How old is your dog, really?
Join our ongoing research study and find out how fresh food may affect your dog's biological age — powered by Zymo Research using the same DNA science used to study aging in humans.
If accepted, you'll receive two tests and three months of fresh food at no charge.
The science, in plain language
What is biological age?
Your dog's birthday tells you how many years they've been alive — but not how fast their body is actually aging. That's where epigenetic, or biological age comes in.
Our Biological Age Score is built on this science — the same kind of epigenetic research being used to study aging in humans — and comes from an ongoing pilot study with Zymo Research measuring how nutrition may affect these patterns in dogs.
Published research
Early results from our pilot study.
Published in Veterinary Record · peer-reviewedResults from a pilot study with Zymo Research and published in Veterinary Record, a peer-reviewed veterinary science journal, showed that dogs who switched to JustFoodForDogs — a fresh, minimally processed diet — experienced a measurable reduction in their biological age gap over six months.
Early findings and additional research, including this study, are ongoing.
Editorial illustration of the published finding — not to scale, and not a prediction of individual results.
If your dog is accepted
What you'll receive.
2 Biological Age test kits
A baseline swab when you're accepted, and a retest after the feeding period — both at no charge.
3 months of JustFoodForDogs
Fresh, minimally processed meals for the study period, portioned for your dog and delivered — at no charge.
A spot in ongoing research
Your dog joins a research cohort building a first-of-its-kind dataset on fresh food's effect on canine aging.
This is a limited research cohort with capped enrollment — not a giveaway. Applications are screened for study fit, and not every applicant will receive a spot.
How it works
Four steps, start to science.
Apply
Fill out the form below — it takes about a minute.
Get accepted
We'll confirm your dog's spot in the study by email.
Swab & baseline
Collect your dog's baseline sample at home with the mailed kit.
Feed & retest
Feed JustFoodForDogs for the study period, then retest to see the change.
Eligibility & fine print
The transparent details.
Eligibility criteria
Dogs must meet the study's age range and health-status requirements, confirmed during screening.
Spots are limited
Enrollment is capped and applications are screened for study fit — not every applicant will be accepted.
One application per dog
Multi-dog households are welcome — submit one application for each pup.
Sign up
Apply to join the study.
It only takes about a minute. If your dog is accepted, we'll confirm their spot by email and mail your baseline kit.
Biological Age Study application
First group starting soonOne application per dog. We'll follow up by email either way.
Application received — thank you!
We've got your dog's details. Our team reviews applications on a rolling basis, and we'll be in touch by email if your dog is selected for the study.
Spots are limited, so not every applicant can be accepted — but you'll stay on the list for future groups either way.
Don't want to wait? Get 60% off your first box with code STUDY →
Good questions
The transparent answers.
Is it really free — and how much work is it?
Yes — the two test kits, the three months of food, and shipping are all at no charge. Your part is a one-minute application, two 30-second cheek swabs, feeding meals that arrive at your door, and brief check-ins by email. You can leave the study at any time.
Does my dog qualify?
We're looking for a balanced mix of dogs, so honest answers help most. Final eligibility comes down to the study's age-range and health-status criteria, confirmed during screening. Spots are limited and reviewed on a rolling basis; not every applicant can be accepted.
What happens if my dog isn't accepted?
They'll remain on the list for future consideration as the study grows. And you don't have to wait — you can start the fresh food journey today at justfoodfordogs.com.
Will the study lower my dog's biological age?
We can't promise that — and we won't. Our pilot results are encouraging, but they're early findings from a small cohort, and this study exists to understand the science better. What's certain: two windows into your dog's aging, three months of fresh, minimally processed food, and a real contribution to research.
What is Zymo Research?
Zymo Research Corp., a privately owned biotech company founded in 1994, is a global leader in molecular tools for life sciences. Zymo Research is dedicated to developing innovative solutions that address complex scientific challenges. Zymo Research offers a comprehensive range of technologies, including solutions for sample collection, DNA/RNA purification, library preparation, microbiomics, transcriptomics, epigenomics, genomics, and Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) services.
Is my dog's data used for anything else?
Your contact information is used to administer the study, and your dog's research data is de-identified before analysis. Data use is governed by the study's consent and data-use policy, which you'll review before enrolling. [answer to be finalized against the data-use & consent policy]
Does the test diagnose anything?
No. It's for wellness and education — it doesn't diagnose disease, predict lifespan, or replace your veterinarian. Health questions always go to your vet first.