LIFT UP LOCAL 037
Written by Pamela Patton
📷 courtesy of Amber Rose Photography
When you think of dog treats, you probably think of bone-shaped snacks, bits of kibble, and perhaps a rawhide or pig’s ear.
Fur Real Dog Snacks are made from what dogs want: real meat and animal ingredients you may not typically consider.
Owner and founder Katrina Jeffreys explains. “Back in 2016, I had a white German Shepherd named Kayla. The first dog I had as an adult, and I loved her so much. But she passed away from cancer. I went through every emotion a pet owner could, questioning everything and wondering what I had done wrong. Was it her food or water? The environment or her toys? And why didn’t I see something was wrong with her until it was too late? I was crazy from grief and guilt, wondering how she got sick and what I could have done differently.”
Katrina got a second white German Shepherd, Nyxi, and, still thinking of Kayla, went on the hunt for healthier snacks.
“I couldn’t find anything that didn’t have preservatives or wasn’t made in China, Indonesia, Argentina, or Brazil. And the treats made in the US often contain preservatives, glycerin, cornstarch, smoke flavoring, beef flavoring, or chicken flavoring. I had no idea, and I gave Kayla these treats all the time. I decided to start making my own chicken jerky and liver snacks for Nyxi.”
Katrina went to her grocery store and bought a pork loin, chicken livers, and chicken breasts. She dug out her residential food dehydrator and began creating treats. “Nyxi loved them, and I was happy knowing they were just 100% meat.”
Katrina told a friend what she was doing, and the friend recommended chicken feet, telling her they are the healthiest treat for dogs, especially German Shepherds. “Chicken feet are full of glucosamine and chondroitin, which can help prevent the hip problems that so many Shepards have.”
“Nyxi loved them, but she carried the raw feet all over the house. They were on the carpet, my bed, the sofa. I knew it wasn’t going to work out. I called my friend—she forgot to tell me to dehydrate them, too. After about a week, I gave one to Nyxi. She loved them.”
“All we do is take the moisture out, leaving behind a nice, crunchy snack full of vitamins and helps control tartar. I can’t think of a better dog treat than that.””
Faster than you can do the chicken dance, word spread of this unusual dog treat. “The next thing I know, I’m sending chicken feet to New Jersey, Florida, Maryland, Texas, California and Arizona to all our friends. Then, the same friend suggested I take them to a farmer’s market. I made 35 dollars and was over the moon, realizing people trusted me, and there was a market for my weird dog treats.” It became her mission to make dog treats that were 100% healthier, 100% cheaper, and much cleaner.
Katrina visited pet stores in the Lansing area, inspecting ingredients and manufacturing locations. “I’ve seen mice in the stores because there’s bird seed, and I’ve had friends that worked in a pet store tell me that when they get a big box of pig ears, they have to shake all the bugs out before they can pull them out of the box.” Katrina contacted a local butcher, asking for raw pig ears that she would also start processing.
“We as humans don’t realize that animals in the wild would eat every part of a carcass. But we think that’s disgusting and gross. We won’t eat them.” She began working with a raw food feeding co-op, getting ‘weirder’ things like duck feet, duck necks, and lamb tracheas.
Katrina relocated her dehydration operation to a commercial facility, where 10 dehydrators, about the size of a Volkswagen Beetle, work around the clock. Employees, including students, prepare the parts for processing and package the items in sealed bags.
Katrina’s line also includes chicken jerky, as well as beef, lamb, and goat ears. “The beef and goat ears still have fur on them. Nixie and my newest white German Shepherd, Niko, love to toss them in the air before eating. The fur helps with digestion, as it sweeps the intestines, pushing out any parasites or worms that a dog may pick up.” When she can get them, Katrina makes bully sticks, which are made from beef pizzles, AKA bull and steer penises. She’s also formulating a sweet potato stick wrapped in chicken jerky.
Katrina was able to catch the eye of Meijer representatives at “Making it in Michigan,” an annual event held by Michigan State University. “We’ve been working with MSU for about three years to make sure our labeling was correct, that we were all in compliance with the Department of Agriculture, and getting business start-up and marketing advice.”
Fur Real Dog Snacks are currently sold at the Capital City Market but will soon be expanding to additional Meijer Market stores. Katrina stresses that Fur Real Dog Snacks are 100% meat, as she believes all the preservatives and additives are what caused Kayla’s cancer. “All we do is take the moisture out, leaving behind a nice, crunchy snack full of vitamins and helps control tartar. I can’t think of a better dog treat than that.”