A Desire for Treats We Could Trust
Smidgin and Company came about about because of our little mini-Schnauzer, Smidgin, when she was only around 3 years old – we wanted to have treats her that we could trust. So many treat companies and dog food companies had been duping the public into buying dog treats that were either all filler, or really unhealthy for their dogs, made with “condemned product” (this is the meat that fails inspection – now called “pet food grade”) imported from all over the world where the industry standards are not at all close to the stringent inspection standards we have here in Canada.
A More Convenient Training Treat
We started making homemade dehydrated treats – like chicken jerky strips and lamb lung (at the time Belanger Organic Farms supplied our lamb) simply because we were raw feeding and we wanted better pricing and healthier options for her. We also wanted to make sure that all the dehydrated treats met raw-diet compliance. We dehydrated at a low temperature for many hours to preserve the nutrients and meet raw standards. She LOVED it. So did all her training buddies and sport dog friends. We modified the product to be “bites” when we thought “it must be easier to have the lung all broken down ready to train with instead of big awkward slices that we have to cut up before class.” The beef lung and lamb lung “bites” format was born and took off. Trainers love it, dogs love it, owners love it. Soon, they all started asking where they could get some for their dogs too!
Dog Competitors Need High Value Training Treats!
Fast-forward a couple years, when Smidgin turned 6…. we added a new little puppy to our family, named MilliGram (she became the “and Company” part of Smidgin and Company).
Since adding MilliGram to our family, Smidgin and Company really began making dehydrated products in ernest, and providing them to our dog friends who also trained with us.
Providing high quality, human-grade dog treats became a priority as both Smidgin and MilliGram are sporting dogs, and MilliGram in particular does lure coursing and we wanted to make sure we were using healthy, protein-packed, human-grade meat. MilliGram is “powered by Smidgie Snacks” and runs on average 33.5 kph in her Sprinters events. Smidgin excels in Scent Detection and Rally-O and can smell her Smidgie Snacks from a mile away! They also do agility and love the bites as reward at the end of the course or when working on harder obstacles like the weave poles.
Enlisting the help of high value meaty Smidgie Snacks to motivate and reward…dogs thinks they’ve hit the jackpot! Many of our clients refer to our treats as “Doggy Crack” and “Magic Morsels” because of the way even non-food motivated dogs react to and work for them!
Dogs Love Variety
Like most dogs, Smidgin and MilliGram love variety in their treats especially when in class or being given treats for settling on their mats, or when we leave. So we began sourcing alternative meat sources to beef and lamb for small bite-sized treats. We started with dehydrating chicken hearts and then at thanksgiving one year did some turkey hearts, and they got rave reviews (demand barking for more). The girls also fell in love with King Cole Duck as well. Subsequently, we added King Cole Duck hearts and gizzards to our product line!
We offer Milli Mixers along with our Smidgie Snacks, and those are mixes of 2 proteins in one bag! Beef and Lamb Lung together, for example, is a Milli Mixer. We have a following for it, since our clients like having to carry only one bag and the dogs like the variety as they train – Milli Mixers are our version of doggie trail mix – it’s a surprise in every bite!
New Puppy Required Great Chew Products
In addition to our training treats we offer a full line of dehydrated chews as well. MilliGram was a fearful puppy so we also needed some chews to help her through crate training and settling on her mat, and to provide distraction while also providing reward for quiet, calm behaviour. So, we began testing all sorts of wonderful human-grade options for tasty chews and have developed a large variety of chews from the popular Pizzle (Bully Stick) to our meaty Moo Chews (cow lips). The list of chews we carry is too long to list here, but you can view them in our store’s chew section!
Our Loyal Clients – Our “And Company”
Eventually we had a loyal canine following for our treats and chews and they too became part of the “and Company” crew. We are named Smidgin “AND COMPANY” because we have such loyal clients we love and consider part of our pack – who want great human-grade safe chews and treats for their dogs. We hope you will be part of our “and Company” too!
If you send us your pup’s picture enjoying one of our products we will add your to our “Pups Love S&Co” Image Gallery!
