WHEN young bartenders Sadiki Larmond, 20, and Kevin Mullings, 25, were introduced to the art of pawtending and creating pawgaritas for dogs, at first they were sceptical, but it was worth trying.

The introduction took place mere months ago, after a True Pet dog lover introduced the idea to them while they were mixing behind the counter for work in an effort to recruit bartenders to create pawgaritas for dogs in Jamaica.

Pawgaritas is not a new concept in the world. This dog recipe is a spin-off of the classic Mexican cocktail, the margarita. The completely pet-safe cocktail is created with animal-flavoured yoghurt, dog food, and chicken, all blended together and poured into a cocktail glass for dogs.

However, other pawtenders globally tend to use a variety of ingredients.

Larmond, the more talkative of the duo, said the new skill makes them more diversified within the mixology industry.

“We took the opportunity because this is something new, and we want to be a part of it,” he said.

Mullings said after they started testing their recipes for pawgaritas, word went out with the help of True Pet Food — the poultry company of Caribbean Broilers Group (CB) and Jamaica’s newest brand of dog food, which has expanded to distribution in other Caribbean territories — and they are happy they got well-needed exposure, as it is bringing in new business for them and their business venture, Tipsy Bros Enterprise.

On Sunday, November 12, the duo was at the True Pet Expo on the grounds of Hope Gardens, where they served pawgaritas to all dogs in attendance.

Although they play around with alcohol while creating mixed drinks for work, the duo says pawgaritas are alcohol-free and pet-friendly, and pets they have created them for before have always enjoyed the liquid fruit-flavoured treat.

“We are bartenders, and we want to be versatile in our field and to make sure whatever we create is very friendly for the animals,” Mullings said.

Meanwhile, Tina Hamilton, senior manager at True Pet Food and organiser of the expo, emphasised its importance is to educate pet owners on proper nutrition for their furry companies.

“True Pet Food started with a vision of creating a Jamaican brand of dog food that caters to the unique needs of Jamaican and Caribbean dogs. Other imported dog food products were created for dogs that typically spend most of their lives indoors. Jamaican dogs, regardless of breed, generally live outside. Additionally, dogs living in a tropical climate have very different nutritional needs to support a healthy lifestyle,” Hamilton said.

Hamilton further expressed that the expo went beyond nutrition, to delve into topics such as pet safety and insurance through engaging panel discussions with partners MINI Jamaica and Guardian, among other activities accessible to all attendees.

“We are deeply committed to the development of Jamaica’s pet industry and, more importantly, to enhancing the lives and sustainability of pets in our region. We know the deep bond people have with their pets, and they just need resources and education to give them the best care possible. While True Pet Food manufactures dog food, we go beyond nutrition for a fulsome approach to pet care.”