Are you looking for treats that are both healthy and delicious? Well, look no further!
–
In this week’s interview with Tasha Linn of Smokin’ Bones, we’ll chat about running your own business, sourcing healthy and delicious products and connecting with your local community.
–
Find Tasha and Smokin’ Bones here –
Web: https://www.
Facebook: https://www.
Instagram: https://www.
Now, let’s get to the interview!
Transcription:
Laura Wombwell
Hi there, it’s Laura from Laura Wombwell Photography. And joining me today is Tasha Linn of Smokin’ Bones. Hi, Tasha. I’m so excited to be chatting with you. So, first of all, Smokin’ Bones, how would you describe your business to folks who may not have heard of you yet?
Tasha Linn
We are just like I like I said, I’m the owner of the company. And we started we got got a golden retriever. He’s almost three years old. And when we were looking for treats for him, we wanted stuff that was healthy, nutritious, we just, we didn’t just want to give them anything, right. So we were very particular. And a lot of the products that we were finding, like bullies, and things like that, we found that they had a lot of smell to them. And like not a pleasant smell. So we ended up I don’t even remember where it was, but we found this one bully stick once and it smells great. It smells smoked, almost like barbecued ribs. And my husband’s like, wow, are you sure that was for the dog? Like, you sure that wasn’t something that we should have been eating? And I’m like, No, you’re not gonna eat it. Anyway. So then I got in contact with them. And, and we we found out who the supplier was. And I thought, you know what, we need to get into this, we need to offer this as a small business because I know a lot of people are looking for treats that smell good, don’t have, like that are healthy for their dog. And, and then even if it’s just for friends and family, like if we start small, I wanted to do it. So we got a hold of this supplier and mentioned to her that we would like to start this as a small side business out of our home and she was all for it. And then we just kind of went from there. We started with a couple shows there was a show at Mohawk Inn that we we did the first summer that we started I’m I’ve completely blanked, what is there was for a fundraiser for Northern Reach rescue. And they had a ton of different dog businesses there. So it was kind of a great way to get out. Get people to know us it was in Campbellsville. So that was how we started. And then over time, we just kind of started a website. And it’s, I do work, I have another job. So it’s it has been a slow process. But I think we’re coming up on two years in July. And it’s going great, and the dog loves that I have this business never complained. So and when the supplier comes, he’s so happy to see her. So even the neighbor’s dogs now run over when when her truck shows up, and I’m like, Oh, geez, everybody knows the knows when she comes now. So um, yeah, that’s kind of how we got into it. And we’ve just loved it. I, I used to be in marketing and advertising. And this was just kind of something to on the side that we could do to kind of help people out. Fantastic.
Laura Wombwell
So what makes your treats special?
Tasha Linn
Um, I don’t know if it’s special. I think lots of treats are special to start I’m not going to say that others aren’t. I think one thing that I’ve always liked is that they don’t seem to make a mess. Like if they’re like our dog does eat them sometimes on the carpet. They’re not super greasy, which is nice. And the smoke smell. So it when people have when their dogs sitting there eating it, it’s a pleasant smell to smell, well for most people, to smell barbecued ribs or that type of smell. Instead of I don’t know, some of the products that I’ve had, it’s more like a dirty sewage smell. And I don’t want to smell that. Right. So that has been our main our main thing that that we love is the smell of it. And that it’s not crazy, messy.
Laura Wombwell
Perfect. Are there a variety of different like sizes or styles for different pets?
