Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Sagarian.
Amanda, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was lucky enough to be the dog mom of an amazing 11 and a half-year-old German Shepherd named Taz. We did everything together, from traveling to the west coast to hiking the Grand Canyon to swimming in the Gulf of Mexico. Taz was my best friend since I was 20 years old and had been by my side for most of my personal, educational, and career development & growth. Taz and I moved down to Florida from MA in 2011, where I attended USF to complete my bachelor’s degree. I struggled with many trips to the vet due to Taz’s allergies and sensitive stomach issues similar to many German Shepherds. I went through numerous amounts of medical bills, specialty foods, hypoallergenic treats, expensive allergy testing, allergy shots, and medications. It was so bad that I stopped feeding him treats completely to help control and pinpoint what was causing so many problems. I finally had the allergy testing done around 9-10 years old. Results came back that Taz was allergic to the environment such as grass, trees, and dust mites. The vet told me to maintain his diet as I was to prevent potential flare-ups. At the end of 2019, Taz and I packed up and moved to Arizona for a job opportunity. We visited California, where he stepped into the Pacific Ocean, we hiked Horseshoe Bend, and we even hiked the Grand Canyon together. Taz was loved in Tombstone AZ and New Orleans. Shortly after, COVID-19 occurred, and I experienced a large salary decrease as well as not being able to travel to see family. As a result, Taz and I moved back to Florida. During a month break in between starting my new job and quarantine, I began researching how to make homemade dog treats. I felt that Taz deserved to still enjoy having treats! I started looking into specific ingredients that I knew he liked as well as the benefits that came along with each ingredient. Since Taz was an older dog, I wanted the treats to possess benefits on the healthier side and be a limited ingredient treat. The first flavor I created was the Pumpkin and Peanut Butter Biscuit. This was hands down Taz’s favorite treat. Pumpkin not only tastes great, but it is also a great natural fiber source for dogs. Pumpkin is known to have many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that aid in your pup’s healthy digestion. Vitamins include Vitamin A, Potassium, Vitamin C, Iron, Phosphorus, Magnesium, and Folate. Vitamin A has properties that can promote eye health. Potassium is known to help regulate blood pressure, improve muscle health, and assist in metabolism. Vitamin C assists in a healthy immune boost. Lastly, it helps promote moisture on your dog’s skin and coat as well as creating a source of hydration for your dogs, especially if they struggle with drinking water. Peanut Butter is another favorite for dogs. Peanut butter’s benefits include being a great source of protein, healthy fats and contains Vitamins B and E and niacin. Once the biscuit was created, I began making samples and distributed them out to my friends, family, co-workers, and local pet shops/ vet offices. The biscuits were a hit! Everyone said that their dogs loved them and wanted more.
From there, I began to create three more flavors. I wanted a treat that was similar to a Breath Mint Treat. Therefore, I created the Mint and Parsley Treat. I also wanted to create a more hypoallergenic style biscuit for dogs who are allergic to wheat. I created the Banana and Peanut Butter Biscuits. Lastly, I stumbled upon the Blueberry and Basil Biscuit with Taz. During the summer, I would give the dogs snacks such as a variety of fruits which included watermelon, blueberries, and bananas. Taz absolutely loved eating whole blueberries, and I knew that I had to create a biscuit with them. I researched the benefits of blueberries and fell in love with the fact that they are a great low-fat treat for pets! I made sure that with each flavor, Taz didn’t get sick, have an allergic reaction, or bowel movement issues. I adjusted my recipes accordingly if needed. If dogs have never experienced certain ingredients, it is important to expose them gradually.
