Mark Hardy, co-owner of Woof Gourmet Pet Bakery in Old Town Spring, puts his menu where his mouth is.
Hardy said he and co-owner Mark Terry thoroughly test the business’ varied menu of cakes, cookies and assorted treats to ensure they are nutritious, look presentable and, most importantly, taste good despite the strict dietary demands of some of their four-legged clients.
Hardy, Terry and an employee even sample every item themselves before it reaches the menu.
“If it tastes awful to me—I think the dogs can tell the difference between what’s good and what’s bad—I don’t want to give it to my dog,” Hardy said.
However the most important opinions come from Hardy’s dogs, Itchy and Duder, he said. Either of Hardy’s companions has to approve a potential product before it hits store shelves.
“Some of [my products] I was so proud of because they looked amazing, and they smelled amazing because I tend to get very creative with our treats,” Hardy said. “I give it to the dogs and they take it, they stare at it, and look back at me like, ‘What’s this?’”
The pet bakery does not use salts, sugars or bleached flour for its products, which are all 100 percent organic, Hardy said. Also, the bakery uses carob, which is caffeine-free, instead of chocolate.
Caffeine is poisonous to cats and dogs and can be life threatening, according to Pet Poison Helpline.
Woof’s top seller is its squirrel on a stick treat, a peanut butter squirrel on a beef stick, but customers can purchase a wide array of treats, such as cheesy puppy pizza, custom cakes or novelty items like Michael Vick on a stick.
The Spring shop offers more than just dog treats, Hardy said. The store also carries toys, collars, pet apparel and custom pet signs.
Hardy said the idea to create a pet bakery was born out of necessity nearly 20 years ago. His Italian greyhound Dominic had specific dietary needs, and without many options on the market, Hardy was forced to learn to cook for his pet without fillers, byproducts and preservatives.
Hardy said he faced the same dilemma a decade later when he adopted Duder as a rescue dog—so he decided to make a business out of it. Eight years after Woof Gourmet Pet Bakery opened, Hardy said he is looking to expand the business or possibly relocate to The Heights community in Houston by the end of the year.
After several years of servicing the needs of pets in the Spring community, Hardy said he is still surprised he ended up in the gourmet pet food business.
“If you’d asked me 10 years ago whether I thought I could see myself making gourmet dog treats and customized dog cakes, I would have laughed in your face,” Hardy said.