Tasha Linn
Yep. And usually when people if people call me and say, I was thinking of buying this, like they say I’m buying a knuckle and I’ll be like, Well what kind of dog do you have? And if they say a Chihuahua, then I’m like, wow, you know, the knuckle is really big. Because it comes from a cow. So I’m like I am one lady did explain to us she’s like, you know, to I was like to kind of like, I don’t even know how to, like dig at things. And she actually thought that they would be perfectly fine. But I tried to ask how old their dog is. What breed, breed all that type of stuff because you don’t want to give a puppy something like a Tartar Buster or a knuckle without explaining to them that they can eat the whole thing. But puppies don’t always remember when it gets small to chew the end. They just think oh my gosh, that’s a small piece. I’m just going to swallow at all. So just different things like that. But we have you know dino clubs, dino bones, tartar busters. Those are the and knuckles. Those are some of the bigger bones we have large meatys, which is like a marrowbone. There’s a small meaty too. So once you get into the smaller dogs, it’s more, most of the smaller dogs, they can do a small meaty, some of them do tartar busters. But there’s a lot of little things like beef jerky, and pepperoni. And we have six inch, 12 inch and 24 inch bullies. So that kind of is a great variety for all different dogs. And we’ve also we used to just have like regular size ones and thick, we now kind of have some in between ones too, just for because you know, some of the tiny, tiny dogs don’t even want a regular six inch one, they want something super tiny, right? Because their mouth is so small. So there’s quite a variety. And we even cut out some of beef jerky and make bags of like beef jerky bits. And which is excellent training for training. Right. It’s a little my as my husband say it’s like a higher reward type of type of products. So that’s the that’s the main things. Yeah.
Laura Wombwell
Perfect. And it’s all Canadian made?
Tasha Linn
Yes, it is. Yeah, it’s all made in Ontario. And the beef comes actually from Guelph.
Laura Wombwell
Oh, wow, that’s fantastic.
Tasha Linn
But it made me feel even better when I found out like the whole background behind it all. And it’s um, yeah, it’s all smoked in Ontario and old smoke old fashioned smoke houses. So that it may, it makes me know that not only is it on Canadian beef, and it’s made in Ontario in Ontario, but that just made me feel a little more happy about the product instead of knowing that it’s from overseas, and you’re not really 100% sure what you’re always getting in it.
Laura Wombwell
Absolutely. Yeah. So would you say there are any, like most popular treats? Or do people purchase like a wide range?
Tasha Linn
It is pretty much a wide range? I think it just depends on the dog you have. Right. So I would say the most common thing is the bully sticks because they are they don’t smell. And that’s a common thing among a lot of bully sticks is that they do have the smell and less that’s been removed, or the the part in it that has been removed. But I would say the bullies. But like I said, the bones go really well. The beef jerky goes well, it’s, it all depends on the person that’s buying it really like for the size of their dog.
Laura Wombwell
So what is your favorite part of what you do in your business?
Tasha Linn
I think how happy the dogs are when they get it. Like we see we see different dogs that have come here. Like when they come to our house and pick it up. We have we have customers that are saying, when we turn the corner to your house, it’s almost like the dog is having a seizure because they know where we’re going and what they’re gonna get when they come to your house and me hearing that is like, wonderful. And then I know that that dog is so excited. You know, it’s it’s also brought, it got a lot of our neighbors knowing each other we didn’t know a lot of our neighbors. Once COVID started, we started to know them more, but the dog, our dog alone, it got it got us out more than talking about this. And, and it’s made us all a little more social too right. Because you always have the ability to talk about it more, you know, even my husband now if somebody drops by to pick something up. He’s like, oh, have you tried this? Have you tried this? And he’s like, I think I just sold more product for you. So we’re all kind of getting into it. But we really really enjoy it. Yeah.
Laura Wombwell
That’s always the way with dogs, right? It makes even the introverts connect more.
Tasha Linn
Yeah, yeah. And we would love to do more shows that, um, it was sad that when we started to get into it more, that COVID hit. So we haven’t been able to do a lot of the shows, you know, I know there’s tons in southwestern Ontario that there’s like a dog movie night and just a bunch of other ones that we had seen that we were so excited to be part of. And then COVID hit, and now none of them have been happening. So there’s also a few of us that are thinking of starting like a Dog Days, like in other cities have starting one in Guelph. So hopefully at some point, it’s something that we can put together because there is a lot of little small businesses that do products for pets in Guelph that are opening up. And it would be nice to be able to promote it all within your city instead of going off to other cities to promote it to not just or like not that we don’t want to do that. We want to go there too. But you know what I mean? It’s nice to promote it in your in the city you come from, right?
Laura Wombwell
Absolutely. Yeah. So speaking of some of the changes that COVID has thrown a loop into a lot of businesses, have you found that you’ve had to make any changes in how you’re selling to people or anything that you’ve had to change?
