Canine Cancer Research
Dogs In Sync has developed a very special product - A Tea For Sonny.
Made in loving memory of our precious dog, who passed away from Hemangiosarcoma in 2021.
A Tea For Sonny is uniquely designed to uplift your spirit, open your heart and help you to overcome
grief and sadness.
$10 from every jar of tea sold will be donated to Canine Cancer Research.
The Inspiration
Sonny was a very special Border Collie and he was somewhat of a herb connoisseur. He would spend many hours wandering, sniffing and foraging in the garden, carefully selecting specific grasses and tender shoots that he liked to nibble on.
He was partial to a bowl of ginger and fennel tea if he had an upset tummy, and he loved his dinner garnished with fresh parsley, mint or coriander.
It is only fitting that a herbal tea be created in his name!
When Sonny passed away, the grief that was endured by those who loved him was immeasurable. It was a deep heartache that was all-encompassing and exhausting.
It was the start of a long process of learning ways to cope with his death and find positivity and light in each new day.
This is not just a tea for grief. It is a tea for rest, a tea for strength, a tea for hope and a tea for love.
It is A Tea For Sonny.
The Tea
A Tea For Sonny is a herbal blend designed to help you and your pets cope with grief and overcome sadness during difficult times. We mustn’t forget that when we lose a dog, other dogs in the family will also suffer from grief and a sense of loss, and they will be confused and upset by their owner’s sadness. This tea is designed for you to share with your dog, your family and your friends to help you through the grieving process.
This organic herbal blend includes:
Linden - supports the heart and mind; is calming yet uplifting
Lemon balm - brings feelings of ease, happiness and lightness; relieves stress-related gastro symptoms
Tulsi - helps to release plaguing thoughts that weigh the spirit down; promotes resilience and supports the immune system
Chamomile - calms the nerves and promotes sleep
Rose - helps to soften the heart, to allow it to feel again
The Research
Cancer is the leading cause of death in middle-aged and older dogs, and around half of all dogs over ten will develop cancer. Most of us are touched by cancer by cancer in some way on a daily basis, whether it is a personal battle or another person or pet that they know.
When Sonny died from hemangiosarcoma, we wanted to do something meaningful to honour him and help other dogs facing this diagnosis. We created A Tea For Sonny, and $10 from every jar is donated to canine cancer research.
Dogs In Sync is now partnering with Integrative Veterinarians Australia (IVA) to fund the Dogs In Sync – IVA Integrative Cancer Research Bursary, supporting evidence-based research into integrative cancer care.
The 2025 bursary has been awarded to Dr Matthew Muir, for his observational project exploring a medicinal mushroom based integrative formulation for dogs with splenic hemangiosarcoma - the same cancer that took Sonny.
Updates will be shared on this page so you can follow how the funds are used and the research made possible in Sonny’s name.
The Process
We started by researching and identifying herbs that had the most beneficial properties to help alleviate the symptoms of grief, and these also had to be safe for dogs. We narrowed the list down to 14 herbs for consideration but then excluded some of these simply because they didn’t taste very nice!
We finally settled on five herbs and then it was a case of perfecting the “recipe”. We initially made 3 blends, using the same five herbs for each blend but in different ratios.
These blends were given to some of our “tea connoisseur” friends for evaluation. Based on their feedback, we tweaked the recipe and made 3 more blends which we gave to a different group of people for evaluation.
The blends were tested both hot and cold, when the weather was fine and when it was rainy, during the day and during the evening, and both with food and without food. Eventually, there was one particular blend that every person selected as their favourite and that is now “A Tea For Sonny”.
What does the tea taste like?
"It touched my soul
and was peaceful and calming"
"Warm and uplifting with a rich golden brown colour, I felt a nice calm after drinking the tea”
"Has good body and is aromatic, an amazing taste like no other!"
"It's very special and makes me feel tingly, I would drink this tea everyday"
Thank You
Thank you for supporting canine cancer research and we really hope you enjoy drinking “A Tea For Sonny”. We know Sonny would have liked it ❤️