This interview is a treat!

 

 

Transcription:

Laura Wombwell
Hi there, it’s Laura from Laura Wombwell Photography. And joining me today is Rachelle Latour of Spoil the Dog Bakery. Hi, Rachelle. I am so excited to chat with you today.

Rachelle Latour
Nice to see you too, Laura. Thanks so much for asking me to join this.

Laura Wombwell
So I know a lot of folks already know about Spoil the Dog Bakery. You’re a bit of a, you know, a community institution by now. But I would love to know what got you started making dog treats.

Rachelle Latour
Well, I started making them for our dog. We got a dog from a Mennonite barn was up the road from St. Jacobs here in 2001. And we had him just for a few months, and he was scratching and seem to be really uncomfortable. And so I mentioned that maybe he had a wheat allergy. So we started taking wheat out of his diet and I was giving him liver treats just a single item meat, but I couldn’t give him liver treats every day. And we were training him to so I decided to try to make a wheat free treat. And he seemed to like them, so I made them more flavors. And his itching and uncomfortableness went away too. So we were lucky, we were one of the lucky ones that found out that he had a wheat allergy and so young in the game to that so many people didn’t even know their own personal, that they were allergic to wheat. So it was still new for this whole wheat allergy thing that’s continuous. So everything we make now is wheat free because there are so many allergies.

Laura Wombwell
What makes your treat special what what differentiates them?

Rachelle Latour
I think the fact that we have limited ingredients like our peanut butter one is just chickpea flour, oats and peanut butter, three ingredients. And then the others are pretty much the same with pumpkin again and we just add some cinnamon and ginger. We try the cinnamon and ginger is to help the tummy. So many dogs with their tiny little tummies get upset, you know. So we really try and keep it simple. And the same with our birthday cakes. Or birthday cakes are kind of the following the BRAT diet. So bananas, apples, rice, because we don’t want them to get sick on their birthday. And it works. It seems to be working. So yeah, simple is the answer to a lot of these allergies and upset tummies. Yeah.

Laura Wombwell
So what would you say right now are some of the most popular treats that you make?

Rachelle Latour
The peanut butter has always been the most popular for sure. But now there’s, you know, there’s also peanut butter allergies and people can’t have peanut butter in their house. And we certainly understand that. And then the next most popular and probably the healthiest treat that we have is the pumpkin because it’s high in fiber. And you’ve got you know, fiber in my chickpea flour and fiber in the pumpkin. And they always say you can’t get enough fiber. So it works. Yeah, and there’s so many dogs that just love those too. But we also have the variety pack so you can buy all four flavors.

Laura Wombwell
You mentioned too, that you make birthday cakes. What can you tell me about those?

Rachelle Latour
You know, it seems during this pandemic, even more people are celebrating birthdays, we used to do a lot of small birthday parties, people would invite their friends and their friends dogs and have a little party and share cake. And we have loot bags too. So we can all go home with their little party pack. But even during the pandemic, I think more and more people just want to celebrate something so we’re doing Gotcha Day and we’re doing birthdays and some people celebrate every six months for their pets and their lives are short, so I agree with it. Yeah, I think you know what, most of them only live 10-12 years so let’s celebrate everything. And it’s fun. And you know, it’s not just the grownups, it’s the kids get excited celebrating their dog’s birthday. That’s fun for everyone.

Laura Wombwell
What’s your very favorite part of what you do?

Rachelle Latour
I think I love having the dogs come in the door. And it really is. Oh, we do like making new treats, something different. I love it when I get special orders. But it’s the dogs and this is what we’re missing so much now – people coming inside with their dogs. We have a little taste testing tables so they can help themselves and try all the different flavors. And it’s just great to see them. Large and small. I have a lady up the street and brings her three Great Danes. And they fit. They’re wonderfully behaved. Yeah. So, yeah, we love it.

Laura Wombwell
So with, obviously, it’s been a challenging year for all sorts of businesses. You mentioned that people can’t come in as much, as regulations change. What other challenges have have you faced with the past year?

