It´s funny, but we do get asked this question quite a bit. The story goes back a few years, when I was still deciding if I should go for it (open my own business) or not. And since I had a million different ideas and problems that I wanted to solve, the name was even more confusing.
The first product that I wanted to develop were 100% natural, freeze dried dog training treats, without any kind of additives and made locally, in small batches, from organic ingredients (grown in Slovenia), and packed in sustainable packaging. We managed to offer freeze-dried fruits and vegetables, but it all stopped with meat or fish, unfortunately. (how spectacularly and unpleasantly I failed in achieving this is also a long story, I might share what I learned about the pet industry, unfair competition, unrealistic legislation, non-existent system for biodegradable packaging, brand registration process and unethical businesses, etc. in a separate post*)
The issue I wanted to solve was to create a line of dog treats that were safe to feed also dogs with food sensitivities and/or allergies (since there is only one ingredient, you could trust that there were no hidden ingredients inside the treats). This was my own pain, since at the time I had 3 dogs, all of them active and in training and while Darwin and Ziggy could and did eat everything and anything, Ozzy was always left out because of his allergies. Even in daily life, we had to carefully isolate his food from all other foods, read all the info on the labels, etc. Living with an allergic dog is a nightmare, and I truly feel you, if you have the same issue.
One evening me and my bf were brainstorming ideas and all of a sudden he said “how about LYO-DOG? after lyophilization?”. He had been listening to me for months, going on and on about freeze-drying and its specifics and why it is the best process and why it´s so expensive and difficult, but it´s worth it because of the nutritional value and practicality for when we go hiking, etc. etc. .. I guess sometimes you need the “outside” view to make things clear. So, this is how LYO DOG came to be.
In the meantime we´ve had to adapt to the market and pivot quite a few times. It´s very hard in the pet industry as a small business, especially if you wish to have your own production line (which is the only way to assure the quality control you want) and don´t want to cut corners and lie to your customers. Honestly, if you want to control your dog´s food 100%, you should prepare it yourself. Don´t just believe the marketing.
BUT, despite all the difficulties, disappointments, small successes, big failures and lessons, I always come back to what keeps me going: the love for my dogs and dogs in general. At the moment our main focus is to help you spend quality time outdoors with your dog and help you to establish the best bond. We occasionally produce limited editions of our own dog (and cat) treats, on our terms (as a pre-order and according to our customers´ wishes). If you want to be notified about our pre-order schedule, you are very welcome to join our Facebook groups:
- LYO DOG PACK-International: https://www.facebook.com/groups/lyodogpackworld/
- LYO DOG PACK – Slovenia: https://www.facebook.com/groups/lyodogpackslo/
I hope this answers the question and gives you a bit of an insight into us as a company, especially if you haven´t heard of us before.
Zarja (LYO DOG)
“LYO” comes from the word “lyophilisation” (freeze-drying), this is a process where water is removed from organic ingredients, in order to preserve their nutritional value, flavour and texture. This is achieved by first freezing the ingredient, then placing it a vacuum and exposing it to very low (below zero) heat, which causes the frozen water to evaporate. The result is light, dry and highly nutritious food, without any fillers or additives – perfect for your active dog.