Do you read the labels on your pet products?

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In this week’s interview with Nancy mcMillan, owner of Legendary Canine, we’ll talk about how her legendary canine, Jax, motivated her to start a natural pet product business and how she’s helping other pups to thrive.

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Find Nancy and Legendary Canine here:

Web: https://www.legendarycanine.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/legendarycanine

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/legendarycanine/

Now, let’s get to the interview!

 

 

Transcription:

Laura Wombwell
Hi there, it’s Laura from Laura Wombwell Photography. And joining me today is Nancy McMillan, the owner of Legendary Canine. Hi, Nancy. I’m so excited to be chatting with you today.

Nancy McMillan
Hey, yeah, thanks for having me.

Laura Wombwell
So for those folks who may not have heard about Legendary Canine, how would you describe your business?

Nancy McMillan
I started Legendary Canine because Jax has allergies, my now 10 year old German Shepherd. And I was unsatisfied with the products that were on the market, I started really looking at the ingredients that were in everything that I was putting in and on him. And I was unsatisfied with what I was putting on him. So I started making my own. It started with shampoos, I started making my own shampoos, and things progressed from there. And I had an opportunity in 2015 to offer these products to the public. And I did, so I started off the website. And here we are in 2021.

Laura Wombwell
That’s fantastic. So you said you started with shampoos, what are some of the additional products that got added into the line?

Nancy McMillan
So in addition to the shampoos, I’ve got a couple of sprays, one spray is the wound and hotspot spray, which I use on Jax quite a bit when he has hot spots. Because right now this is a terrible season for allergies, lots of pollen around. So he’s really struggling with his allergies this year with lots of hot spots. So I use the wound and hotspot spray on him for his hotspots. And I’ve got a dog deodorant, which is our Fur Fresh, it smells wonderful. Um, I also have the dry shampoo, which is really, really great if you, I don’t know, if you take your dog out swimming, and they come back and they’ve got that lake smell on them, which the lake doesn’t smell like that. I don’t know how that happens. But anyway, once they dry off, instead of bathing him, I will just use the dry shampoo on him. And it really absorbs that odor. And it’s a quick way just to you know, get rid of that stink without having to bath and you know, all the other things that come with bathing. So that’s the dry shampoo. I’ve also got a snout butter, and I’ve got a paw balm which I think those are pretty self explanatory as well, you know, we got to keep those paws in good shape and those snouts in good shape. And this year, we just launched an ear cleaner. So maybe, I think in the last couple of months, we launched an ear cleaner. And you know, as a as a little preview, we’re also going to be releasing a tooth powder and our own toothbrushes. I don’t know if you can see that or not?

Laura Wombwell
Nice.

Nancy McMillan
That’s coming.

Laura Wombwell
Excellent. So I know you mentioned that you got started because Jax had allergies, and you weren’t satisfied with what was out there. So I imagine it would have been a ton of research and figuring out what you would like in your pet products. So what are the priorities for you when creating new products?

Nancy McMillan
Yeah, that’s a great question. Um, so when creating when creating products, obviously I want to make sure that they are okay for pets. Okay, for dogs specifically, we don’t deal with any, any cats or any other animals, we just want to focus on dogs. So the important things that I want the products to be 100% natural. That is the ingredients. That is the most important thing to me. You know, part of why I started the business is because I would go and I would read the labels on some of these things that said that they were natural. And of course, once I started reading them and google, if you google them, you know, they’re not natural. And they’re getting they’re getting away with that because there are some natural ingredients in it. But the product isn’t natural and there’s no there’s no committee that says hey, you’re doing this wrong or anything like that. So I wanted to be able to create something with natural ingredients that other people could trust as well. So I mean, I would say just ingredients. Ingredients are important.

Laura Wombwell
That’s such an incredible focus to to be really committed to natural products and making sure that what you’re offering is a super healthy option for our pets. What is would you say your favorite thing to help people with inside your business?

Nancy McMillan
Honestly, I think I think it’s just even the transformation of say using something like the the the Healer dog shampoo, or the wound and hotspot spray, just to see how how quickly now it doesn’t work quickly for everybody. But the majority of the time when somebody tries our products, they they work almost right away. Like you’ll see results in the first day which I mean Wow. Right? If you go from seeing you know your dog with his big red spot on his bum to spraying the wound and hotspot spray on it to even like a couple hours later. I’ve seen it. It’s it’s like reduced a lot in the next day. It’s it’s gone. So you know, helping people to help their pets be healthy and happy.

Laura Wombwell
Wow. Now, are these products are these things that you are making yourself? Or are you sourcing from other suppliers?

Nancy McMillan
No, I am making them all myself.

Laura Wombwell
Wow.

Nancy McMillan
Yes, yes. There’s no outsourcing here at Legendary Canine.

Laura Wombwell
That’s incredible. And and just amazing, like how much you’ve been able to learn and grow with your products. I have a chihuahua with particularly mucky ears. So I am excited to try your ear cleaner.

Nancy McMillan
Oh, yeah. Maybe we need to send over thatear cleaner.

Laura Wombwell
Have you found, I know, it’s been such an odd past year for small business. Have you found that there have been any challenges or changes that you’ve had to make?

Nancy McMillan
Um, you know, I mean, challenge wise, we were already set up, we don’t have a brick and mortar, we are already set up as an online business. So we were already above the curve in that way. So we are already up and running. Challenge wise. Yeah, we’re seeing lots of the ways in some of our raw products. For example, I was starting to launch the ear cleaner in the tooth powder back in February. I was hoping to have it out by April. And one of the things was the the canal that got blocked up there. It delayed the bottles coming in. So everything just got delayed. And obviously with the shipping situation, everybody’s buying online, it takes a little longer for our products to get to our customers. But I mean, by and large, it hasn’t been too bad.

