Consumer columnist and West Hartford resident Harlan Levy has more than 20 years of experience writing stories about everyday experiences that anyone could encounter.

Harlan Levy. Courtesy photo

By Harlan Levy

We heard about the freeze-dried, “Human Grade” dog food, Sundays for Dogs, about two month ago. It was highly touted as “100% human-grade ingredients … no fillers or synthetics .. 83% chicken muscle and organs, 7% fruits and vegetables, 10% seeds and grains, nutrient dense.”

So we started our dog Latke on this new diet, which we slowly incorporated into her normal kibble and soft chicken stew meals until she was finally only on Sundays. She finished a small trial bag and started a 72-ounce bag, but before serving portions from the second bag she developed a case of diarrhea that never quit. We were baffled and concerned.

Now, more than a month later, my worried wife started looking at Sundays reviews, which were mostly positive – until she read a few that weren’t. She also checked the BBB (formerly the Better Business Bureau) which reported 33 complaints against Sundays and gave it an F rating.

Here are two examples:

• 03/01/2025: “My dog became violently ill, I called the Sundays for dogs and nobody ever got back to me, I emailed them … and someone emailed back saying that I should expect a call that never happened, and I mailed back the unused portions. In the meantime they charged my debit card twice. I need a refund.
• 2/28/2025: “I ordered a trial subscription for Sundays for Dogs for a 7-pound 15-year-old dog. I paid $28 for two bags. The instructions were to increase his food by one fourth until he could tolerate just Sundays food. Well, he had diarrhea so bad I stopped for two days and gradually he ate small amounts twice daily. He never finished the one bag, and he can’t tolerate the product. I finally got into my account and cancelled my subscription, and they say I need to cancel pending orders. Then they said email them and no refunds. So they have charged me $73 for worthless food.”

We stopped feeding Latke this dog food, canceled our subscription, and started feeding her rice and chicken until she recovers.

Lesson: Read ALL reviews.

This highly touted dogfood may be what’s giving our dog diarrhea for more than a month. Photo credit: Harlan Levy

Tariffs to hit everyday Chinese exports

According to a report from Budget Lab at Yale, the looming 145% Trump tariffs soon to hit Chinese items we regularly buy will increase “the equivalent of an average per household consumer loss of $4,900,” but with spending cuts and product substitution “the price increase settles at a $2,600 loss per household.” That’s not much of a consolation, to say the least.

According to research compiled by Google AI search, here are the projected percentages of affected Chinese goods that tariffs will hit – unless Trump waffles:

• Smartphones: 81%
• Cookware, cutlery, tools: 73%
• Toys, games, sporting goods: 66%
• Glassware, china: 62%
• Stereo equipment: 47%
• Footwear: 43%
• Books, printed matter: 42%
• Apparel, non-textile household goods: 38%
• Apparel, non-wool or cotton textiles: 38%Household appliances: 37%
• Healthcare devices: 37%
• Musical instruments: 35%
• Mirrors, glassware: 35%
• Photo equipment: 32%
• Wool apparel, household goods: 31%
• Computers: 29%
• Furniture: 29%
• Photo and service industry machinery: 28%
• Camping apparel and gear: 26%
• Electric apparatuses: 26%
• Motorcycles and parts: 23%
• Non-textile floor tiles: 23%
• Organic chemicals: 21%
• Business machines and equipment: 19%
• Industrial supplies: 18%
• Computer accessories: 16%
• Telecommunications equipment: 15%
• Railway transportation equipment: 14%
• Industrial machines and parts: 13%
• Televisions and video equipment: 13%
• Industrial engines: 13%
• Iron and steel products: 12%
• Synthetic rubber: 12%
• Generators, accessories: 12%
• Medicinal equipment: 11%
• Nonfarm tractors and parts, agricultural machinery: 11%
• Toiletries and cosmetics: 9%
• Fertilizers: 7%
• Paper, paper products: 7%
• Engines, engine parts: 7%

The list continues. And what an indiscriminate list! Trump certainly didn’t distinguish essentials – no thoughts about the effects. That’s how he goes.

Now you know.

NOTE: If you have a consumer problem, contact me at [email protected] (“Consumer” in subject line), and, with the power of the press, maybe I can help.

Like what you see here? Click here to subscribe to We-Ha’s newsletter so you’ll always be in the know about what’s happening in West Hartford! Click the blue button below to become a supporter of We-Ha.com and our efforts to continue producing quality journalism.