Pet parents all want the best for their fur baby, and education on pet nutrition and common ingredients are key to years of health and happiness. A combination of a passion for health, the untimely passing of a precious furry friend, and a new opportunity are what pushed Kim and Joe into becoming co-owners of Tail Blazers Acadia.

Bella, their pitbull, passed away at just six years old from heart failure. “When Bella started getting sick, we got down into the important questions. Are we really feeding her the right foods? What can we do now that she is sick to prevent it from getting worse?” Kim recounts. “When we eventually lost her, we asked ourselves, ‘Was there something—anything that we could have done differently?’ From here, we really dove deep into nutrition.” That experience ultimately shaped the foundation of Tail Blazers Acadia—a store distinguished by its personability, access to information, and service tailored to each individual pet and pet parent’s needs. 

The Tail Blazers Experience

Whether your pet is leading you in for a quick treat, you’re a returning customer spotting something on Instagram, or you’re new to whole pet foods, Tail Blazers Acadia is here to help. “Our team gets to know customers and pets by name, and even their history,” explains Kim. “We have a wide variety of options to make nutritional feeding fit every individual’s needs.” The amazing staff will even make special orders to get products not currently in-store. They also encourage customers to come back and share whether a new supplement helped or if a food change improved digestive issues, creating an ongoing conversation around each pet’s needs. 

Kim and Joe are very active on social media, advertising deals like 10% off treats every Sunday, along with recommended products and small business partnerships. But most importantly, it’s a place to educate. “What’s important to us and how we use social media,” Kim says, “is bringing awareness to all questions about their pets. Especially questions that people didn’t even know they had or thought to ask about.” 

Tail Blazers Acadia only offers the best for your pet. Products with dubious ingredients and companies that refuse to be transparent will never be carried by Kim and Joe. Their team conducts deep research on each company before deciding to carry them. Another way that they aid customers is by giving them easy access to information on many common ingredients and terms in pet nutrition on their website. 

Why Choose Smack?

As for Smack, it was an easy choice. “There was no doubt in our minds that we wanted to continue carrying it,” Kim says, “the biggest thing is we know that Smack aligns directly with our mission. They focus on the high quality, the whole food ingredients and having that transparency with your ingredient panel. You're not trying to hide in little fillers here and there. That's a big thing.” Customers also note its convenience, as Kim goes on to explain, “having the dehydrated option for travelling and camping is super helpful. At home, you don’t need the extra freezer or fridge space. It’s scoopy kibble form is convenient, while offering whole, dense, nutritional, and raw value.” 

Kim and Joe’s Goal

For the full team at Tail Blazers Acadia, everything comes back to helping people truly understand what they’re feeding their pets, and the positive impact it has on their lives. “Our mission is to help educate everybody and ask, ‘Do you actually know what’s in your pet’s food?’” Kim explains. “Then, when we see a customer come back with their pet after we’ve recommended a new food or supplement, explaining how they eat better, have a shinier coat, don’t have runny poops, have more energy, and overall are healthier—to see how happy they are is the kind of experience I can’t get enough of.”

To learn more, visit www.instagram.com/tailblazersacadia/