Laura Wombwell
Um, is there something that in general, you wish that the general public knew about your area of expertise?

Nancy McMillan
I maybe not even my area of expertise. But I mean, the reason why I started Legendary Canine is like I said, you know, the ingredients, and just really I wish people would read and understand the labels. It’s a lot of work. But I think it’s also important to know exactly what you’re putting in and on your dog. Because it can be so if you’ve ever had a dog with allergies, it’s really frustrating because it can be anything from you know what you’re shampooing with, what what you’re washing your clothes with? Or maybe it’s food or maybe it’s something else, you know what I mean? So it’s really difficult. I just wish that people would read and understand the labels not that people don’t do that. I just wish that they knew that not everybody is being 100% honest. Right? You know, marketing tactics, I guess?

Laura Wombwell
Well, and I think being willing to reach out and ask questions, right? Every small business owner I have ever talked to has really been so open to answering any questions that people might want to have for them.

Nancy McMillan
Yeah, certainly helping people. That’s I mean, if we’re not as a community if we’re not helping each other then what are we doing right?

Laura Wombwell
Exactly. So if someone is interested in checking out some of your product, where would they find you?

Nancy McMillan
You can find us on legendarycanine.com. I also have an Instagram account which is just @legendarycanine and you know what we’re in we’re in some stores to one of one of one of our distributors is Big Country Raw. So anywhere that anybody sees Big Country Raw products are available, which is across Canada. You can get Legendary Canine products too.

Laura Wombwell
Oh, that’s fantastic. So we’ve talked a lot about how you are helping other people’s pets. I would love to hear a little bit about your pet. So tell me more about Jax. How How did Jax come to live with you?

Nancy McMillan
Jax is my legendary canine, everybody has a legendary canine Jax is definitely my legendary canine. Um, I got Jax, I got Jax from a breeder in 2011 he was a return. Can’t believe it. But anyway, he’s been with me ever since. And, you know, the sounds maybe a little bit sorry, it sounds a little bit cliche, but he’s, you know, he’s he’s helped me look at life in in a different way. Um, you know, dogs live in the moment and they kind of just let things roll off their back, they can go on like gruff at somebody and you know, they’re fine, where people they kind of, you know, they gruff at somebody and they hold on to it. And, um, you know, Jax has just really helped me appreciate life more and to get out in nature, to be more active. I mean, people can use their pets for lots of motivations. And, and I think staying healthy is one of them. So he’s helped me stay healthy. He’s helped me, you know, be a little bit more fluid in life. He’s just, he’s my legendary canine.

Laura Wombwell
He sounds like an absolute legend. He’s a character for sure. So what are some of your favorite things to do with Jax here in the region?

Nancy McMillan
Oh, yeah. We love hitting up trails. Love it. We hit a trail every day. We don’t neighborhood walk, we go out we go into nature. He’s like sniffing around squirrel and chipmunks, whatever, he can get his nose on, you know, I mean, so, yeah, we love hiking. Um, and part of what we do is we’ll pick maybe not on a weekday, but on weekend and maybe not during COVID. But now it seems to be okay. We’ll pick a spot and we’ll take him hiking. Um, the other thing that we also do is we are big craft beer drinkers. So we’ll actually visit small craft breweries in, in, in Ontario all over Ontario. But then, you know, it’s kind of excuse. We’ll take Jax, we’ll hike we’ll get some beer. It’s, it’s fun.

Laura Wombwell
And there are so many dog friendly breweries out there these days.

Nancy McMillan
Yeah. And you know what, that’s great to see too. I mean, being able to take him with us is, I mean, it’s great. I’m not leaving him in the vehicle. And he’s great sitting beside us. So I’m happy that they’re so dog friendly.

Laura Wombwell
Excellent. So, Nancy, I have so appreciated chatting with you today. Before we end off, I have a few quickfire questions for you.

Nancy McMillan
Hit me.

Laura Wombwell
All right. cat or dog?

Nancy McMillan
Definitely dog.

Laura Wombwell
Favorite breed?

German Shepherd.

Excellent. I’m sure Jax would be glad to hear that. What is Jax’s favorite treat?

Nancy McMillan
He loves Benny bullies. Those little liver chops. He loves them.

Laura Wombwell
Awesome. Is Jack’s full of beans full of dreams are full of something entirely different?

Nancy McMillan
He is full of beans.

Laura Wombwell
If a human actor were to play Jax in a movie who would play Jax?

Nancy McMillan
This is so funny because somebody just said it today. Sorry. yesterday. They said Brad Pitt. So I mean, who am I? Who am I to argue?

Laura Wombwell
That’s fantastic. I love that answer. And the last quick fire if money and time were no object. What’s one incredible thing that you would do with Jax?

Nancy McMillan
Man, I would take him on a road trip across Canada. I would love to be able to go out and hit I mean there’s so many beautiful places in Canada I would love to go out and hit some of those trails and just tear it up.

Laura Wombwell
That’s such a fantastic answer. And and honestly one of those things that like we can do bit by bit.

Nancy McMillan
Yeah, it’s doable.

Laura Wombwell
Awesome. Well, thanks again, Nancy. I really appreciate you sharing some of your time. Before we end off is there anything else that you would like to share it with the pet parents here in southwestern Ontario?

Nancy McMillan
I don’t think so. Just you know, get out and be kind to your dog and get some exercise stay healthy.

Laura Wombwell
Awesome. Those are wonderful words of advice. So thank you so much, Nancy for chatting with me today. And thank you all for listening. This is Laura from Laura Wombwell Photography. I was joined by Nancy McMillan of Legendary Canine – go check out her amazing products! And we both hope that you and your pets have an awesome day. Bye!

Transcribed by https://otter.ai

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