When People Asked for Healthy Pet Treats, This All-Natural Baker Responded

Meet the Vendors – Featured Blog Series

Donna Hart Shovlin was selling pies made with apples grown by local farmers at a small farm stand when people started asking her if she made homemade dog treats.  Hearing this request come in frequently, Donna made the decision to transition making bakery goods for human consumption to strictly making human-grade bakery goods with fresh ingredients for pets.

She was already running a wholesale bakery goods business called Hart Pastries LLC, so this provided her and her staff the perfect opportunity to create and test out some recipes.  It did not take long for neighboring pet-owner customers to come back routinely for more.

In response to the demand, in 2012, she and her husband, Dave, decided to venture into opening what she has coined a “wheat-free dog bakery and pet boutique.”  Born as a division of Hart Pastries LLC, Pastries 4 Pets opened its doors in a building located on West Stafford Road in Stafford Springs, Connecticut.

Raffle Honoring 2nd Year Anniversary

On the two year anniversary of their opening, I interviewed Donna for the new “Meet the Vendors” feature on the Ellington Farmers Market blog.  She is one of their regular vendors and has been participating in the market every Saturday ever since she volunteered some of their wheat-free dog treats as a guest vendor at the market’s June themed dog event in 2013.

When I asked her why she used the word ‘boutique’ to describe her shop in Stafford Springs, she explained her store does not contain only healthy, customized wheat-free pastries for dogs and cats, it is filled with unique and fun pet clothing, accessories, bowls, and toys.  Something Donna says is quickly growing in popularity also.

From Fine Health Foods to Customized Pet Cakes

In addition to their own tested and approved human-grade home baked treats for dogs and cats, Donna offers other nutritional products which are free of preservatives or artificial ingredients, such as Dr. Harvey’s fine health foods at her Pastries 4 Pets bakery and boutique.

For example, you can find Dr. Harvey’s “Veg-To-Bowl” dog food mix.  It is 100% grain-free and contains 9 super-nutritious vegetables and herbs.  All you do is add hot water with your choice of protein (beef, poultry, fish, soy, lentils, etc.) to make a quick and healthy homemade fresh meal for your dog.  It has no added salt or sugar and is great for dogs on low-protein or raw food programs.

“Many pets have allergies or digestive issues,” explained Donna.  “This is why we focus on making or selling products free of wheat, soy, corn, sugar, and salt.  Pet lovers are demanding more of this even if it is a bit more costly, and for the special occasion, we also offer custom cakes made fresh with local ingredients.  Each is decorated to suit the pet’s style and pet owner’s color preferences.”

The pet cakes are styled in different unique fun shapes, such as a paw, bone or fire hydrant.  Donna uses a special sugar free icing recipe she developed in 2013, which is very popular and comes in various colors and flavors to decorate the cake.  The frosting is also used on various dog cookies.  Each can be personalized with the pet’s name too.

This year, Donna will be introducing a sugar free dog yogurt candy, another new recipe.  It will be a new item showcased at the Ellington Farmers Market this summer, and available at their store along with her other tasty treats, such as a treats made with turkey, or another she’s working on made with carrots and parsley.  Donna also grows her own herbs in organic soil every spring and uses a dehydrator in their onsite kitchen to make their very own fresh catnip.

Advice for New Entrepreneurs Considering this Venture

I asked Donna what advice she would give anyone considering making all-natural pet treats themselves as a business for I can imagine it could be an inspiring adventure for animal lovers specifically.

She replied with, “You really have to do a huge amount of research upfront, plus there are additional annual costs associated with approvals from the state before you can put any recipe out on the market for pet consumption.”

“Most people start off wanting to know how to decorate their dog or cat treats. They ask about decorating tips, materials used, and they usually ask how I am able to keep my icing from going stale or bad without refrigeration.  It can be a challenge to avoid cracks, melting, or mold if you don’t know the appropriate recipe-making process,” she continued.

Donna also noted that new dog bakers need to know what can or cannot be put in all-natural dog treats.  An example she mentioned was onions and salts which can be dangerous to pets but can be found in some chicken broths – a common ingredient people will use when they start out. “It’s not a milk-bone,” she said.  “We use all human-grade ingredients,” as she emphasized every ingredient must be assessed, tested, and approved.

