About slatelanding

I grew up in a household where my father kept working dogs on a small property outside Mudgee. A couple of kelpies, a cattle dog mix, always fed on whatever was cheap at the rural supplies shed on Market Street. When my wife Priya and I moved down to the Mornington Peninsula in 2019, we brought our dog Enzo with us, a seven-year-old border collie with a hip that had been giving him grief since he turned five. Finding products that actually made a difference for him, not just things that looked good on a shelf, turned out to be harder than either of us expected.

Before Slate Landing, I spent twelve years in building design, running VERROCCHI BUILDING DESIGN PTY LTD out of a home studio in Rosebud. Priya had been managing logistics and procurement for a small food manufacturer in Somersby on the Central Coast, so between us we had a reasonable grip on how supply chains actually work. We were not looking to start a pet brand. We were looking to solve a specific problem for one dog, and that problem kept pointing us back to the same gap: Australian-made products for dogs that were built around animal health rather than shelf appeal.

— Thanks for being here. — Dino, Dino Verrocchi

Our team

• Priya Verrocchi — Buying and Fulfilment: Priya spent a decade managing procurement for a food manufacturer based in Somersby, NSW, before relocating to the Peninsula with Dino in 2019. She handles all supplier negotiations, inbound freight coordination, and order fulfilment from the Dromana shed. When the first 15kg kibble pallet arrived from Queensland, Priya had already built the receiving checklist and the returns process before the truck backed in.
• Thanh Nguyen — Customer Support and Reviews: Thanh joined Slate Landing in mid-2023 after three years doing customer service for a small outdoor gear retailer based in Frankston. She manages all inbound enquiries, handles returns, and keeps track of customer feedback across the product range. Thanh owns two rescue cats from the Lost Dogs Home in North Melbourne and tests the harness and lead products herself before they go live on the site.
• Aleksy Bourne — Warehouse and Dispatch: Aleksy grew up on a hobby farm outside Hastings on the Peninsula and has been helping with pick, pack, and dispatch at the Dromana shed since January 2024. He comes in three days a week and processes the bulk of outbound orders. Before this he worked a forklift at a food distribution centre in Dandenong South, so the warehouse side was familiar territory from day one.

Frequently asked questions

How long will my order take to arrive?

Standard delivery takes 3–7 business days for most of Australia, with metro areas typically at the lower end. Express orders placed before 2pm AEST Monday–Friday usually arrive within 1–2 business days in major cities. Remote and rural areas may take a little longer — see our shipping policy for full regional details.

Do you offer free shipping?

Yes. Orders over $99 AUD qualify for free standard shipping Australia-wide. For orders under that threshold, standard shipping rates apply at checkout based on your postcode.

Can I return a product if my dog doesn't like it?

We offer a 30-day return window on unopened, unused products in their original packaging. Unfortunately, opened food and treat products cannot be returned for change-of-mind reasons due to health and safety requirements. If there's a quality issue, that's a different story — contact us and we'll sort it out.

What materials are used in the Cosy Companion Orthopedic Dog Bed?

The bed uses a high-density memory foam base with a removable, machine-washable cover made from a durable poly-cotton blend. No harsh dyes or chemical treatments are used in the cover fabric. The foam itself meets standard furniture-grade safety requirements.

How do I wash the dog bed cover?

Remove the cover using the zip and machine wash on a cold gentle cycle. Tumble dry on low or air dry flat — high heat can shrink the fabric. The foam base should be spot-cleaned only and allowed to air out fully before replacing the cover.

Are your food products suitable for dogs with allergies?

The Pawsome Grain-Free Kangaroo & Sweet Potato Kibble and Natural Kangaroo Jerky Chew Sticks are grain-free and use kangaroo as a novel protein, which is often well-tolerated by dogs with common chicken or beef sensitivities. Always check the full ingredient list on the product page and consult your vet if your dog has a diagnosed allergy or specific dietary condition.

Do you offer gift wrapping?

Yes, gift wrapping is available at checkout for a small additional fee. You can include a personalised message and we'll print it on a card included with the parcel. Note that gift wrap is not available on bulk or wholesale orders.

What size dog bed should I order?

The Large 100cm bed suits most medium to large breeds — think Labradors, Border Collies, and similar. Measure your dog from nose to tail while they're lying stretched out, then add about 20–25cm to get the minimum bed length you need. If your dog is between sizes, go up.

Customer reviews

• 5/5 “Kibble arrived fast, dog approved” Ordered the Pawsome Grain-Free Kangaroo & Sweet Potato Kibble on a Tuesday and it was on my doorstep Thursday morning — didn't expect that at all for a 15kg bag. My staffy has been on it for three weeks now and her coat already looks better. No digestive upset switching over, which has been an issue with other brands. Really happy with this.
• 4/5 “Solid lead, minor gripe” The Fetch Master retractable lead feels well-built and the 8m length is genuinely useful at the beach. The lock button is a bit stiff at first but loosened up after a week of use. Took off one star only because the packaging was slightly damaged in transit, though the lead itself was fine.
• 5/5 “My old girl finally sleeps through the night” Bought the Large Orthopedic Dog Bed for my 9-year-old Golden Retriever who's been showing signs of joint stiffness. She took to it within a day and I've noticed she's getting up more easily in the mornings. The cover washed well on its first cycle — no pilling or shrinking. Worth every cent.
• 4/5 “Good jerky, wish the bag was resealable” The kangaroo jerky sticks are a big hit with my two dogs — they go absolutely feral for them. Quality seems good, no artificial smell like some cheaper treats. My only gripe is the bag doesn't reseal properly, so I've been storing them in a separate container. Still a solid product and I'll reorder.
• 5/5 “Slow feeder bowl actually works” My border collie was inhaling his food in under 30 seconds and making himself sick. The dual stainless steel slow feeder set has cut his eating time down to about 4 minutes, which is a huge improvement. Stainless is easy to clean and doesn't hold odours like plastic does. Genuinely useful product.
• 5/5 “Great Christmas gift for my sister's dog” Ordered the orthopedic bed as a Christmas gift and used the gift wrap option at checkout — the presentation was neat and the card message was printed clearly. Arrived well before Christmas despite ordering fairly late in December. My sister said her German Shepherd claimed it within about ten minutes of it being unboxed.

From the journal

• Why we finally switched our dogs to kangaroo kibble — After two years of watching Biscuit scratch himself raw, we started asking harder questions about what was actually in his bowl.
• Setting up the slow feeder bowl for a dog who inhales food — Pepper was finishing her dinner in under 40 seconds, which our vet told us was a real bloat risk for deep-chested breeds.
• What we learned visiting our kangaroo protein supplier in Victoria — We drove up to meet the supplier behind our kibble's main protein source, and it answered a lot of questions we'd been sitting on.
• Getting our older dog through winter on the Peninsula — Biscuit turned five in March and we noticed him getting up slower in the mornings, particularly after cold nights near the bay.
• How two different careers eventually became one small business — Carla came from food manufacturing quality and I came from freight logistics, and for a long time those two things had nothing to do with each other.
• Getting the most out of a retractable lead on foreshore walks — We've been using the 8-metre lead with Pepper for six months and there are a few things we wish someone had told us at the start.