We recently connected with Rosanne Cale and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Rosanne thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

I grew up with dogs and I love to bake. I always wanted to own a bakery. As I got older and was able to have my very own dog I started making them treats. Realizing that store bought, just like our food, isn’t all that healthy. I wanted to share with other dog lovers the healthiness of all natural treats. A lot of people don’t want to take the time to make their own, or don’t have the time. So this is me doing it for them.
I quit my job in 2023, just in time to help my mom with some things. And in this time I started baking more. Fast forward to this year, 2024, with the support and push, from husband we decided it was time to create Dog Bites!
I didn’t know if it would work, I just hoped and prayed it would. Offering a different kind of biscuit and yummies I went a different route than these others that are mainly cakes and things. (Which I do also, but still learning. ) What got me excited was the fact that I am now doing something I love. And I have a great support system who amp me up all the time, believing I can run my own business.

Rosanne, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

As a kid I always loved baking and I wanted to own a bakery. As I got I got older I went a different route. I graduated high school and went to college. I decided I wanted to work with animals. So I decided to go into zoology. That didn’t last long. I wanted to go into into Navy and become a pilot. I found a program at my school so I took it to see what it was about and if I’d even like flying. I got accepted into the program and started my training as a civilian pilot. I gained all my licenses, graduated, and moved for a customer service, in aviation, job. Medical issues started and I had to put my flying career on hold. I found my first dog, Carter and helped me a lot. I started making him his own treats every now and then. I still had a regular job. Then like a hurricane here comes 2020. And everything just felt like the end of the world. My husband and I moved home to be near family in 2021 and we got Bo, our girl. Meanwhile, still making treats.
I quit my job and my husband told me to start my business. I started making more treats in hopes there were other people who loved their pets as much as I do who maybe didn’t have time to make their own treats or didn’t want to.
Not only do I make treats, but I also offer Paw & Nose balm. With new flavors of treats and holiday cookies.

I am most proud of the product. It’s extremely healthy for the dogs, there are still some people who prefer grain free, which I will offer. But there’s no preservatives or extra ingredients. I will go the extra length to make the perfect treat for anyone’s dog. Because really… they are a family member.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I mentioned that I had medical issues. It started with finding a mass on pancreas. That had to be removed and was the largest and longest surgery I had ever had. Post surgery I became a Type 2 diabetic. The struggle, mentally and physically, has been rough. Fast forward to 2020. The worst year most people would like to forget. I was in and out of the hospital. Lost my dad to cancer, lost my job a month later and was too scared to leave my apartment, thank God for my husband. My anxiety and depression was an all time high. I wasn’t sure how I’d get through or if I even would. Somehow, I did. A former boss called me up and they needed help. So I decided that was the time to get myself up and out in the world again. I had to do something. Staying home 24-7 was not healthy for me. I needed people interaction, even though I didn’t want it at the same time. I didn’t want to have to explain. I was still grieving and still crying at the weirdest times.
I came out on top! I got out there when I didn’t think I could. And I came out on top. Not many people can say that about 2020. It takes the support and love from those around you that help. I don’t take my mental health for granted anymore.

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

My husband is my co-founder. Because if not for him, I wouldn’t be here answering these questions. I met him when I was seven years old. My parents moved into their house and his grandparents lived across the street. He moved away and I grew up. But, I was always pretty close to his aunt. Fast forward to 2018, I had a guy trying to request me as a friend on Facebook. Now mind you I was 7 and never knew his last name. He was always the boy across the street. So I looked at his profile and found a familiar face. His aunt. I put it all together and realized who he was.I messaged him and it just went from there. Oct 2020 we got married.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @dogbites2024

Image Credits

Hannah Edmondson
Michael Anthony Photography