After a long day at work, you come home. Who else is going to wag their tail upon your arrival? Not your wife or husband, but when your dog hears the door of your car close, he or she is anxiously awaiting you with a tail going nonstop and kisses to boot.
Now, there is another way to reward that loyalty. The Woofing Bakery is a mobile pet bakery based in Aiken, offering cookies, cakes, and doggie donuts. They are all made with fresh, pet-friendly ingredients.
Owner, Bela Steele, lost her beloved Rottweiler, Lexi, to cancer. She believes it was because of the preservatives in treats and dog food.
“You are what you eat. Lexi’s death led to months of research into all natural foods, which is why I started The Woofing Bakery,” Steele explained.
Other popular non-sweet treats include Beef Bites and Gobble Gobble, otherwise known as turkey treats. She partners with local farms to secure meat for those, including Yon Family Farms in Ridge Spring, South Carolina.
Lisa Benefiel, owner of Red Dog Pet Services, understands Steele’s motivation for opening her business and providing quality pet food. A love for dogs is the reason she opened her business two years ago after a 25-year career with the National Security Agency.
“I enjoyed my work with the NSA, but in the past few years, I realized one thing that made my soul happy was taking care of my animals,” Benefiel explained.
She spent time getting the certifications she needed to fulfill her dream of opening a pet service business, including certifications from Pet Sitters International, CPR training for dogs and cats from the American Red Cross, and therapy dog credentials.
Today, Red Dog Pet Services has nine employees and an office manager. They are booked up through mid-July with drop-in, dog walking, and overnight pet sitting services.
When you add up the dog treats, pet food, vet bills, boarding or pet sitting services, toys, and outfits, you are looking at a minimum investment of about $2,000 a year, according to MarketWatch. Benefiel says it may be a little more in the CSRA.
“There are a lot of retirees in the area with more expendable income, and they love their pets. Also, many members of the younger generation who aren’t having kids are rescuing dogs.”
It’s another reason why The Woofing Bakery has become popular.
“We are working on expanding our treats for cats and converting a horse trailer into a better version of a mobile bakery,” said Steele.
In the meantime, The Woofing Bakery is set up each Saturday at the Aiken Farmer’s Market, but she can also arrange pickups for orders at PetSmart or Tractor Supply. Deliveries are also available by contacting her at 803-221-5136 or through the website at The Woofing Bakery.
Bela Steele is a rescue mom. She has three, including a chihuahua named Dixie, the face of the brand, Dolly, a Lab mix, and Hank, a German Shorthaired Pointer.
Sometimes, whether it’s a purebred or rescue, you have to ask who rescues whom. Is it worth it? The smiles, the tail wags, and the kisses usually answer that question.
Editor’s Note:
Mitzi Oxford is a veteran broadcaster and features writer who also worked at the same television station in Columbus, Georgia as Augusta’s Brad Means! If you have a South Carolina story idea for Mitzi, please email her at mitzioxfordcreative@gmail.com.
