance is straightforward: they’re working dogs—they should have the best nutrition available. Her connection with Jeff goes back about 20 years, they met when he was just starting Tucker’s, and they’ve stayed in touch ever since.

Bringing It All Together

From Jeff’s vision at Tucker’s to the hands-on support at Pawstock and Page’s Healthy Paws, the throughline is simple: consistent, raw nutrition delivered locally by people who know these dogs and care about their work. You see it on the street and on the training field—dogs that look the part, hold and perform, and stay locked in when it matters. That’s the Tucker’s K9 Feed Program in action: community partners turning great food into real-world results.