Many people love their pets and treat them like family members. That’s why many pet owners look for dog treats. There’s a growing demand for dog treat businesses.
PROS:
– A dog treat business is a fun, rewarding opportunity, especially if you love animals and/or enjoy baking
– It doesn’t take a lot of money to get started making dog treats
– This business makes it easy to get repeat customers after you get your first few customers with pets
CONS:
– Gourmet pet treats may not be in demand in all areas.
– On the other hand, the dog treat business can be a highly competitive market in other areas, and certainly online
How to Get Started:
NOTE: Before you start your business, you should read the page on this website entitled “things to think about before you get started.” After you have taken the preliminary steps for starting any business, you can take the specific steps outlined below.
1. Choose what kinds of dog treats you want to sell. For example, you may decide to offer organic treats, or gourmet treats, or create birthday cakes for dogs.
2. Buy supplies and equipment for your dog treat business. Get ingredients, bowls, baking dishes, measuring cups, and biscuit molds. It’s also a good idea to gather containers, boxes, bags, and ribbons to package your finished products.
3. Create dog treat recipes. Consider using fruits, vegetables, eggs, rice, peanut butter, wholewheat flour, honey, and other ingredients known to be safe for dogs.
4. Create a website for your dog treat business. Your website can include images and descriptions of your dog treats. You can also set up your website to allow your customers to order directly from your site.
Or you can use your website as an online promotion of your dog treats that customers see before contacting you to place their order.
How Much to Charge:
Prices should depend on how much it costs for you to make dog treats, including the ingredients, packaging, and other selling costs. But a reasonable price for a package of homemade dog treats with enough to last for a week would be between $10 and $25.
Taking it to the Next Level:
1. Visit pet-related businesses. You (and a family member or friend) can go to pet stores, pet groomers, pet photographers, obedience coaches, veterinarians, and pet boutiques to see if you can leave samples of your treats in their stores or offices.
You can attach business cards to your samples so people can contact you to buy snacks for their dogs.
2. Visit other local places. You and your family or a friend can also go to local craft fairs and farmers markets to sell your dog treats. Have samples on hand for people who stop by your table or booth with their pets.
