Monica van Zyl, who has always considered dogs members of the family, was inspired by her love for animals to establish the business TrailTail, which specializes in dog nutrition and health.
After many years living in the city, her return home to Franschhoek, Western Cape, left a void she could not ignore. Visiting a local animal shelter drastically changed her life, and adopting a dog started a chain of events that led her to entrepreneurship.
Van Zyl's life path led her to Tshwane, Gauteng, where she studied art and theatrical technology, before moving to Cape Town. Later, after returning to Franschhoek with her husband Garth van Zyl, she decided it was time to get a dog. She noted that she felt her life was incomplete without this animal.
They eventually moved from an apartment to a house in Claapmuts, where they acquired a pitbull mix with what Van Zyl described as uncontrollable energy and drive. Working from home turned into a struggle due to the dog's constant desire to play. To occupy him, Van Zyl seriously dedicated herself to training. Ultimately, she trained him to work as a service dog, helping her manage Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Later, local children who observed her training brought her a newborn puppy they found on a football field. Van Zyl decided to keep him and raised him on a mixture. She named this mix Jack Russell Jezebel. Van Zyl subsequently joined the K9 search and rescue team with Jezebel. During regular training, she began to feel disappointed with the available treats.
She stated that these treats were 'extremely unhealthy, dirty, and impractical.' A gift from her husband—a kitchen dehydrator—in 2024 became the true beginning of the business. She started drying meat from local supermarkets to share samples with other trainers and specialists. The feedback was immediate and enthusiastic.
Encouraged to sell them, she started with homemade production and participated in Kennel Union of Southern Africa (Kusa) events, initially focusing on sport and working dogs, as well as breeders deeply concerned about canine nutrition. Since then, the business has grown steadily, and customers purchase products through online platforms.
The first product Van Zyl started drying was lamb liver. She had never cooked liver before but decided to experiment. Then she dried many other offal products and decided to test the results on her own dogs. Initially, Van Zyl was nervous about showcasing the treats, but eventually gave them to dog trainers, including Gill Painter from Winelands Dog Training, who had worked with Jezebel for six weeks. He was impressed after trying the lamb liver and said, 'This is exquisite. You should sell this!' This reaction gave Van Wyk the confidence to move forward.
TrailTail was officially launched at the Kusa National Championship in Cape Town in 2025, where she had her first stand and sponsored treats for the judges. She noted that this was her 'first real stress test, and it was a big success.'
The name TrailTail comes from her love for hiking in the mountains and to the dam with her dogs. She wanted it to reflect this active outdoor life and the idea of a trail mix specially prepared for dogs.
For Van Zyl, quality is more important than mass production. She sources mutton and pork fat from abattoirs in Robertson, using free-roaming Karoo sheep. Fish and chicken are sourced locally, olive oil comes from a farm in Paarl, and beeswax from Stellenbosch. Herbs are gathered in her own garden.
She explains that the meat is trimmed, cleaned, cut by hand, and frozen before dehydration at 70°C for approximately 14 hours, depending on the type of meat. Vegetables are cut, blanched in bone broth, sprinkled with rosemary, and dehydrated at 45°C for about 16 hours. After cooling, the treats are packaged in airtight bags.
Van Zyl points out that many dogs, like herself, are allergic to grains or certain fillers used as preservatives for long shelf life in large retail chains. Dehydration preserves the treats and facilitates transportation, eliminating the mess and spoilage associated with raw food.
Van Zyl notes that ordinary pet owners are now learning about the brand through 'word of mouth' and industry events. She shares tips from TrailTail: start by solving a real problem, prioritize solutions over sales, let quality determine demand, and fuel the presentation with genuine passion.