Connor Rodriguez ’ dog treat business took off during the pandemic , and indicate no sign of stopping !
Whenever Queens , N.Y. resident Connor Rodriguez noticed his parent in the kitchen baking and cooking , he always need to be decently beside them . tight on the 11 - twelvemonth - honest-to-god ’s heel were his folk ’s adoptedLabrador retrievermixes , Max and Scoob . Connor slipped morsels of whatever he could share with his furry best friends , includingbanana breadand other treat .
" One day he want to give the click some of our coffee chip cookies and we differentiate him we ca n’t , aschocolateis bad for detent , " Marian Tinnelly - Rodriguez , Connor ’s mother , tells Daily Paws . " So he intimate that we bake cookies that they can eat . " This is exactly how vernal entrepreneurs become business top executive : they find an unfulfilled marketplace and create a product for it !
Photo: Courtesy of connorscaninecookies / Instagram
This was in the autumn of 2020 , when the pandemic hold back everyone close to family . But Connor , his mammy , and dad , Fred , used this time to try out with unlike flavor unification . As long as the treats were all - raw and included ingredients that were safe for andiron to use up , the possibleness were endless . " Connor suggested idea and gaga combinations , which we tried , " Tinnelly - Rodriguez says . These includebacon , groundnut butter , andpumpkin , as well as 1st Baron Verulam , banana , andblueberry . Yum and yum !
take classic doggo condition such as slight paws and teeny bones , the next big test was whether the primary target consultation , Max and Scoob , would enjoy Connor ’s origination . His mommy pronounce not only did the pup like them — they dead have a go at it them ! This was crucial to him , as Connor has a loaded bond with the andiron , and they were a big comfort during thepandemic . On the leftfield is Scoob , years 1 , and on the right , Max , eld 3 .
How does a unseasoned boy make the leap from casual canine chef to an aspiring pet stage business owner ? Promotion , promotion , publicity . To get the word out about his raw speculation , Connor ’s Canine Cookies : Made With Love … & an Extra Chromosome , he participated in vacation gift carnival , Farmer ' markets , and other seller events . pet dogs and give them yummy cooky tasty enough for humankind to eat up ? vocalize like a majuscule mean solar day at oeuvre !
Courtesy of Connor’s Canine Cookies
The homemade , preservative - detached pawl treat sell out almost like a shot , and the family unit is flush with regular orders — so much so , Connor ’s sire transitioned from his full - time line to handle commercial enterprise personal matters for the surgery . Now the canine cookies are available to ship across the nation .
But Connor is n’t a paw - off chief executive officer . With his love of baking and dogs contribute the way , he ’s active in all aspects of development , from production to product interpreter .
He ’s had some fantastic marketing and benevolent ideas for the caller , too , such as donating $ 1 for each purchase to local brute governance , and hiring other mortal with particular needs . expanding upon program include a eyetooth cooky solid food motortruck !
" Connor is a loving and give person who is an inspiration to us as parents , " Tinnelly - Rodriguez say . " He ’s instruct us what it means to live aliveness and always remind us to just be happy . "
He ’s also an effected author . Two years ago , his house publishedI Am Connor , compose from his view about what it ’s like to have Down Syndrome . The book is often shared in schools . One especial message from it just fills our heart : " Some people may say I am different because of the room I front and sound , " Connor spell . " But I say we are more alike than you think . "
