A Dog Spot:  When did your business open?

Treat!:  June 2011

A Dog Spot:  How did you come up with the idea?

Treat!:   I made the treats at home for a couple of years for friends and for my own dog. I loved the idea of creating homemade all-natural snacks for pets that people could trust—with ingredients that they would find in their own kitchens. I had also been giving my 14-year-old arthritic dog, Anna, massages for years and could see a real difference in her gait and disposition. It occurred to me one day that I could do this as a career and truly enjoy it. Sure enough, I do. I am really thrilled that Treat! is both a product and a service. I love helping dog owners feed their dogs’ spirits as well as their physical bodies.

A Dog Spot: What are your hours?

Treat!: Hours typically follow an 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. work day, seven days a week. I do my best to work around clients’ schedules. That’s the beauty of this work—it’s fulfilling AND flexible.

A Dog Spot:  Do you give back to the community?

Treat!:  Absolutely. Treat! donates both product and gift certificates for massage to various charities such as the Hamilton County Humane Society, Great Dane Rescue, USA Defenders of Greyhounds, The Special Olympics and Central Indiana Lab Rescue and Adoption. I also volunteer to massage adoptable dogs at the Humane Society of Indianapolis. I want to do everything I can to ensure their viability as an adoption candidate. In massage school we learned from the local humane society executive director (Toledo) that dogs who receive massage are more likely to be adopted. They’re more open to sitting at the front of the cage, calmly, and they are relaxed. Plus, they’ve been given assuring and positive touch which enables them to trust humans easier.  

A Dog Spot:  What is something you would like people to know about your business that they may not?

Treat!:  Treat! is registered with the state of Indiana, retains a commercial feed license, and is a trademarked brand. All treats have been analyzed for content and an ingredient list is readily available. All treats are available as gluten free products as well. Angela Jorden is certified as a dog massage practitioner and instructor and is a member of the International Association of Animal Massage and Bodywork (IAAMB).  

A Dog Spot:  Anything else?

Treat!:  Dog massages are given in the client’s home—ensuring the security and comfort of the client’s dog.