What happens when you combine a lawyer, a love of food, and a puppy with allergies? Nicole Townsend was working as a corporate lawyer when she made a discovery. Dog food, as it turns out, is filled with allergens, fillers, and things no one can pronounce. This was a problem for Nicole and an even bigger problem for her furry friend and Chief Taste-Tester Snowball. Nicole took on the challenge. She partnered with a local vet to develop clean dog treats that she can feel good about giving her pup. What pup wouldn’t want a pizza beer bone as an afternoon snack?
Spoil Me Rotten makes the promise to never use allergens and fillers, such as wheat, soy, and corn commonly found in most other dog treats. Instead, they fill their treats with only human-grade ingredients, enriched with omega-3’s. As Nicole wrote on her website, “SMR Dog Biscuits contain only simple, vet-approved and farm-fresh ingredients with amazing flavors that will make your dog’s tail wag with delight.” Currently available up and down the east coast in independent pet stores and in Union Kitchen, Spoil Me Rotten offers eight different flavors to meet even the pickiest dogs’ needs.
The story of SMR begins in a cozy New York City neighborhood in 2010. Like most canines, Snowball loved treats. Unfortunately, she had severe dietary restrictions, meaning she couldn’t enjoy most of the treats available in the market. Nicole Townsend, Snowball’s mom, went above the call of duty and began making her own treats, which her pup could safely enjoy. Pretty soon, word began to spread, and other owners wanted to try giving Nicole’s treats to their dogs. After getting a resounding two paws up from the tasters, Nicole decided to quit her full-time job as a lawyer in favor of a career that allowed her to combine her true passions, cooking and dogs. Today, SMR is a must have for any dog lover who wants to “spoil your dog the healthy way”. Of course, we’re getting ahead of ourselves. First, Nicole had to overcome a few issues that stood in her way.
As previously mentioned, Snowball had dietary restrictions, meaning Nicole had to be very careful about what she put into the treats. Also, she had to consider the fact that every dog is different. Ingredients that might for some might not work for others. Nicole had to find ingredients that every pup could safely enjoy. Finally, she had to make sure that the treats were flavorful. What good is a healthy snack that isn’t tasty? Humans know this dilemma all too well.
To solve these issues, Nicole had to educate herself. Many hours were spent researching everything dog related, from their digestive health to the current state of the treat industry. Somewhere along the way, Nicole realized that there was only so much that she could do on her own and decided to partner with a veterinarian. Together, they narrowed down the list of ingredients to only include those which were both flavorful, healthy, and clean. After getting the final approval from picky puppies, Nicole’s SMR treats were finally ready for store shelves.
Next time you’re looking to buy your best friend a treat, consider getting them a case of Spoil Me Rotten. They’re healthy, flavorful, and guaranteed to produce a happy pup. So head on down to any Union Kitchen to pick up a box. Oh, and bring your dog with you.
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