Rachelle Latour
There’s been so many new dogs. That’s been the great part about it. We’re meeting a lot of new customers. But I think it’s just so hard for people to order online. And we’re finding that our phone, you know, get to three people in the parking lot calling at the same time. It’s making it difficult for people to do curbside. And I think people are getting tired of doing curbside and yeah, it’s it’s just, it’s hard for everyone, we know that. We’ve installed the doorbell now. So if you can’t get through on the phone, you can ring our doorbell is trying other ways, you know, to make it a little simpler. But yeah, it’s a challenge. Not everybody likes to order online. But personal part is really disappearing. It’s hard.

Laura Wombwell
I think for every business these days, having that, you know, that little pinch of patience really, really helps. And knowing that, you know, your favorite dog businesses, they want to help you, you know, they want to be there for you. But everyone is struggling these days.

Rachelle Latour
Yeah, it’s a lot of work, getting the orders ready and running around in the door and answering the phone. But we appreciate so much that we’re still here, and lots of support. So I just keep trying to make it easier for people to know when I’m here for curbside putting more and more products online so that they can see you know what is available because not everyone’s gonna remember what we had in the store. It seems like it’s been so long now since people could come in. But the great part is we’re meeting new people that are just finding out that we’re here. And they’re looking forward to coming into the store. When they can.

Laura Wombwell
Yeah, here’s here’s hoping that it won’t be too long and the doors

Rachelle Latour
Yeah.

Laura Wombwell
Speaking of opening your doors, your retail location is in lovely St. Jacobs, which is like noted for being super duper dog friendly.

Rachelle Latour
Yes.

Laura Wombwell
So why St. Jacobs? Why is St. Jacob’s is so fantastic for dogs and dog lovers?

Rachelle Latour
I guess so many people here have dogs and most of the businesses do welcome you to bring your dog, well behaved, we say into their… Well, some of the restaurants, not really the restaurant, the brewery, and a lot of the shops, they have dogs or they don’t have dogs, but they love dogs. So yeah, it’s it’s a great day you can spend in in the village and there’s a lot of the beer garden and outside the cafe. They welcome dogs too. So it’s a nice little village. It’s yeah, it’s a we’re filming here today. They’re filming that Holly Hobby movie. Yeah, yeah. So it is a charming little village.

Laura Wombwell
Yeah and perfect for like a day trip with you and your pets just like sounds like the best place that your pets can go.

Rachelle Latour
You know what, with so many COVID, new COVID pups haven’t been able to be socialized. So this is the perfect opportunity to go from store to store. They meet people on the street in the shops after the fear gardens. Outside the cafe. He has a lovely spot set up. So there’s lots of opportunity there.

Laura Wombwell
What’s something that you wish that the general public knew about your business?

Rachelle Latour
That’s a difficult one. I guess right now a lot of people think I’m still open and I probably would like it if people knew that it is only curbside. I’ve had people come to the door very disappointed. When they say why aren’t you open and people aren’t able to keep up right now about “this is open, that’s closed, this is closed, that’s open”. And so many people get so disappointed and they can give me their order through the door. We allow that. But they’re just disappointed. They drove all the way here and they can’t come in and shop. So I think that’s probably one of the things that was disappointing for me and for them.

Laura Wombwell
So when things do open back up, hopefully soon. Are there any things that you are really looking forward to?

Rachelle Latour
Well, we’re bringing out a few new things. So there’ll be some new products in the store. So we’re trying to work on that. Yes, and of course, again, just looking forward to seeing people come in the store. It really is a fun place to be. It doesn’t seem like work for me. The making is a little bit, you know, overwhelming at times trying to fill the orders. But yeah, we just really miss having people out here.

Laura Wombwell
Well, and you’ve been at this for quite some time now, right?

Rachelle Latour
Yes, I started the Guelph farmers market in 2005. Maybe it’s before that. 2004 and then I started selling to, it was Ryan’s Pet Food back then. Then it was Ryan’s Global Global Pet Foods. So the store on Victoria, Tom’s store, they were my first store, which originally they were on Eramosa Road. And it was Ryan’s, that’s what they were my very first store. They they called me back in 2005. And said that customers had told them I was at the farmers market and they wanted to buy my treats during the week not wait for Saturday. So he said, do you think you can put them in a bag and we can sell them in the store? So we had to wait and see if there was a shelf life and we did that. So six months later, we started putting them in the store. And it’s changed owners and now Tom’s there, but yes, it’s nice at that. We’ve been in that store for 16 years. Coming up 16 in June. Will be our birthday. Yeah.

