Co-founder & Lead Reviewer

Hi, I'm Liv

Co-founder of PawPicks, based in Haarlem with two dogs and a cat. I am the face of the site and I write it together with Benjamin, and I have spent more evenings than I care to count going down Amazon rabbit holes so that you do not have to.

Haarlem, Netherlands Two dogs and a cat in Haarlem 31 reviews published

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My Story

Why I Started PawPicks

This goes back further than the website. I grew up in a house with animals, and my parents bought whatever was on the shelf for them. Whatever was closest, whatever was on offer. It never seemed to occur to anyone that the choice mattered, and nobody ever checked afterwards whether it had been a good one.

It does matter. What an animal eats, sleeps on and chews every day is most of its life. Buying on autopilot is how a dog ends up with a stomach that is never quite right for years, and nobody connects the two.

Years later I ran into the same wall from the other side. I typed a simple question into Google, what is actually the best food for a dog with a sensitive stomach, and got back dozens of answers: half from brands with something to sell, half from forums where everyone contradicted everyone. Three hours of reading later I still did not know. I bought something, it was wrong, and we started over.

So I co-founded PawPicks to be the place I wanted back then: somewhere you can check before you buy instead of finding out afterwards. Honest comparisons, no brand deals, and a plain sentence when a popular pick is not worth your money.

I am the face of the site and I write it together with Benjamin. Which products go in and which get cut is a decision we make together, and I am the one who says no when something does not belong there.

The Ones Who Decide

Teddy, Bear and Fountain

Two dogs and a cat, all three in Haarlem. Teddy is the one in the photo, from back when he still fitted on a cushion. Bear came later. Fountain is the cat, long-haired and Norwegian, and entirely uninterested in anyone's opinion including mine.

Seven years of this, and most of what I know I learned by getting it wrong first: the chew that lasted four minutes, the food that had to be swapped back, the bed nobody ever slept in. That is the part product pages never tell you, and it is the part this site is for.

How I Review

My Review Methodology

Every recommendation follows the same process: no shortcuts.

Deep Research First

I start by reading 100+ verified customer reviews per product and cross-referencing ingredient lists, safety data, and vet recommendations where relevant.

Honest Comparison

I compare every shortlisted product side by side: price, value, ingredients, durability, and real-world results. The best product wins regardless of brand size.

No Brand Deals, Ever

PawPicks has no sponsored content and no brand partnerships. I earn a small affiliate commission if you buy through a link, at zero extra cost to you. That's the only income model.