Tasha Linn
The only thing that we really had to change it actually got busier when COVID hit because I guess people needed to keep their dog busy while they were home and and their kids were home. The one thing we use to actually always greet people at the door so we can meet our customers. Because of COVID we had to stop doing that. So we have a box on our porch. So When when somebody places an order, they get an email saying that the order is ready once it’s been picked. And then I also send them an email from myself saying, your order is ready, please call or text us or email us and let us know when you’d like to come by. And then we have a bin out front with a code. So we then send them, they then email us or call us or whatever, they have a choice. And then once they say when they’re coming that day, we stick it in the bin, and we give them the code and then they just come and pick it up. And we have a little paw, Smokin’ Bones sign on the, on the bin. So then they they know, but it’s like a key, not a key code, but like a coded bin, so they can get the products out of so we try to put it in as close to the time that they’re coming because obviously we don’t want the bones sitting in especially in the in the summer, and then heat or anything like that. But um, it’s worked out great. Everybody’s been really happy. Everybody knows where it is. We we have been doing some delivery, we’ve had to do the timelines a little bit longer now. Just because of everything going on with COVID and kids home and and all that. But we will do deliveries to some areas still. And if it’s not an area that we would drive to we do Canada Post we have customers all over Ontario now.
Laura Wombwell
Oh, wow. Yeah. If someone wanted to place an order, how do they go about it.
Tasha Linn
They can either call the number which is, oh my goodness. 519-212-7993. Or what most people do, once the you can go on our website, which is www dot smokin bones with an s dog treats with an s.com. And all of our products are listed on there. We have the smoked bones, we also carry some Treat Works products. on there, we have some Bosco and Roxy cookies that we now sell on there. We have some mats that a lot of people like to use in the winter. We also have some Marshmallow brand products that are made out of BC. They’re all natural products for not like not perfume, but they call it dog cologne. In a marshmallow scent. There’s a Hawaiian scent, there’s shampoo, and also a protector for paws in the winter, from the snow and ice. And then we also joined with a company in the US because we couldn’t find one here. But they actually make a very healthy dog gravy. It’s a powdered gravy, and you mix it with water and then put it in your dog’s food. And that is made in the States. But it’s the only we really wanted like a gourmet gravy to offer. And that’s pretty much the only place that we could find a supplier for that. So we have that too. And that’s really starting to hit off. A lot of dogs are enjoying that.
Laura Wombwell
Perfect. Sounds like you have a huge range there. Are there any plans to expand into other pets like cats, or?
Tasha Linn
At this time? No, but you never know down the road, we may move into the cat, we have a cat and a dog. So our cat feels a little neglected. Although she has started to eat some of the dog products she she quite enjoy. Or sorry, he quite enjoys the beef jerky. When you cut it up really, really small. He eats it no problem. So I don’t know. Maybe that’s something people can buy for their cats too. If they’d like something smaller, I don’t really know. So Oh, I forgot to mention too. We’re also on Facebook and Instagram. So sometimes people just message me through there and place an order also. I apologize. I should have said that before. Yeah.
Laura Wombwell
Oh, no worries. I’m gonna pop it all underneath you. Um, so what’s something that you wish that the general public knew about your business?
Tasha Linn
Um, I would say just how, how well one, how much we want the dogs to be happy. You know, that’s our main goal is getting a healthy product into your dog. Having them smile, while they’re eating it, hearing that dogs are jumping up and down or getting excited. You know, hearing from clients, my dog knows where in the house, we keep these bones and when I say treat, he goes downstairs goes to the box, like just, we we love to hear that type of stuff. So if we know that there’s a dog smiling out there, that’s all that that’s all that matters to us. That’s our main goal.
Laura Wombwell
So getting tagged in those Facebook posts and Instagram stories.
Unknown Speaker
We get a lot of Instagram posts, there’s people that are now dog birthday parties are becoming quite common. So we’ve had people approach us for items in loot bags and stuff like that which has gone over really really well. So that’s really nice too. We also like to donate to like the Humane Society to some rescues. The Golden Retriever rescue is kind of our dog is a golden retriever. Our breeder she she helps us out with different things and a lot of the dogs that go home with her. We provided samples to that and just different different areas where we can donate to different organizations that have done contests or things like that to do with animals. The National Service Dogs is another one that we have donated and and given out samples and some other pet locations.
