The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Business specializes in homemade pet treats
A business is setting itself apart by focusing on quality homemade treats that are good for pets.
A North Ridgeville business is setting itself apart by focusing on quality homemade treats that are good for pets.
The Grateful Dog Bakery, located at 31966 Center Ridge Rd., offers dog and cat toys, food and treats made fresh, right in the store.
“We bought the place in 2012, and the business originally opened in 2006,” said Jennifer Baker, who owns the business with her husband Karl. “We are, in just a few days, celebrating our eighth anniversary of being here.
“Prior to buying the store, we were customer,” she added. “We wanted to take it over because we are dog lovers, and I think there are a whole lot of dog and cat products on the market that are maybe not as good as they could be.”
Jennifer Baker said it was also appealing to own a small business.
“I was interested in selling healthy food, treats and toys that exercise the brain as well as the pet’s body,” she said. “We were just looking to be a good resource for pet owners. We both come from lines of small business owners, so it was kind of a family tradition thing.”
Baker said Grateful Dog offers the quality and nutrition that is not always guaranteed at the larger stores.
“A lot of your big-box stores are designed to offer mega products,” she said. “They are publicly traded companies, and they have shareholders. For us, there is nothing in this store that I wouldn’t give to my dogs. It doesn’t matter if I could sell it and make a profit.
“If I wouldn’t give it to my dogs, it isn’t in this store,” she added. “The quality is like that for all of the products we have. It’s a pride thing. I’ll never be rich, but I will be able to look in the mirror every day and not feel bad.”
Baker said the business has made a name for itself with the homemade treats.
“The baked treats are probably what we are known for,” she said. “They are limited ingredients. They are organic flours and brands. We get ingredients local whenever we can. Right now, we have blueberry treats with ingredients from the Baumhart Berry Farm (in Brownhelm Township).”
Baker said the store also has treats for dogs that don’t like the baked treats.
“Not all dogs like baked treats, so we do have the animal body parts that are freeze dried,” she said. “They include a poultry mix, pig snouts, bully sticks and other foods like that.
“It all sounds gross to us, but for dogs and cats they are healthy chews,” she added. “You are adding quality to their diet. You’re cleaning their teeth. You’re giving them something to chew. Anyone who has owned a puppy knows you have got to give them something to chew or kiss your table legs and shoes goodbye.”
Baker said the store also carries treats for training.
“We are not dog trainers,” she said. “But, I can point you to the dog treats that will give you the response from your dogs that you’re looking for.”
Baker said the best reason to stop by the Grateful Dog Bakery is they know what they’re selling.
“We know what we sell, and what it’s used for,” she said. “Toys are questions we get asked a lot. All of the toys we sell have been tested by dogs. We have some for tough chewers and some for the softer chewers. We want to sell the toys that will last.
“If you buy a toy for $20, it will last five years when you buy here,” she added. “I’m not going to tell a customer that a toy is the toughest chew ever until I send it home and give it to my tough chew testers. My toughest chewer is a 27-pound terrier mix named Gimli. If Gimli doesn’t destroy it, then nobody can destroy it.”
Karl Baker said the Grateful Dog is the perfect combination of business and personal interest.
“It was something we wanted to be in,” he said. “You can run a small business, but if you’re not interested in that line it becomes work. We bake our treats for about an hour and we do it all here. We really have a passion for it, and we want to have that quality for customers’ pets.”
He said the business has not been too affected by the pandemic.
“We ask that we only have three customers in at a time and that masks are worn,” he said. “But, we really haven’t had to lay one off anyone and we are about where we were at this time last year for sales. We do offer curbside pickup for folks that want to call ahead.”
Karl Baker said the real area the pandemic has affected has been dog rescues.
“The rescues are in need of help,” he said. “They rely on doing a lot of summer events, but a lot of those have been cancelled. So, their big money-raisers have been gone. So, I encourage folks to contact a local rescue and see how they can help them out during these tough times.”