Laura Wombwell
Wow. So with the success that you’ve had, I know I was checking out the website and I saw that there is a catnip treat that’s on the site now, is there any plan to branch out to other pets?

Rachelle Latour
Not at the moment. I know I’ve thought about birds because we have a bird. Little Ruffles is an African Gray chatterbox. A lot of fun, a lot of fun. But there is bird store in St. Clements that carries just about everything you could possibly imagine. We have expanded our cat section, we do have more than I have online, I just haven’t got everything online yet. It takes so much time to photograph everything and get it up there. But we will be adding, I’ve got a lot to add. And we just got another order from the US. It’s actually called Spoiled Dog Winery. And they’re in Washington State. So we are doing a few things, specialty things for them and shipping them out probably at the end of the week. So there is new stuff happening, new things to create.

Laura Wombwell
And I think you know, anyone who is you know, a baker, that creativity, those special orders. Those are exciting.

Rachelle Latour
They are exciting. That’s right, you are so right, yeah, just make something new. And that’s why when people. I’ve had different companies in Toronto to that want to do a mass give out to all their, their employees. And there might be 50 of them. But they most of them have dogs and they want me to do a special thing with their logo on it or whatever. And that makes it just, you know, something different again. So we’re constantly doing something new. And if you ask me to do it, I’ll probably will find a way. We did the this year we did Dog Guide cookies for the Dog Guides. Yeah. So they are made to look like the girl guide cookies in the little boxes with the labels and stuff. I think that was in the fall. We did the fundraiser with them. So we still plan on doing that once a year too so there’s lots of different things.

Laura Wombwell
Fantastic! I love that – Dog Guide cookie.

Rachelle Latour
I know I thought it was oh fun. And it’s a beautiful. The logo is similar like yeah, it’s they’re nice. I probably put those online when they do the promotion again, too. Yeah. Well, they look like the girl guide cookies are the two layers with the cream inside. Yeah. And then the little boxes. Oh, great fundraiser. They did really well with it.

Laura Wombwell
So you mentioned your bird Ruffles. Yeah. I would love to hear more about how you became a bird parent.

Rachelle Latour
Well, my husband and loves birds more than dogs, which is tricky. It’s mostly the hair thing for him. But he’s always been a bird person. I really wasn’t so much, but I’ve really grown to enjoy Ruffles and her sense of humor. And her laughter I know she imitates us, but it’s still very funny. Yeah. She’s about seven now, I guess. And we did get her in St. Clement’s at the bird store. She was hatched there.

Laura Wombwell
Does she have any favorite activities while she’s with you guys?

Rachelle Latour
Know, mostly talking, checking up on us asking us if we’re okay. Are you okay? And when I leave the house, she’s always saying See you later. Yeah, she talks a lot. Oh, what’s your problem? So she asked us often too, What’s your problem? She’s really cute.

Laura Wombwell
I know you mentioned when you got started that it was a pup with a wheat allergy who had been your muse and I know, Mocha has since passed away. But when Mocha was with you, what were some of your favorite things to do together?

Rachelle Latour
Just out in the backyard. Running around he loved to be around active, active. Big long walks. Guelph Lake, I love, we could walk from my house which was just off Woolwich and you could go down by the tracks and walk all the way to Guelph Lake from there. And it was a good Sunday hike. But yeah, with a bunch of friends, which people can still do a little bit today. Yeah, it was nice. We did that almost every Sunday at a really good height. All the other dogs.

Laura Wombwell
Wonderful. And you know, it’s it’s amazing. Looking back and thinking, you know this, this little dog has spawned this whole life journey

Rachelle Latour
Little guy. That’s right. He was a sweetie pie. And I still have his picture right behind the cash. And he’s the taste tester. Yeah, because he had to try everything. Yes. And then I enjoyed the market too. I did that for quite a few years, five, six years. I stayed at the market every morning, and that was a lovely community too. I really miss Guelph now. I live in Kitchener. But yes, I miss Guelph is too far of a winter drive for me to come to the store.

Laura Wombwell
I hear that. That it is a bit of a trek, but like a lovely day day trip.

