Tail-Wagging Treats

Austin is one of the most dog-friendly cities in the country, and Geraldine Taylor, owner of Poochie Trends Pet Bakery, knows a thing or two about how to keep our furry friends happy. For Taylor, her business is about much more than selling treats. It is about helping pets live healthier, happier lives and creating a community where dogs and their owners feel welcome. 

You’ll find Taylor enthusiastically loving on different regular pups that she knows by name as they stop by for a treat on any given Sunday at the Texas Farmers Market at Mueller. Her booth stands inside, right in the middle of everything, and both dogs and their owners know exactly where to find her. She greets familiar faces, introduces herself to new customers, and hands out free samples to plenty of curious pooches. The response is almost always the same: happy dogs, wagging tails, and owners eager to see what their pets think. It is easy to see that Taylor has built genuine relationships with both her two- and four-legged customers. 

Taylor founded Poochie Trends Pet Bakery in 2007, along with her late mother. They started with a vision of creating truly natural, preservative-free treats for dogs, ensuring they get only the best ingredients. The inspiration for Poochie Trends came from Taylor’s own struggle to find healthy, natural treats for her beloved dog, Biloxi, without questionable additives. “I decided to take matters into our own hands and began experimenting with baking treats and foods for her.” 

What started as a personal project soon grew into something much bigger. Taylor’s friends and coworkers began asking her to make treats for their dogs, and she quickly realized she had created something people and their pets genuinely loved. She decided to turn her passion into a commercial business. 

Building a Business

Today, Taylor remains just as passionate about pet well-being as she was when she first began baking for Biloxi. She says, “I do what I do because I’m passionate about pet well-being, and I believe every dog deserves nourishing, tasty treats. Seeing the joy our products bring to pets and the peace of mind they offer to owners is incredibly rewarding and keeps my passion alive.” Her words are reflected in the way she interacts with every dog who visits her booth. Whether she is handing out a sample, greeting a longtime customer, or simply giving a pup some extra attention, Taylor’s love for animals is unmistakable. 

Taylor became a vendor with the Texas Farmers’ Markets in 2010, but expanded to both Mueller and Lakeline at the same time in 2021. She says it has been a fantastic experience connecting directly with her customers and the community at large. The farmers’ markets have given her an opportunity to introduce her products to new customers while also staying connected to the loyal pet owners who return week after week.  

There are plenty of choices at Poochie Trends Pet Bakery, but Taylor says the beef liver jerky, chicken jerky, cheesy chicken bones, and pupcakes are consistently the top sellers at the Mueller Market. With reasonable prices and treats that clearly have the approval of Austin’s pups, it is easy to understand why the booth has become a favorite stop. 

If you’re visiting the Mueller Market on a Sunday, just follow the wagging tails. Chances are, they’ll lead you straight to Taylor and Poochie Trends Pet Bakery.