It all started with a dog named Exodus.
For Jennifer Erickson, the woman behind Blues Chews, the journey began years before there was ever a business.
Jennifer brought 20 years of kitchen experience, along with a longtime passion for herbal medicine and foraging, to caring for the animals in her own life. And one dog in particular changed the direction that knowledge would take.
His name was Exodus, a 115-pound blue-nose pit bull who came to Jennifer from Alaska when he was six years old. As Exodus grew older and began slowing down, Jennifer started cooking his meals from scratch, combining dog-safe ingredients with herbs she had studied and foraged over the years.
What started in Jennifer’s own kitchen for a dog she loved soon grew. Other dog owners became interested in what she was making, Jennifer began preparing larger batches, and eventually Blues Chews was born.
A business shaped by the dogs she loved.
Exodus wasn’t Jennifer’s only inspiration. The dogs who came after him continued to influence what she created. Sky inspired the Vitality Chew, and today Jennifer shares her home with senior pug bull Mrs. Wiggles and a rescued adult cat.
That personal, hands-on beginning is still reflected in Blues Chews today. Jennifer’s chews are hand-rolled and cut, and her products are made in Bellingham. Even the beef broth used in her chews is prepared in-house, using beef sourced from free-range cattle in Whatcom County.
What you’ll find at Blues Chews.
Jennifer now offers several varieties of hard chews and supplements, including Vitality, Mobility and Turmeric blends, along with Bone Broth Buddies, salmon puffs, supplement powders and Snout & Paw Balm. Some of her products, including her Turmeric Chews and one variety of Salmon Puffs, contain CBD, while she also offers plenty of non-CBD choices.
It’s quite a journey from cooking for one aging dog to creating a business devoted to thoughtfully made products for other people’s four-legged companions.
Stop by Blues Chews at the Everett Farmers Market, meet Jennifer, hear a little more of her story, and take a look at what she’s making. Visit Blues Chews
Information for this Vendor Spotlight was provided by Blues Chews, with additional information gathered from the Blues Chews website and other local sources. Photos courtesy of Blues Chews and Sylvia Blaauw Photography.