How to Start a Dog Treat Business: A Beginner’s Guide
Have you ever thought about starting your own dog treat business but had no idea where to begin?
The good news is that there are more ways than ever to launch a dog treat brand—and you don't necessarily need your own commercial kitchen, a custom recipe or a huge investment to get started.
After more than 20 years working behind the scenes developing and manufacturing pet products, I've learned that one of the biggest misconceptions new entrepreneurs have is that there is only one way to build a pet brand.
There isn't.
Different Ways to Start a Dog Treat Business
Before worrying about logos, packaging or a website, one of your first decisions is figuring out how you're going to source your dog treats.
Some of the most common options include:
- Making your own dog treats – A good fit for some small, local or handcrafted businesses, but you'll need to understand applicable pet food regulations and labeling requirements.
- Buying dog treats in bulk – Purchase finished treats in smaller quantities, then package and label them yourself.
- White label dog treats – Choose existing products from a supplier and sell them under your own brand.
- Private label or custom manufacturing – Work with a pet treat manufacturer to develop or produce products specifically for your brand.
There isn't one option that's right for everyone. Your budget, experience, product idea and goals should all play a role in deciding which path makes the most sense.
What Products Should You Sell?
Dog treats aren't limited to traditional baked biscuits anymore.
Today's pet brands can choose from soft and chewy treats, crunchy biscuits, functional treats and supplements, natural chews, jerky, freeze-dried treats, meal toppers and much more.
Instead of trying to launch everything at once, start by thinking about the customer you want to serve and what makes your brand different.
A small, focused product line can be a much easier place to start.
You Don't Have to Figure It Out Alone
If you're serious about starting a dog treat brand, I created a free resource to help you take the next step.
FREE: How to Start Your Own Dog Treat Brand
Our free beginner's guide walks through the different ways to source products, choosing what you want to sell, branding and packaging considerations, and some of the decisions you'll need to make before bringing your products to market.
DOWNLOAD THE FREE DOG TREAT BUSINESS GUIDE → Free guide on how to start your own brand – The Pet Gourmet® - Wholesale
Whether you're dreaming about creating an entirely new pet brand or simply exploring whether a dog treat business could be right for you, this guide will give you a place to start.
Because sometimes the hardest part of starting a business is simply figuring out what to do first.