Rachelle Latour
Oh, yes, yes, sure. Yes. Yes, I used to come here long before I had the store. But I never thought I was gonna actually be here, it was hard to find a spot when I first I was only renting like a piece of the Pink Papaya when I first got here. And so eventually, I took over a little bit more space, a little bit more space. And now we just put in a new back kitchen here, so that we are trying to get a little more organized in our small space. Doing the best we can with a little space. We asked our customers and most of them said don’t move even, you know, I was gonna move into a larger spot down the street, but there isn’t as much parking so we had a lot of parking here. And we have lots of room for benches and the courtyard where you can sit. Yeah, so it’ll be good when we can finally have our 16th birthday party. We missed last year our 15th because of COVID. And I don’t think we’ll be able to do much this year, but we will have a big sale we go back to 2005 pricing. So our bags back then were $8.99. So do that. And then we give 10% to we go back and forth with the two charities, the Guelph Humane Society and the KW Humane Society. So maybe soon we’ll be able to do it. And it’s nice because we do have the courtyard for parties. People can be inside and outside and we usually do cake for people and cake for the dogs and and then have our sale. Yeah.

Laura Wombwell
It’s so nice to see a local business person being so successful and giving back because that’s what it’s about.

Rachelle Latour
Sure is, yes. I just appreciate every day everybody supporting me and yes, how did I get here? I have no idea. It’s been so fun. And you think 16 years. Really? Yeah, but retirement might be in the next few years. We’ll see what happens. My husband’s retired and he’s encouraging. Hard to say.

Laura Wombwell
It’s hard when you love it right?

Rachelle Latour
Yeah, that’s what he says I know you love it but geeze, so I’m just taking more holidays now.

Laura Wombwell
Well, I so appreciate you giving me a bit of your time today. And before we end off, I have some rapid fire questions for you.

Rachelle Latour
Oh, okay. All right.

Laura Wombwell
All right. Cat, dog or bird?

Rachelle Latour
My favorite?

Laura Wombwell
Yes.

Rachelle Latour
Dogs.

Laura Wombwell
Favorite breed?

Rachelle Latour
Huskies. And Bernese mountain dogs, and dachshunds. Yeah, I think maybe it might be a difficult one.

Laura Wombwell
What is your pets favorite treat?

Rachelle Latour
His favorite treats? I think he really liked the carob drizzle bones that we used to, we still make. Yes, I think that was one of his favorites.

Laura Wombwell
Is your current pet full of beans, full of dreams, or full of something entirely different?

Rachelle Latour
Little Ruffles full of beans. Yeah, that’s a good one.

Laura Wombwell
If your pet, and it can be Ruffles or Mocha, were to be played by a human actor in a movie who would play them?

Rachelle Latour
Wow. Brother. Tom Hanks for Ruffles.

Laura Wombwell
Excellent. I love it. And finally, if money were no object, what one incredible thing would you do to spoil your pet?

Rachelle Latour
Huh. You know, I can’t think of anything else. I think we think we’ve made every day. as wonderful as we could for Mocha. Yeah. If money was no object, well, I’d still have him here. He’d be reincarnated again. If that was possible with dollars. Yeah.

Laura Wombwell
I think that’s the best answer. Right, because it’s not really about money. It’s about love. And that’s what we give them right. Excellent. Well, before we end off, I would love to know how can the Southwestern Ontario Pet Community best support you and Spoil the Dog Bakery?

Rachelle Latour
Well, just come and visit us. No need to feel like you need to buy anything, just have a look around, enjoy the village. The dogs get to have a treat. I encourage people to not think that every time you come in here, you have to buy something. The dogs when they come walking by they want to come in, so they can come to the snack table and have a snack and then continue with their walk. Like it’s great to see everyone really is. Really is and we really appreciate it. And during this pandemic started, I didn’t know what was gonna happen. Yeah. We’re thinking, no, we can’t end like this. So I really, really, really appreciate all the support. It’s been fabulous.

Laura Wombwell
And I really appreciate you spending some time with us today and filling us in about your incredible business. Thank you so much.

Rachelle Latour
And thank you. It’sbeen great chatting with you. Yes, can’t wait to see how this all turns out in the end.

Laura Wombwell
This is Laura from Laura Wombwell Photography, and I’m here with Rachelle Latour of Spoil the Dog Bakery, whose amazing treats you should be trying, and we both hope that you and your pets have an awesome day. Bye!

Rachelle Latour
Bye. Thanks, Laura.

 

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