Of course you must have your own, “why” but as I meet more and more dog treat business owners, I discover that simply, they love their pets and they want to make a difference in how their pets are fed. Here’s a very important video about what goes into pet food. Your customers are looking for your help with this problem.

Here’s a simple idea for packing dog treats for a farmer’s market or festival. Of course labeling of ingredients is required but that could easily be added to the back of this item. Keep in mind each state has unique legal requirements for the labeling of specialty dog foods –that includes treats.

I particularly appreciate how the customer can see the quantity and the kind of treats. One key item that I would have added is the name of the product. The easiest way to do this is a custom rubber stamp.

simple dog treats packaging

Dogswell provides great insight into marketing new dog treats and launching new products. “Its imperative to generate Buzz”. I think it is also important to note that this company has developed products that refer to a dog’s well-being and health. Consider some of their products such as Happy Hips and Happy Heart.

Also key to success is doing the research to make sure your company is working on the right types of products, Kreutzen said. In order to decide which products to make, Kreutzen says Dogswell is always looking at food trends in the human world.

“We want to be right up front with the leading trends in natural food,” she said. “So if right now a lot of people are worried about gluten diets for themselves, maybe it’s time for us to start thinking about something for dogs that’s gluten-friendly.”

These are great ideas we can all learn from. Our customers not only care about providing delicious treats to their beloved pets, but also foods that provide benefit. If you are considering starting a dog treat business at home or if you are already in the business, check out this video. Impressive.

Yogurt Covered Dog Treat

Adding a yogurt coating is a great way to add a bit of flair and beauty to your dog treats. If you are so inclined, you can do some very artistic things with your treats. This can really set your dog treats apart from the crowd.

The easiest way to incorporate a yogurt coating for your treats is to use yogurt chips. They are not always easy to find in stores but you can order them online at Barry Farm. If you really want to find them in your community, check cake decorating supply stores. If you need a bulk supplier, we can help you with that. Just use the contact form on our site.

Secondly, yogurt and carob chips are not easy to melt without Paramount crystals. They are very inexpensive and will save a lot of aggravation. Again Barry Farm is an online vendor for this product.

Paramount crystals will help make the coatings smooth and thin your yogurt or for ease in dipping and coating.

Use up to 1/4 c per lb of coating.

Add a little at a time in the melting process, stir between each addition, until you have your desired consistency.

Yogurt icing can be colored naturally for decorating:
· For pink icing - you can use beet powder
· For green - use spinach powder
· For yellow - use turmeric

Melt your yogurt chips and add paramount crystals and colorings. Dip your treats halfway in icing, or use a pastry brush to cover, and place cookies on waxed paper to dry.

yogurt and carob dog treats

OK. My dog Tucker loves these biscuits and I’m sure you’re dog will too. These are so easy and good for your dog’s coat.

TUCKER’s BEST BISCUITS
These are great sellers!
2 eggs beaten
3 TBSP molasses
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup milk
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cups wheat germ
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup artificial bacon bits (optional)
Mix and drop by teaspoons on a lightly greased sheet. 15 Minutes at 350 degreess.

Here’s a fun video from one of my favorite sites for simple living:The Green House, the green living home of Gardenfork and Real World Green.

Notice how they talk about buying and selling dog treats at a farmers market. It is such a great starting place for selling dog treats and the barrier to entry is so low. As with some of the other videos featured on my blog, the idea isn’t that if your customers or potential customers learn how to make thier own treats they won’t buy from you. Rather, it is that so many people DO want to have healthy treats for their dogs. The demand is huge. Sometimes they’ll make their own at home, and often they’ll prefer to avoid the mess and buy dog treats from you.

Great inspiration. Shows how much all natural pet food has become mainstream. If you are thinking of starting a dog treats business, you should note that while some consumers will make their own dog food occasionally, they may not want to do this every day. That is where you come in.

Common Foods That Are Harmful Or Even Fatal to Dogs
Many common foods are actually harmful or even fatal to dogs. Some of these (listed below) will surprise you. Others are things you would never give your dog purposefully, but now you will be more careful to not let them be in your dog’s reach. And some just need to be limited to small amounts.

[From DOG TRICKS, TIPS AND INSIGHTS, Foods that are Harmful or Fatal to Dogs.]

Veggie-Dog Mini Muffins

Ingredient List:
1 apple, cored and shredded
2 cups (480 ml) carrots, shredded
1/3 cup (100 ml) molasses
1/4 cup (60 ml) water
1 cup (250 ml) flax seed
1/4 cup (60 ml) dry oats
3/4 cup (200 ml) whole wheat flour

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. If the shredded carrots and apple are too wet, add some of the dry ingredients to the mixture until it is a thick batter. Lightly grease mini muffin tins and spoon the mixture into the compartments until they are about ¾ of the way full and bake for 15 minutes at 400ºF(200ºC) or until browned.

Crunchy Peanut Butter Dog Cookies

Ingredient List:
1 cup (250 ml) dry oats
2 cups (500 ml) whole wheat flour
1 cup (250 ml) all-natural peanut butter
1 cup (250 ml) water
1/4 cup (60 ml) canola oil
1 egg, beaten (or Egg Beaters, equiv. to 1 egg)

Preheat oven to 350°F (180° C). Mix all of the ingredients together in a fairly large bowl. Sprinkle a bit of flour over a flat, clean surface, and roll the mixture out over the flour to about ¾” (2 mm) thickness. Use dog-themed cookie cutters or simply cut into rectangles and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Cook first for 20 minutes on one side and then flip the treats over and cook an additional 20 minutes. Remove to cooling racks and let dry out thoroughly. Treats are ready after about two hours.