If you love dogs and baking, this small biz idea may be for you!
I have an amazing interviewer with Kristin, a dog treat business owner and found of Diva Dog Bakery who found a way to make lots of money selling dog treats. Now she teaches others how to replicate her success in this business.
In this post you’ll learn:
- How much money you can make
- Who should start a dog treat business
- How much money does it cost to start a pet treat business
- Where to sell dog treats
- Equipment you need to run a dog treat bakery
- How to get started right away
How much can someone earn baking dog treats at home?
If you selling dog treats as a part-time side hustle, you can bring in between $500 to $1,000 a month.
Are you planning on selling dog treats full-time?
Your monthly earnings can go as high as $8,000/month.
The best part of this business is you can work as little or as much as you want.
Below are screenshots of people selling dog treats and selling out on Etsy!
Where can people sell their dog treats?
- Farmer’s markets
- From home (pick-up or delivery)
- Wholesale to pet stores
- Pet boutiques
- Vet offices
- Etsy
- Your own website
- Social media profiles
Who should start a dog treat bakery?
- Anyone who wants to bake and make money doing it
- Pet owners who want to make healthy treats with natural ingredients
- Anyone who wants to make $1,000+ a month, with potential to become a six-figure business
How much money does it cost to start a pet treat business?
For most pet treat businesses based in the U.S., you can start this business for less than $300.
Some of the start-up costs include:
- Business license
- Treat registration fees (these vary by state)
- Initial ingredients and possibly a few basic baking tools
- Treat packaging costs
Because dog treats are a high profit margin product, you’ll earn most of your initial investment back with your first few batches of treats.
How can someone get started with a dog treat bakery?
The first thing I recommend doing is experimenting in your kitchen with a few dog treat recipes.
Dog owners can give their dogs baked treats. Dogs make excellent taste testers; if not, give them away to friends and family members who have dogs.
If you enjoy the process of baking and the treats are well-received, you can move on to contacting your state to verify their dog treat regulations.
Once you know what those are, you can file any necessary paperwork and get things started!
In the course Diva Dog Bakery, you learn a step-by-step process on getting your business up and running.
What equipment do I need?
If you’ve baked before, you probably have a lot of equipment already in your kitchen.
If not, here are a few things that can help you get started:
How do I get new customers?
Etsy
Start an Etsy shop and sell your dog treats there.
Many people from Kristen’s course sell their dog treats successfully on Etsy.
Pet boutiques and local pet stores
Reach out to your local pet store and ask if they’d be open to selling your dog treats for a trial period.
If the trial run goes well, they will likely keep selling the dog treats. Offer the pet store a small commission for selling your dog treats at their store.
Farmer’s markets
This is a great way to meet customers face to face and build connections.
If allowed, bring your well-behaved dog(s) and this may even attract more people to come up to your booth since people love furry friends.
Online store or website
Create a website or online store so people can easily purchase products.
Social media account
Start a TikTok, Facebook, and/or Instagram account and start promoting your products on there.
Make engaging, fun videos to attract new customers to your business.
Making business cards and passing them out whenever you sell homemade treats is also a great idea. Doing this will help customers remember your business name and help you create a successful business.
What are the benefits to this side hustle?
Starting a dog treat bakery business is so rewarding with many benefits such as:
- Excellent profit margins (60%-70% profit margins)
- Making dog treats is fun, especially if you’re a dog lover
- Pet industry is booming, people are seeking high quality and natural products
- Flexibility to set your own schedule, be your own boss, work from home
- Low overhead costs compared to other businesses
- Strong customer loyalty, people who find treats their dogs love will become loyal customers
- Scalability to grow and sell wholesale to pet stores, setting up a retail location, and even franchising
- Pet industry is recession-resistant, people still prioritize pets needs and treats
Starting a dog treat bakery can be a fulfilling and profitable venture if you have a genuine love for dogs and a commitment to producing high-quality, delicious, and safe treats.
How you can get started
There is a completely free training for anyone interested in selling dog treats.
You get a feel for selling dog treats from home without having to invest any money into the business yet. This free training is great idea if you’re still on the fence about starting this side hustle/small biz.
The free training teaches you:
- How and why Kristin started Diva Dog Bakery
- How Kristin went from making her first $20 to over $1000 per month
- The best places to sell your homemade dog treats (online & offline)
- Marketing tactics to boost sales and profit margins
- How to source ingredients and packaging supplies
- A special limited time offer for the course
Sign up for the free training here.
How can I make the most money with a dog treat business?
Starting a dog treat business can be an exciting and rewarding venture, especially if you’re a dog lover.
Here are a few tips to maximize your income as a dog treat owner.
Research the market
Begin by researching the pet treat market in your area and online.
Understand your competition, target audience, and trends in the pet industry. Identify gaps or opportunities in the market.
Develop a business plan
Create a business plan that outlines your business goals, target market, product offerings, pricing strategy, marketing plan, and startup costs.
Doing this will keep you organized and on track to meet income goals.
Sourcing high quality ingredients
Find the best suppliers for your ingredients.
