Find American Journey dog food: Buy it at these stores now.

Okay, here's my attempt to share my experience finding American Journey dog food, blog style:

Alright folks, let me tell you about my quest to find American Journey dog food. My picky eater, Buster (a Golden Retriever with the appetite of a hummingbird), was suddenly turning his nose up at his usual kibble. I figured it was time to switch things up. I'd heard good things about American Journey, so I decided to give it a shot.

First thing I did was hit up the usual suspects – PetSmart and Petco. I mean, those are the big boys, right? Figured they’d definitely carry it. Strike one! Walked around, squinted at all the bags, even asked a store employee who looked like they'd rather be anywhere else. Nope, nothing. They suggested other brands, of course, but I was set on trying American Journey.

Next up: online. I figured I'd just order it. Easy peasy. I started with Amazon.

• Amazon: Typed it in. Bam! A bunch of results. Clicked on what looked like the right thing. Then... "Currently unavailable." Seriously? Okay, checked a few other options, same deal. Out of stock, unavailable, you name it. Sheesh.

Don't give up. I moved to *. I've used them before, good experience.

• Chewy: Success! They had American Journey. Found the right formula for Buster (salmon and sweet potato, sounded fancy enough for my spoiled pup). Added it to the cart. Checked out. Done. Finally!

But, the plot thickens! While waiting for the delivery, I got curious and decided to do a little more digging. I wanted to see if there were any smaller pet stores in my area that might carry it.

• Local Pet Stores: Used Google Maps, searched for "pet stores near me." Started calling around. "Do you carry American Journey dog food?" "Nope." "Nope." "Sorry, we don't." This went on for like five calls. Felt like I was back in the stone age.

Then, bingo! On the sixth call, a small, family-owned pet store said they carried some varieties of American Journey. Jackpot! I drove over there right away.

The store was awesome. The owner was super helpful, knew all about the different formulas, and even gave me a sample of a different flavor to try for Buster. They didn't have the exact salmon and sweet potato one I ordered from Chewy, but they had a chicken and brown rice version. Snagged a bag just to have on hand, in case Buster liked it.

So, the moral of the story is:

Sometimes the big stores don't have everything. Online is convenient but can be unreliable with stock. And don't underestimate the power of local businesses! You might have to put in a little effort, but you might just find exactly what you're looking for (and maybe even make a new friend in the process).

Oh, and Buster? He loved the salmon and sweet potato from Chewy. Gobbled it right up. The chicken and brown rice? He’ll eat it if he’s really hungry. What a diva.

Final Thoughts

Finding American Journey wasn't as straightforward as I thought it would be. I learned that sometimes you gotta be persistent and explore all your options. Happy dog, happy life! And that's all folks!