Our Tale...
Under the Weather® was inspired by our founder’s dog, Ruffy, a Wheaten Terrier. In the summer of 2012, Ruffy had stomach issues and made quite the mess of the house! A quick trip to the vet, and they were on their way home with antibiotics and instructions to cook white rice and white meat chicken. Kyla (our founder) had a meeting that afternoon and was very tight on time, but she wanted to prepare the food for Ruffy because she hadn't eaten in two days.
The day was a hot one. Almost 90 degrees. Kyla couldn't go to the grocery store with Ruffy because it was far too hot to leave her in the car! She needed to drive all the way home, drop Ruffy off, and go to the store so she could buy and cook the recipe.
It was at that moment Kyla thought, why don't vets and pet stores sell a bland diet product? Now, with Under the Weather® Bland Diets, you can easily serve your sick dog high-quality cooked rice and premium meats whenever you need to give them a bland diet to calm their digestion.
Now, we have expanded beyond Bland Diets. We are focused on providing premium wellness products for both dogs and cats that are easy to use, convenient and made with the highest quality ingredients.
Founder
Kyla Sternlieb
After spending her career in the fundraising and development world, Kyla had the idea to start a company that is solely dedicated to making pets feel better and relieving the stress that people feel when their pet is ill. Her favorite hobbies include anything on water, two wheels, on a mountain, or on a plane traveling somewhere interesting.
Favorite Quote:
"Dogs are great. Bad dogs, if you can really call them that, are perhaps the greatest of them all." - John Grogan
Chloe is a 12 year old Yorkie who runs the entire household. Her favorite hobbies are eating and stalking her mother. Henry is a Basset Hound mix that used to live under a pick-up truck in Tennessee and now enjoys Egyptian Cotton sheets and swimming in Lake Champlain. Henry gets Under the Weather's Disc and Spine chews daily because his long back, short legs, and propensity for chasing squirrels makes him prone to joint issues.
Operations
Glenn Griesser
Glenn brings decades of hybrid experience in technical sales and operations from both B2B and B2C industries. In his free time Glenn can be found seeking adventure trips by boating on Lake Champlain or snowmobiling in northern Quebec; or completing home construction projects during the "off season".
Favorite Quote:
"I don't always bark at nothing...just kidding, I do!" - All Dogs
Lucy is a 12 year old chihuahua-terrier mix from the south and was rescued as a puppy immediately following Hurricane Katrina. When Lucy isn’t managing the delivery trucks at Under the Weather Pet or neighborhood traffic at home, she is usually suckering someone in the family to give her rubs and treats. Lucy LOVES the freeze dried chicken in our bland diets and there is always some on hand for her to feast like a queen!
Sales
Phil Schuman
Phil brings 25 years of B2B selling experience to Under the Weather and builds partnerships within the pet industry in the US and around the world. A native of the UK, Phil moved to Vermont for "a year" in 1997.
Favorite Quote:
"Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong."
Jake is an eight-year-old chocolate lab mix, rescued from a shelter in New York. Jake takes Phil hiking, running and swimming around Vermont and teaches Phil far more about the important things in life than anything Phil has ever taught Jake. Under the Weather’s Probiotic Soft Chews for Dogs help Jake stay feeling at the top of his game.
Marketing
Abbey Norris
Abbey keeps up with our social media, emails and all things creative. When she’s not petting her pup Banjo, you can find Abbey on her Paddle Board in Lake Champlain. Her favorite pet pun is "Raise The WOOF"!
Banjo is Abbey’s scruffy and sweet labradoodle. Banjo loves Under The Weather’s Hemp Joint Chews. They help him chase squirrels and play in the snow even at the spry age of 13.
Partner
Dale Metz
Dale brings over 25 years of experience in the Animal Health industry. Dale is a founding member of the National Animal Supplement Council, (NASC), and today serves as Vice President and member of the Board. After running a major pet and human supplement company for 20 years, Dale serves in an advisory role for many pet supplement companies and owns Green Mountain Animal, a contract manufacturing plant in South Burlington, Vermont.
