The Barking Brew: A Community Futures Success Story from Western Ontario

In Thornbury and Collingwood, where main streets, patios, and local shops help shape the rhythm of community life, The Barking Brew has created something that feels playful, practical, and proudly Canadian. What began as a creative idea from Kourtney Spang and her dog Busch has grown into a company that combines thoughtful entrepreneurship with the simple joy of making everyday moments with dogs a little more special.

For Kourtney, an avid cook and a former owner of a beef jerky company, the goal was never simply to launch another pet product. She wanted to build something fun, high-quality, and memorable while creating a unique way for pet owners to include their dogs in the experiences they enjoy. Through the Community Futures Program, with support from Saugeen Economic Development Corporation (SEDC), Bruce Community Futures (BCFDC), Community Futures South Georgian Bay (CFSGB), and the Hawks Nest program, she accessed guidance, resources, financing, and encouragement that helped move that vision from idea to reality. It is the kind of support Community Futures provides every day in rural communities across Western Ontario: practical, local, and built around the people and businesses that call these places home.

That care and intention can be seen in the product itself. The Barking Brew is a Canadian-made, woman-owned company producing premium hydration beverages and food toppers for dogs and cats. While the products mimic the look and experience of a beer, they contain 0% alcohol and are completely free from hops, malt, and barley, making them safe for canine and feline consumption. Designed to support hydration and enhance mealtime, Barking Brew can be served in a bowl as a refreshing hydration boost or poured over food to encourage water intake and entice picky eaters.

The company’s recently reformulated Beef Hound Ale is made with a single functional ingredient, premium Canadian beef bone broth, plus water. The new recipe offers all the benefits of bone broth while having virtually zero aroma to the human nose. This simple formulation provides a flavourful way for pet owners to add moisture to their pet’s diet, encourage hydration, and enhance mealtime while creating a fun and memorable experience for both pets and their humans. In addition to its core product, The Barking Brew also released a limited-edition Peanut Butter Pilsner made with water and defatted peanuts, offering a plant-based alternative that quickly became a customer favourite and sold out ahead of expectations.

At the heart of the company is a simple belief: business should not only welcome dogs but also serve them. As pet-friendly travel and dining continue to grow, The Barking Brew has helped hospitality operators create more memorable and inclusive experiences for guests travelling with their pets. Restaurants, breweries, wineries, hotels, and resorts that offer dog menus featuring Barking Brew often see increased guest engagement, social media sharing, and a stronger emotional connection with pet-owning customers. By including dogs in the dining experience rather than simply allowing them on the patio, these businesses elevate the overall guest experience while creating a unique point of differentiation.

“Building a business can feel overwhelming at times,” says Kourtney. “The guidance, resources, and encouragement I’ve received along the way significantly helped The Barking Brew grow from an idea into a company now carried in over 300 locations across Canada. I am incredibly grateful for the support I’ve received from SEDC, Bruce Community Futures, Community Futures South Georgian Bay, and the Hawks Nest program.”

Today The Barking Brew’s is reaching dog lovers well beyond its home region. Since launching in January 2025, the company has expanded into Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Nova Scotia, with nearly 300 locations carrying the product. To support continued growth, The Barking Brew has built a team of independent sales representatives and established partnerships with pet-friendly restaurants, patios, breweries, hotels, resorts, and specialty pet retailers across the country.

Its playful concept and Canadian-made story have attracted national attention, with features on CTV News, Breakfast Television, BlogTO, Ben Mulroney’s show, SME Magazine, and numerous radio and podcast appearances helping introduce the brand to dog lovers from coast to coast. Beyond selling a product, The Barking Brew has helped create a new category within pet-friendly hospitality, giving businesses a unique way to welcome dogs while generating additional revenue and encouraging organic social media sharing.

The Barking Brew’s story is one example of what Community Futures makes possible across Western Ontario. Every business and every community has its own story, but the thread that connects them is the same: local entrepreneurs with a vision, supported by financing, guidance and community-based expertise that helps them grow where they are. Across the region, Community Futures offices are helping rural businesses build momentum, create jobs, and strengthen the communities they call home.

Community Futures Funding Partner 

The Community Futures Program is a community-driven economic development initiative that supports rural businesses and communities across Canada. In Southern Ontario, Community Futures Development Corporations, with support from the Government of Canada through FedDev Ontario, provide financing, business information and planning services, and advisory support to help local businesses start, grow, and succeed in the communities they call home.