Laura Wombwell
Fantastic. I, I have found that so many local businesses do so much to give back because it’s it’s the community you live in, right? You want to. You want to support them.
Tasha Linn
100% Yeah.
Laura Wombwell
Fantastic. So, you mentioned that you have a golden retriever and also a cat.
Tasha Linn
We do.
Laura Wombwell
I would love to hear about who they are and how they came to live with you.
Tasha Linn
Okay, the golden retriever. Like I said, he’ll be three in August. My husband always said that, that he did not want a dog. But the boys and I talked him into it. So Oh, we did win. And we my my dad has had Golden Retrievers in the past and we live in the country. So my husband said I’d really like a big dog. And I guess because I’ve all my had one through my dad, I was just, my heart was set on one. It once we finally got them to change, to make that choice. I was like, I gotta move quick. Otherwise, we’re gonna get this. So yeah, when his name is Winston, and he’s a British golden retriever. So he’s very, very light. If you go on the website, you can see him he’s the boss of the company. He’s dressed in a suit on the website, and there is other pictures of him. And his states why we started the business was mostly because of him. Last Easter, I guess we were kind of the like most people either had a dog cat or baby during COVID. We ended up getting kitten because that was what my husband really wanted last Easter. And it’s a ragdoll kitten. So, I don’t know if he came home and thought he was a golden retriever, just because Winston was here. But the two of them are best friends. He acts like the dog he lays down in the same positions as the dog. Honestly, the only person he purrs for in the house is the dog. So if the dog walks in the room, he purrs and we’re like, Why is he so much better than all of us? Like, what did we do wrong? But yeah, they are absolute best friends, they cuddle everything. So it’s been really, really nice. And you know, when I’m when I’m cutting jerky or doing different things towards the business, both of them are sitting there just watching and helping out. You know, it’s it’s been really, really nice. Um, we love both of them. And we’ve, my husband and I have always had pets all our life and I couldn’t imagine not doing that for our kids. Fantastic.
Laura Wombwell
So what are some of your favorite things to do with your pets maybe more so the the dog than the cat, but to do here in southwestern Ontario?
Tasha Linn
Um, he does have a little bit of anxiety so that we have we don’t like a lot of times, the biggest thing that he does is we have a lot of neighbors with dogs. And they’re like to get along gang. So we have three next door to across the street. When they get together. It’s the best day of his life. So they all come over to our property, they all run, usually I give treats out. And that’s his main thing. We do like to take him to water areas, we took them we’d like to take him swimming. He we took them to a K9 Fun Zone out in Caledonia, which he really enjoyed. There’s a pool there and everything and he got to swim with us. It was kind of his first experience swimming, because he wasn’t really used to it. And then we started taking him over to the lake nearby. And now there’s a quarry that we just found out that people like to take their dogs to we take them to the dog parks. We also I’m not sure if some people are where we started stick boxes in this area. So some of the dog parks and well, some subdivisions, different areas, we’ve put these boxes out with our website on them. And they stick box library on the top. And we provide sticks for the dogs at the different dog parks and stuff like that. And so yeah, he’s he’s quite excited about that, because he sees all the sticks in the garage, he can run and get one whenever he wants, and takes them out to the to the yard, then comes back and gets another one kind of pretending like he’s lost the first one he has. So he just loves being around other dogs. You know, his he likes when people come and pick up the orders bring their dogs. That’s that’s the main thing. He likes to be social with other dogs and other people. So anytime we can do that. The kids also love to play and we have one of those hard pools for the dog. He loves going in that pool with the kids playing like water guns, stuff like that. Just being around us. That’s all he wants. Right? If anytime that he can be with us, you know, my husband goes to the dump. He’s got to go. I’m not sure what’s so exciting about the dump. But he needs to go to the dump every week. So he’s anything that we can do with them. We tried to write so we love them. Oh, nice. Yeah.
