When the birthday of their beloved Labrador Noddy rolled around last year, sisters Sowmya and Sreya Killamshetty wanted to do something special. With time on their hands, thanks to the pandemic and both working from home, they decided to bake a cake for their pet.
“Both of us had never tried baking before. So we spoke to our vet who generally treats our Noddy and asked her about safe-to-use ingredients in the cake. We made a peanut butter-banana cake sweetened with farm honey which Noddy gulped down in one go,” laughs Sowmya, a chartered accountant, while her sister Sreya is an architect.
Intrigued by a possible business opportunity on their hands, the sisters decided to bake treats that were safe, nutritious, and hygienic for other pet parents.
“Like us, there are many pet parents who want to celebrate their dog’s birthday in a special way and there are not many people who make such treats in the city. So, we started Dog-a-Licious in May 2020 which went on to be super popular across the city,” says Sowmya.
Mindful of pet allergies and ingredients that are safe for pets, they first reached out to veterinarians before figuring out their basic cake and cookie recipes.
“Baking soda and all-purpose flour aren’t good for dogs, so we switched it with rice and wheat flour. We ask the client about the dog’s constitution and allergies and share the ingredients we are going to use in the cakes and treats like cookies, gummies, chews, etc. They then ask their own vets and then get back to us with their requirements. So, we typically ask a day’s notice to make the cakes,” adds Sowmya.
The duo gets some 40 to 45 orders a month and balances their full-time jobs with the cake orders so that one passion doesn’t bleed into the other. What they offer in cakes, gummies and cupcakes are flavors like banana, apple, pumpkin, sweet potato, chicken, mixed fruits, apart from ice creams in peanut, mango, watermelon flavors.
If a client wants, they have also thrown in cake toppers like a dog model that is also edible, birthday crowns, hand-painted portraits, and digital portrait. The cakes come in the range of 500 gms to 1 kg, starting from Rs 600 onwards. The duo delivers across the city and caters to all dog breeds.