How a hobby became an idea

Those of you who know me, know my story. But I am sure there are lots of you out there who don't. And this is our story, Our beginning and our journey so far.

About a year ago, Jake entered my life. He is my exes dog, well really his exes dog, but he's a lot to handle. So we took him in. And that was when I met the love of my life. He was chaotic and untrained and had so much energy for our small two bedroom apartment. But I was completely obsessed.

Jake has Cerebellar Hypoplasia, meaning that his cerebellum was underdeveloped at birth. So he's goofy and clumsy and has accidents. But he's perfect. I fell in love with his goofy little prance and even when he had an accident on the floor, I couldn't even be mad at him. I knew that I would do absolutely anything for him.

A few years ago, I had a relationship with someone who bought fresh food for his dog, and while that relationship was shortlived, the idea was planted in my brain. I knew I couldn't afford to buy all the freshest and the best that I wanted, but I loved to cook for my family. And Jake was now my baby. So I upgraded his kibble and started supplementing with food that I cooked for him. I researched everything and learned what he was allowed to have and what he couldn't. I kept a list of every food that he liked or had tried on my refrigerator. And once I built up some confidence, I started looking into how to make dog treats.

I started with the treat that I now have named Jake. I found some recipes on pinterest and modified them to fit our life and what Jake liked. My first attempt was...not so great, but Jake gobbled it up anyway and that was all I needed to try again. And the second time was a success. It turned into a weekly thing, Jake sitting at my feet while I baked and cooked, dancing around my kitchen and sharing little bits and pieces with him. It was what I needed at that time in my life to keep me going. Moments with just me and my dog, having fun and knowing that I was doing what I could to give my dog the best.

When my ex moved out, I was devastated, but I wanted to keep making treats for Jake. And because I was making so many and not seeing him, I started bringing them to my friends dogs. And taking care of those dogs gave me a reason to keep going. And I realized that I loved what I was doing. I loved watching them devour the treats and getting all of the puppy snuggles I was missing in my life at home. I moved and couldn't have my own dog but I could still provide snacks for all my favorite puppies.

And then people started offering to pay for them, for my time and ingredients, to support me in what I was doing. And send their friends to me, or clients, or colleagues. And it was incredible. hearing the stories from people in Texas, and North Carolina about how much their dogs love the treats and how the owners felt good giving them knowing they were made from ingredients that even they could eat.

And I'm guessing that is how you found me. And I appreciate you reading this far and giving me a chance. I do not take any of that for granted. I can't wait to share the journey of building a business and having you follow along with my failures and successes and trying to figure all of this out. And I hope you enjoy the ride as much as I do. Thank you.

All My Love

Sheryl Martin