What started as a way to help sophomore Ava White cover the costs of showing cattle has bloomed into a promising new business.
The Chandler student, who is also vice president of the FFA, launched Hounds & Heifers in January 2022, selling pet treats and apparel. She makes bandanas, bow ties and treats for cats, dogs, cows, goats and more. White predominately sells her wares on her shop’s Facebook page but also has them stocked at a few local stores while setting up booths at nearby markets.
The idea for Hounds & Heifers came about when her grandmother lost her job. White keeps her heifer there and at the time, it wasn’t certain how she could continue to afford it, according to her mother, Shannon Doughtery. However, despite being too young for an actual job, White stepped up.
She was at a sewing group at her grandmother’s house making a bandana for her dog, when White was asked by other attendees if she could make bandanas for them too.
“I started thinking, ‘Oh, I could just sell them and start a business.’
And it kind of spiraled from there,” she joked.
White said she slowly expanded into bow ties before adding dog treats because her dog “eats everything.” From there, she turned to Pinterest to get recipes and ideas. She now also sells Pasture Pies, which are treats for cows, goats and horses, and recently started making cat treats.
“Pinterest has been a wonderful thing. Pinterest and she has this dog treat cookbook she got for Christmas one year… that’s where she started with the treats,” Dougherty said.
Even though it is a side business, it still keeps Ava quite busy. She gets a lot Chandler sophomore Ava White sells handmade pet treats and apparel in her booth of orders and fulfills them with fabric and scraps donated from friends and her grandmother, as well as trips to JoAnn’s. White said she’s grateful for all the help that she’s gotten so far. Since starting, Dougherty estimates that Hounds & Heifers has made around $3,500 to $4,000, though she hasn’t ran the numbers.
However, according to both White and her mother, she gets a bit of help. While White does most of the work, her grandmother helps with the sewing and a lot of the fabric has been donated, her mother said. Dougherty helps with design and printing and set up Hounds & Heifers on social media.
“She does the workhorse part, though,” Dougherty said. “I’m proud of her initiative. She’s probably one of the hardest working people that I’ve ever met.”
Madison Deeds, agriculture teacher and co-advisor for FFA at Chandler High School, said that Hounds & Heifers is a good thing. She added that it gives White a sense of accountability and responsibility other than her animals. She also believes that it could be something more than just a side job.
“I definitely see this as something that she will continue on because it could eventually turn into something probably bigger than what she’s wanting it to be,” Deeds said.
Hounds & Heifers can be found on Facebook, where White posts about upcoming market booths. You can contact her through there for custom orders. Products can also be found at Nana’s Place, Rt. 66 Emporium and the Lincoln County Farm Center.