A Bloody Brilliant Topper: Totoniks is the Nutritional Layer Most Food Bowls are Missing

Shane Bartlett is Head of Partnerships & Growth at Totoniks, based out of New Zealand, and has spent more than 15 years helping premium pet brands grow internationally. Having played a key role in the expansion of K9 Natural and Feline Natural, he now focuses on introducing innovative, whole-food nutrition solutions to retailers across North America. Pet Age recently spoke with Bartlett to learn more about Totoniks.

What inspired the creation of Totoniks and who is behind it?

If the name Geoff Bowers sounds familiar to anyone in the pet trade, it should. He’s the founder of K9 Natural and Feline Natural, the original New Zealand brand that helped pioneer the global raw and freeze-dried category and helped put Kiwi pet nutrition on the world map. Totoniks isn’t Geoff’s first rodeo — it’s another example of him focusing on health through species appropriate nutrition and innovative ways to solve common problems.

In many ways, Totoniks is also a reunion story. Geoff was encouraged back into the industry by Shane Bartlett, who worked alongside him during the K9 Natural years and has since spent more than 15 years across premium pet retail, veterinary, and distribution channels. Together, they brought the band back together- combining Geoff’s passion for innovation with Shane’s experience and focus on partnerships and growth. Totoniks was born from a simple observation: despite decades of innovation in pet nutrition, functional hydration remains one of the most overlooked aspects of canine and feline wellbeing. Food is dry and dehydration, even mild dehydration over time, is a real health factor that needs addressing.

The result is Totoniks: a New Zealand-made range of hydration-first functional food toppers built around grass-fed, free-range dried New Zealand venison blood plus superfoods such as green lipped mussels, bone broth, kelp and manuka honey.

How many SKUs are in the Totoniks product range?

There are four functional formulas delivered in starter kits and great value refills. Fussy Eater & Hydration is everyday vitality for all dogs, but especially that turn their nose up at meals, helping make food irresistible while boosting daily hydration and nutrition. Hip, Joint & Hydration is for active and ageing dogs, combining the natural power of IGF-1-rich venison blood and New Zealand green-lipped mussel to support mobility, recovery, and healthy hydration. Gut Health & Hydration combines nourishing bone broth, prebiotic fiber, and functional whole-food ingredients to support digestive health, nutrient absorption, and healthy hydration. Performance & Hydration is designed for active dogs, combining IGF-1-rich venison blood, quality protein, and hydration support to help fuel activity, recovery, and overall vitality.

How does Totoniks fit into a dog’s daily wellness routine?

Think of it as the nutritional layer most bowls are missing. Whether the dog is on kibble, raw, fresh, or home-cooked, Totoniks slots in as a daily topper – mixed with water and poured over food or served as a standalone drink. It adds the whole-food functional nutrition that venison blood contains, without asking anyone to overhaul a routine that’s already working.

Here’s an analogy that might help — most pet wellness products are the vitamin C tablet. Totoniks is the whole orange. You’re not isolating one nutrient and hoping it works in a vacuum — you’re delivering the full nutrient matrix the way nature packaged it, with the co-factors and bioavailability intact. Practically, it takes 30 seconds to make two days’ worth of product. Mix the powder with water in the reusable glass bottle, pour over food, store the rest in the fridge. The ritual is part of the appeal — it feels like you are literally pouring health on the food, not just feeding them.

How long does a dog taking Totoniks show a change in demeanor and vitality?

It depends on the dog and what you’re looking for, but the patterns we see are remarkably consistent and happen fast. Joint comfort and mobility is where it gets remarkable. The green-lipped mussel and bioactive compounds are doing deep, structural work over time — but the visible change happens in days. Stiff dogs getting up easier. Old dogs jumping back on the couch. Seniors moving like they’ve found a gear they’d misplaced. We hear it constantly, and it never stops being the moment that converts an owner into an advocate for life.

The fastest visible change, though, is at the bowl itself. Even fussy eaters who’ve been pushing food around for weeks tend to dive in from day one – venison blood is genuinely irresistible to dogs, and that instant transformation at mealtime is often the moment dog parents realise this isn’t another well-marketed promise.

What we hear most isn’t dramatic — it’s “she’s just got her spark back.” Older dogs playing again. Picky eaters finishing bowls. Senior dogs drinking enough water for the first time in years. The kind of changes that don’t make for flashy before-and-after photos but absolutely make for the conversation at the dog park, the recommendation to a friend, and the repeat purchase. That’s the velocity story we’re building with retailers — and the reason this category has legs

What can a retailer or distributor expect in a relationship with Totoniks?

A partner that’s invested in their sell-through, not just their purchase order. We’re a small, focused team but we punch well above our weight on the two things that move innovative products off shelves, education and trial. In April this year, we hired our first U.S.-based team member, Levi Smith, and she’s a genuine superstar. Levi heads up our U.S. education and partner support.

Education is the engine. A confident, well-trained team member on the floor will out-sell any shelf talker every time, so we bring the science down to plain language — what venison blood actually does, why bioavailability matters, how to match the right formula to the right dog. Trial closes the loop. Dogs sell this product better than we ever could, so we lean hard into demos, sampling, and money-back guarantees that take the risk off the shelf and onto us. Competitive margins, clean trade terms, and reliable supply through our U.S.-based 3PL round out the offer. Partner with us, and we’ll show up.