Meet Our Founder
Hi! I’m Judy McClain, founder of Whip + Emma.
Food is a powerful force in our world. It brings people together, it’s an expression of love, it feeds the people and animals on our planet, and it has the power to heal our body with its many medicinal properties. The power of food in my life began decades ago when my son was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia at the age of nine. Ritalin, the only medication available, induced stomachaches, nausea, headaches, mood swings, and zero improvement with his learning disabilities. We quickly learned “food as medicine” was a better alternative and immediately saw a big difference in his cognitive abilities to focus and mood swings.
Food again served as medicine two years ago after my husband passed away and I was confronted with my own health afflictions: intestinal problems, depression, weight gain, and panic attacks. After a 21-day detox eliminating sugar, eggs, dairy, alcohol, gluten, and carbohydrates, my body health vastly improved. I learned to make lifestyle changes, eating seasonal, organic, unprocessed, and local foods, whenever possible.
An unexpected early retirement allowed me to focus on a new career tapping into my passion of food as medicine. I moved to Berkeley, CA to pursue certification as a natural holistic chef at Bauman College.
I became interested in dog treats because when we moved to the farm, we needed guardian dogs, so we found Whip and Emma.
Meet Our Inspiration
Now, I’d love for you to meet the inspiration behind the brand, Whip and Emma.
Whip was living in a studio apartment with someone, and it wasn't a good fit, so they took him to the Kentucky Humane Society. One of my good friends is the CEO there, and she knew I was looking for a guardian dog, so she called the day she knew he was coming in, and we were ready to take him.
Whip’s favorite thing to do: SLEEP! That boy will lie down anywhere and take a nap. He's a very picky eater, smells and looks everything over before he eats it, and he savors every bite. I always say he eats like he is savoring a martini! He has the typical Grand Pyrenees personality: very laid back, friendly, will get in anyone's lap, very loyal, and honestly, the perfect dog.
Emma lived with a family in Winchester, Kentucky. The mom loved Emma, but the dad not so much. Last September, she gave birth to 10 pups and they had her spayed in December. She had a little bit of a breakdown after being spayed. When we found her, she had lost a lot of her hair, was somewhat frail, depressed, etc. Since then, she has caught up with Whip and is absolutely beautiful now.
Emma’s favorite thing in the world is belly rubs! She had issues with food at the beginning, somewhat aggressive, but that cleared up after about a month. They now eat together and are best buddies. She's the instigator of the two, liking to know everything that is happening around her, very inquisitive, wanders off if she has a chance, sneaky. Emma somehow talks Whip into going on some of her adventures with her.