Laura Wombwell
I love hearing just the passion that you have for making dogs happy. Like the stick libraries. It’s genius. It’s a it’s such a great idea.
Unknown Speaker
Yeah, we were really happy that that has come through. There has been quite a bit of theft with them. So with the actual boxes going missing, but we still continue to make them we’re trying to find ways to keep them safe. And hopefully, that will slow down once COVID goes away. I don’t know if that’s why or lumber prices, I guess are up. So I don’t know. Anyway, we still want to make them happy. So we’re still going to continue to try to get them out there.
Laura Wombwell
Nice. So before we end off, I have a few quickfire questions for you.
Tasha Linn
Okay.
Laura Wombwell
All right. So, cat or dog.
Tasha Linn
Ah, hard to say. Because I was always a cat person. But Winston kind of won me over.
Laura Wombwell
What’s your favorite breed?
Tasha Linn
Of dog? Or cat?
Laura Wombwell
Sure. Either.
Tasha Linn
Dog, I would say I grew up with schnauzers. So they’re pretty close to my heart. And Golden Retrievers.
Laura Wombwell
Excellent. What are your pets favorite treats?
Unknown Speaker
Winston, anything from Smokin’ Bones. Sorry, I just say it. And Hershey, he likes the beef jerky. But he also likes the Whiskas Temptations I think it is. So until we venture into something else. That’s what we’re that’s what he’s going to have. And honestly, he’ll, my son will give him some. And then he’ll see me walk out and pretend like the ones my son gave him never happened. So then, the next one, my mom shows up a few hours later. It was like we never gave him treats. And he looks like he’s dying. So she needs to give him some treats. He’s has it all planned out. It’s quite an interesting so but those are his favorite.
Laura Wombwell
Awesome. Are your pets full of beans? full of dreams? Or full of something entirely different?
Tasha Linn
Full of laziness. Completely laziness. Yep.
Laura Wombwell
All right. If your pets were to be played by a human Actor in a movie, who would play them?
Tasha Linn
I’m trying to think of a very lazy actor. Like Weekend at Bernie’s, and actually, Bernie. I know Bernie was dead. But honestly, sometimes I wonder but he just likes to chill.
Laura Wombwell
Nice. That’s fantastic. And the last one, if money were no object, and you had all the time in the world, what’s one incredible thing that you would do to spoil your pets?
Tasha Linn
To spoil him? Hmm. I probably take him. I I don’t know. I’d probably take him a lot more places, more exotic places, if that was actually allowed, you know? And probably get him some more friends. You know, it’d be nice. I don’t know, I’ve never really thought about that’s a very good question. I apologize. I don’t really know. I’ll have to think about that more. But pretty much anything he ever wanted he would get.
Laura Wombwell
And I mean, having a mom who runs a dog treat company. I mean, he’s doing pretty well.
Tasha Linn
Oh, he’s doing pretty well, he, even though he would he would say that he’s not, you know, he has treats beyond anything. And he’s got his favorite duck. So he’s pretty happy. So along with a letter a bunch of other toys that he doesn’t even look at. But between the treats and the duck, he thinks he’s the luckiest guy in the world.
Laura Wombwell
Nice. So Tasha, I really appreciate you spending a little bit of your time with me tonight. Before we end off, what is the best way that pet parents here in southwestern Ontario can help to support you and your business?
Tasha Linn
I would say one place in order for us we would love for you to try our product. And to you know, like us on social media, on Facebook or on Instagram, join our Instagram, forward our posts, like our posts and post pictures of your kids – not your children. Please don’t feed these to your children, Sorry. Post photos of your dogs eating our products. That’s what people love to see. They love to see the smile on the dog’s face. And that’s what means the most to us like I said,
Laura Wombwell
Excellent. Well, thank you so much for for spending some time with me. I really appreciate it. And for those of you listening, this is Laura from Laura Wombwell Photography, and I was joined by Tasha Linn of Smokin’ Bones and we both hope that you and your pets have an awesome day. Bye.
Tasha Linn
Thank you. Bye
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
Do you want to be the next interview? We’d love that!
You can connect with us on Facebook, Instagram or send us a message! Can’t wait to see you next time!