Look for suppliers that offer high-quality, natural, and organic options if that’s part of your brand’s identity.
Use your own kitchen
Set up a clean and well-organized kitchen where you can produce your dog treats. Ensure it complies with food safety regulations and has the necessary equipment.
Marketing and branding
Develop a brand identity for your dog treat business.
Create a memorable brand name, logo, and packaging design. Create a website and use social media platforms to market your products.
Test your dog treats
Test your treats on a variety of dogs to gather feedback.
This will help you refine your recipes and ensure your products appeal to a broad range of tastes and dietary needs.
Build Relationships
Network with pet owners, local veterinarians, groomers, and pet-related businesses to build relationships and gain referrals.
Scale Your Business
As your business grows, consider scaling up production and expanding your product line to include different flavors, sizes, or specialty treats.
Stay Committed to Quality
Maintain a commitment to producing high-quality, safe, and delicious dog treats. Consistency in quality is essential for building trust with customers.
Starting a dog treat business requires dedication, creativity, and a love for dogs. It’s essential to provide high quality products and excellent customer service to build a loyal customer base.
Be prepared to adapt to changing market trends. With persistence and a business plan, your dog treat business can thrive.
Don’t forget to sign up for the free training here.
How can I use TikTok or Instagram to get more customers?
Take advantage of TikTok and Instagram. Many businesses thrive just from a social media presence alone.
Here is a list of great tips for getting customers on TikTok and Instagram.
Create entertaining videos
TikTok is known for short, entertaining videos. Show off your products by showing yourself making the recipes and packaging the items in beautiful packaging.
Take videos of you giving dogs your homemade dog treats. People love dog videos!
Engage with your audience
Respond to comments on your videos and stay connected with your followers. This shows them you care about your following and customer base.
Collaborate with influencers
Send your dog treats to influencers and hopefully they’ll make a video of Instagram story of them giving the dog treats to their dogs!
Make it easy to shop at your online store
You should have a website, online store, or Etsy shop listed on your TikTok and Instagram profiles so people can easily make purchases.
Host giveaways
Every now and then host a giveaway where people will win your homemade dog treats as long as they share your post from your Instagram or TikTok.
Best homemade dog treat recipes
Kristen shares her best-selling dog treats in her course Diva Dog Bakery.
Dog treats are easy and simple to make.
If you’re ready to start making dog treats now, here are some great recipes to start with.
- Homemade peanut butter dog treat recipe
- Pupcakes with frosting recipe
- Pumpkin dog treat recipe
- Peanut butter banana cupcakes
Are people really making money doing this?
Yes! There are incredible success stories of people making money with a dog treat business.
People are selling out at pre-sales, farmers markets, Etsy shops, and their own websites.
It’s possible to see success really quickly with a dog treat bakery business.
Diva Dog Bakery teaches you how to form a business plan with step-by-step instructions. This course makes it so easy to get started and be successful.
Free Training
Make sure to take advantage of the free training available to anyone interested in starting this side hustle that has a ton of potential to become a full-time business.
In the training, you’ll learn:
- Why the homemade dog treat business is HOT and getting hotter every year
- How to turn a dog treat bakery business into a side hustle pulling $500-$1,000 per month, or how to scale it into a 5-figure/year business
- The best places to start a dog treat business, online or offline
- How to price and sell your delicious dog treats
What’s included in the Diva Dog Bakery course?
The Diva Dog Bakery course is incredible and students make money a lot faster than if they were to do it alone with no training.
Here’s what’s included in the course.
- Learn the best recipes and everything you’ll need to make the recipes
- Forming a business and legal requirements to sell dog treats
- How to package and ship
- How to price dog treats
- Where to sell dog treats
- How to accept payment
- How to ship dog treats and what to include in packaging
- How to announce your brand new business to the world
- How to make a nutrition label (this gives your buyers extra confidence in purchasing!)
- Dog treat recipe book
- Facebook community group with other people selling dog treats
Look at how other students are doing after taking the Diva Dog Bakery course.
How much does the Diva Dog Bakery course cost?
Diva Dog Bakery course costs $299 and gives you instant access to all of the material and bonuses.
$299 can be a lot of money, but many students earn that back once they start selling dog treats in the first month.
How much you earn in your first year of selling dog treats is completely up to you.
Save time and energy by making money ASAP with Diva Dog Bakery. Learn how to start this business from someone who has been exactly where you are.
How to start a dog treat business – FAQ
Can I make dog treats in my own personal kitchen?
Yes, you can make dog treats from your own kitchen. You do not need an expensive, commercial kitchen.
What kind of legal requirements are there for a dog treat business?
You do need a business license to sell homemade dog treats in most states. You’ll learn about this in Diva Dog Bakery and how to create a business plan.
Is it hard to start a dog treat business?
Any business is hard to start initially, but once you get into the swing of things you may find it’s a lot easier than you originally thought.
How can I get ideas for dog treat recipes?
Kristen provides several bestselling recipes in her course, but you can also find inspiration on sites like Etsy, Pinterest, and see what is selling.
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