Kim Smith, a former personal chef and food blogger from Peters Township, pivoted from cooking for people to creating wholesome treats for dogs after her own pet was diagnosed with cancer. The experience inspired her to develop a line of grain‑free, vegetarian dog treats that avoid added sugar, salt, preservatives, and meat.

From kitchen to canine cuisine

Smith first posted a chicken‑and‑rice recipe for her ailing dog, Andy Bobby, on her blog Grativibe in 2019. The post attracted attention, and her husband soon contributed his own dog‑treat recipe. Both quickly became among the most downloaded recipes on the site, prompting Smith to consider a dedicated dog‑treat business.

After a job relocation to Kentucky, Smith rebranded the canine side of her blog as Yappy Kitchen and, upon returning to the South Hills, chose to leave the personal‑chef market behind entirely.

Product philosophy and ingredients

Every Yappy Kitchen recipe is crafted with whole produce and pantry staples, each ingredient selected for a specific health benefit. The treats are vegetarian, with occasional eggs, and contain no meat because many animal proteins can trigger allergies in dogs. Smith sources peanuts for the popular peanut‑butter line from U.S. farms, ensuring the product contains only peanuts—no palm oil, sugar, or salt. Apples come from Simmons Farm in Washington County, while herbs and spices are purchased from Spices Inc., a family‑owned Pennsylvania company.

Three recipe collections are offered:

• Peanut Butter Collection: banana‑peanut butter, apple‑peanut butter, blueberry‑peanut butter (the latter contributed by her husband).
• Classics Collection: cheddar‑parmesan, sweet‑potato‑cinnamon, pumpkin‑cranberry‑sage.
• Specialty Collection: beet‑apple‑turmeric, green‑bean‑carrot‑ginger, pineapple‑mint‑parsley, designed for sensitive dogs and grain‑free.

Large treats measure one inch and sell for $13 per six‑ounce bag (specialty bags $15). Smaller treats are half an inch, priced at $11 for four ounces (specialty $13). Packaging includes an AAFCO‑based nutrition label and a freshness date ten months from dehydration.

Local market presence

Yappy Kitchen debuted at the Bethel Park farmer’s market three years ago. Today the brand is sold at six markets: Bethel Park, Robinson, Upper St. Clair/Bethel Park Rotary, Greentree, Carnegie, and Bellevue. The treats also appear at Mort’s Fresh and Local in Mount Lebanon.

Smith prepares the treats in her home kitchen under Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture regulations, though rapid growth is pushing her toward a larger production space.

Family involvement and future plans

Smith and her husband Doug, who also contributes recipes, test each batch with their own dogs—Cassie, a 13‑year‑old Australian shepherd‑border collie mix, and Honus Wagner, a beagle. Their former dogs, Andy Bobby and Paisley, inspired the business’s compassionate mission.

Looking ahead, Smith hopes to expand distribution while maintaining local sourcing and the same level of care that guided her transition from personal chef to pet‑food entrepreneur.

Original reporting: Herald-Standard – latest news for Uniontown, Pennsylvania — read the source article.