The dedication of creating successful recipes, not only for tasting quality but to ensure preservation without refrigeration, is a goal Donna pursues every day as she creates new recipes and makes pet treats.  Everything is made fresh.  Each time a new recipe is developed, she has it tested and approved to validate the ingredients are true to the healthy all-natural requirements and her business’s goals.

It was apparent when I looked over the case of pet treats and goodies in her store that hers are not traditional milk-bone biscuits.  Each cookie treat is specially decorated in various colors, and looked good enough for a human to eat.  In fact I got so hungry hearing about her fresh ingredients, custom made cakes, and healthy pet food, I went directly across the street after our conversation to eat lunch at a restaurant, which you can’t miss.  It is painted blue and pink with big blue and pink boulders out front.

Why the Ellington Farmers Market as a Venue

When I asked Donna why she choose the Ellington Farmers Market as her venue of choice to showcase her healthy pet treats and unique boutique offerings, she said she was impressed by the market’s growth. She was a regular attendee when she lived in town for eight years and saw how much people enjoyed the market all season.

They began with donating pet treats to the market’s annual Pet Costume Parade held in October.  Being outdoors with the pets and their owners while answering questions about healthy pet food was rewarding.  They quickly realized how many people brought their pets along to the market every weekend.  After being a guest vendor at the “Dog Day Event” in June, Dianne Trueb, the Ellington Farmers Market Master, invited them to return every weekend as a regular vendor.

When asked Donna what was the best part about being at the market, she responded with, “Meeting my four-legged customers in person!”

And each pet owner has a special story.  Donna told me about when a new customer had purchased some treats for her dog at the market for the first time last summer.  When the customer returned to her Pastries 4 Pets bakery and boutique this winter, Donna asked her how their dog liked the pet treats.

The pet owner started to laugh in response to Donna’s question.  She said he loved them for sure because when they got home that day from the market, they discovered the box of treats in the back seat was empty.  Their dog ate every treat from the box during their travel back home without their awareness.

You can imagine the rewards which come from hearing stories such as these after all the time and the effort it takes to complete a recipe for all-natural pet treats.  As Donna said so candidly, “Pets never complain.  They always show their appreciation and love, especially when they are healthy and feeling well from the benefits of eating natural foods.”

Butters is as Sweet as the Creations at “Pastries 4 Pets”

And this post about Pastries 4 Pets would not be complete without mentioning Butters (that is Butters with an “s”).  She is Donna and Dave’s adorable two year old Shih Tzu.  She anxiously greeted me when I arrived at Pastries 4 Pets to meet Donna and check out her wheat-free bakery and pet boutique for the first time.

As cute as a button, Butters bobbed up and down, and did the normal dog barking protection routine. I admitted to Donna that I have a slight fear of dogs.  I was bit once as a child and it’s a memory that lurks from time to time when I meet a new dog.

Donna assured me Butters was super friendly as she handed me a small pastry treat to offer her.  At that instant, Butters became my best friend.  She snapped up the tasty treat from the palm of my hand while wagging her tail back and forth wildly, and quickly licked her chops once it was gobbled down. Then she gave me this irresistible look of, “Do you have more?”

In addition to Butters, Donna has two cats in her family.  One is named Meadow and the other Cody.  They are brother and sister from the same litter.

Top: Building where Pastries 4 Pets is located. Below: Restaurant across the street.

To get more information and try out Pastries 4 Pets, be sure to visit Donna and Dave at the Ellington Farmers Market.  They are there every weekend in season, or swing by to their now ‘award winning’ dog bakery and pet boutique located in Stafford Springs, Connecticut.  You can’t miss it.  It has a big sign with a dancing cupcake and dog on it, or just look for the blue and pink restaurant across the street.

Written by Cathy Testa

About the author:

Cathy Testa is a plant blogger and container garden designer located in Broad Brook, CT.  She contributes some of her time to writing for the Ellington Farmers Market blog as a freelance writer.

Contact Information:

Pastries 4 Pets
Dog Bakery & Pet Boutique
106 W. Stafford Road (Rt. 190)
Stafford Springs, CT 06076
860-454-8342
pastries4pets@yahoo.com
www.pastries4pets.com

Winner of “Best New Business Award” in Tolland County (2012)
Winner of “Best Pets Boutique in Connecticut” (2013)