Treat Your Pup

Get your fit pup a special treat with these cute and creative options around town.

By: Monica Hand

Here in Austin, we love our dogs. It’s as much of a dog city as it is a music city, and there’s no better proof of that than the hundreds of dogs that grace Zilker with their presence each day. With dog lovers comes the insatiable market for dog-centric products and stores. Perhaps the best part of a dogforward city is the creativity that produces the most amazing pet products — and what’s more

Austin than a creative food menu? Here, we’ve rounded up some of Austin’s most creative dog treats and eats that any doggo is sure to wolf down — pun intended.

PET FROYO | PAWS ON CHICON

When it gets hot in Austin, everyone lines up for an ice cream cone or smoothie to help cool off. So, why not give that same delicious relief to your pup or cat? Local pet store and AFM Best Of 2020 winner, Paws on Chicon, offers soft serve and froyo for pets Friday to Sunday, and all other days the treat can be found in their freezer section. Flavor options include bacon, peanut butter, pumpkin, blueberry, banana and vanilla. You can find them on Chicon Street and a second location opening on South Congress.

Pup froyo at Paws on Chicon!

Photo by Jessica Oswald.

SALMON BARK & DOG BAIT | BARKIN’ CREEK

You may know Barkin’ Creek as the go-to for locally handcrafted and quality-ensured dog meals, but now the company has branched out for its first foray into treats events can enjoy with two new products: Salmon Bark and DogBait. The Salmon Bark is sourced from the cold waters of Norway before it is dehydrated and hand-packed to provide a wealth of nutrients to your dog or cat. Meanwhile, the Dog Bait(still cat-friendly, too) brings the best flathead minnows from Arkansas to be dehydrated and hand-packed to ensure the natural nutrients go straight from the bag to your pet’s belly.

Courtesy of Barkin' Creek.

WOOF WAFFLES™ | THE ORIGINAL DOG TREAT TRUCK COMPANY

The Original Dog Treat Truck Company took the Austin icon of the food truck and dog-ified it! When you’re out and about, it’s hard to say no to these yummy-smelling food trucks — and now you can spoil your pup with a midday snack, too! Best known for their trademark Woof Waffles, these treats are designed to help keep your dog’s coat shiny and soft while also keeping their digestion regular. Grain-free, made from scratch and vegan, these waffles are sold in packs of four cute critter shapes.

Courtesy of The Original Dog Treat Truck Company.

MEATBALL & GRAVY | YARD BAR

When you take your pup to Yard Bar on Burnet Road, they can not only play hard but eat hard, too! Along with the doggy ice cream and treats on the dog-friendly menu, Yard Bar also offers a Meatball & Gravy dish just for Fido! This meal is made with ground turkey, brown rice, celery and carrots — making it healthy and delicious for man and woman’s best friend! Not to mention, it’s the perfect snack to recharge with after playing with all the other four-legged friends while the dog parent enjoys the people-friendly menu and drinks.

Courtesy of Yard Bar.

AUSTIN FIT MAGAZINE THEMED TREATS | WOOF GANG BAKERY & GROOMING

At Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming, each cookie is handcrafted, designed and decorated by hand. The local Woof Gang team is an impressive gang of culinary degree-holders and chefs that have worked at several the March Fittest Dog Issue, the pastry chefs at WoofGang put together these Austin-Fit-inspired treats. Made with oats, wheat flour, honey, vanilla and cinnamon, these fit treats are the perfect post playtime snack!

Photo by Brian Fitzsimmons.