BYRON, Ga. — Life over the last year has been pretty ruff, but for Keelie Armstrong, it gave her time to launch a new business. Armstrong is the owner of Millie's Treats in Byron.
She was inspired to start Millie's Treats after seeing videos on TikTok describing the ingredients in various dog treats.
"I would see people post these videos, 'this contains this in it,' and 'this contains this in it,' and I was just like 'Is that good for my dog? Is that not good for my dog,'" said Armstrong.
She says the videos inspired her to make a treat that owners could trust their dogs would love, while also being 100% dog safe and beneficial.
They include ingredients like whole wheat flour, chicken stock, oats, and a dog favorite -- peanut butter!
Not only does Armstrong make everyday treats, but she also makes 'barkuterie boxes' (charcuterie boxes for dogs) and dog birthday cakes.
Armstrong says that starting a business in the middle of a pandemic was pretty scary.
"I probably got a few laughs from people when I was like 'hey I'm starting a business in the middle of a pandemic,' but it's been really, surprisingly successful," said Armstrong.
She's sold treats in 20 out of 50 states and has an ambassador team of dogs and owners all across the U.S.
You can find Millie's Treats at Frankie's Boutique on Cherry Street and Per Diem Market on Poplar Street in downtown Macon, and at Established Collective in Dublin. You can also find them online here.
On Tuesday, June 29 at 2 p.m., Armstrong and her boxer-lab mix Millie will have their official ribbon cutting at the Perry Chamber of Commerce to celebrate one year of business.
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