For example, Taz had never eaten coconut oil or natural bananas before. I had to expose him slowly to the ingredients until his body became used to them. As a result, with four final flavors, I began marketing and networking around my local communities. Taz would come with me to every delivery location to drop off samples. Everyone adored him. Taz would get spoiled at each location and put the biggest smile on people’s faces. As my company was getting ready to launch social media platforms this past October, Taz became lethargic and stopped eating one weekend. I thought that his arthritis was acting up and that he was experiencing a stomach ache. My mom and I took him to the ER. Due to COVID, I was unable to go in with my baby. We waited patiently in the car to hear the results. I was expecting the doctor to give me some pain medication and something to help his upset stomach. I didn’t know that I was about to receive the most heartbreaking phone call of my life. The doctor told me that Taz was in crisis and that he had hours left to live. I gave permission for blood work and X-rays. Results came back confirming that he potentially had an autoimmune disorder, which was making his white blood cells extremely low. The doctor also concluded that Taz had tears in his lungs, esophagus, as well as an air bubble on his lung that could pop at any time, which was creating his breathing problems, typically caused by cancer. Lastly, blood work also came back with Taz suffering from congestive heart failure (cardiomyopathy). I asked if there was anything that I could do to save him. The doctor told me that everything that Taz had developed was due to his old age and was common. I was also told that I could do many surgeries and see specialists. However, due to Taz’s age, he would most likely not survive the interventions. I knew that Taz did not deserve to spend the last few hours of his life scared without me. I asked the doctor to send us home with whatever would keep Taz as comfortable as possible until our Vet office opened in the morning. My mom and I stayed up with Taz all night. We each said our goodbyes and talked about the most amazing memories with Taz throughout the past 11.5 years. I briefly took a moment to use the restroom. When I came back, I heard my mom say “Don’t worry sweet boy. You got our girl here safely. You can let go now. We will take it from here. Thank you for taking care of my daughter.” I’ve never cried so hard. The morning came, and we prepared to get ready to bring Taz to the Vet. We carried him into the car to have his last car ride as a family. Taz loved car rides more than anything. We couldn’t even say the words out loud around him. I drove everywhere with Taz, even across the country.
For his last car ride, I sat in the back seat with him. He put his head on my lap and I held him until we arrived. The vet walked me through everything as this was my first time having to say goodbye to a pet. They gave me time alone with Taz in a room to say our last goodbyes to each other. I placed his favorite stuffed animal next to him and I held him. The vet staff then came in to begin the procedure. I told Taz that I loved him with all my heart and sang him to sleep to his favorite song “you are my sunshine.” And then he was gone. Even though Taz may no longer be here physically, his joyful spirit and legacy continue to live on through my company. I named the company after him. Tazasaurus was a nickname that we had for him, as he was our big furry dinosaur. During his last final months, Taz was spoiled with delicious homemade treats made by me, which made him extremely happy, and was surrounded by family. Taz was still going on runs with me and was very playful. We had no idea that he was sick. Taz was such a strong boy. I will never forget him and I will forever be grateful for everything Taz did for me. I love being able to make dogs happy and enjoy healthy snacks through my company. Tazasaurus Biscuits has now expanded to making & selling homemade organic, animal cruelty-free dog paw balm, as well as dog bandanas. Our company is also about to launch a jerky line!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Challenges and obstacles always come up with starting up a company. Living in Florida, there is a large amount of moisture, which has presented as a huge obstacle for us because I wanted my treats to be preservative and chemical-free. I had to test many different ways to decrease the treats from spoiling and increasing their self-life. I researched how to dehydrate and that changed our treat’s shelf life from two-week to two to three-month shelf life in a pantry. Another challenge was Taz passing away right in the middle of launching publicly. It was like losing a family member. I almost didn’t want to continue with the company. But after he passed, I began to bake again and it helped me feel connected to him.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Tazasaurus Biscuits & Co. makes homemade, all-natural, human-grade, preservative-free dog treats. All treats have also been lab-tested with a certified, guaranteed analysis. We are most proud of providing people’s dogs with treats that are honest and simple. They are all limited ingredients, ensuring you exactly what your pet is eating. Our company can also custom-make treats specific to your dog’s needs. For example, we have some customers with older dogs who like their treats softer and some that can only have certain ingredients.
How do you think about happiness?
I believe happiness is about making a difference and helping others. I believe that everyone has a purpose in life and my life has brought me to this exact moment. Even if the difference that I make is small, it puts a smile on my face.
Pricing:
- 4 oz bag of biscuits is $6.99 plus shipping and handling
- Bag of biscuit minis is $6.99 plus shipping and handling
- Bandanas range from $10-$16 plus shipping and handling
- Paw Balm is $12 plus shipping and handling
Contact Info:
- Email: tazbiscuits@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.tazasaurus-biscuits.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tazasaurusbiscuits
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tazasaurusbiscuits
Image Credits
Photographer Jessica Andrews
