Note: This article covers permits and regulations for selling homemade dog treats that are specific to Japan. Requirements will differ in other countries.
When you want to sell handmade dog treats, you may find yourself unsure how to prepare—wondering whether you need a business license or where to file a notification. Unlike general handmade goods, dog treats are pet food and must comply with legally defined rules.
In principle, you don't need a special qualification or business license to make and sell dog treats. However, if you sell products you've made yourself, you need to file a notification before starting your business. There are also rules covering records of the products you make, package labeling, and the wording you use in advertising.
This article explains what you need to prepare before selling dog treats and how to choose a sales channel.
Do You Need a License to Sell Dog Treats?
Dog treats are covered by Japan's Act on Ensuring the Safety of Feed for Companion Animals, generally known as the Pet Food Safety Act. Its structure differs from the business license system for food meant for human consumption—there is no single license or qualification required of everyone who makes and sells dog treats. However, if you sell dog treats you've made yourself, you need to file a prior notification as a manufacturer.
A notification is required for handmade takeout and online sales
Individuals and companies that make or import pet food for dogs and cats must file a notification before starting their business. The notification is submitted to the regional agricultural administration office covering the location where the business is conducted. This applies whether you make dog treats at home or in a workshop and sell them for takeout in a shop, or ship them from an online store.
If you're making and selling dog treats yourself, prepare in the following order.
- Check the notification form and where to submit it on the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' page for businesses
- Fill in the notification form with your business name, address, the type of pet food you'll make, and so on
- Individuals should prepare a copy of their residence certificate or driver's license; companies should prepare a certificate of registered information (a document confirming the company's registration details) and similar documents
- Submit the notification to your regional agricultural administration office before starting your business
If you purchase finished products and sell them as-is to consumers, no prior notification as a seller is required. However, if you carry out processes such as heating, drying, mixing ingredients, or portioning yourself, this may be treated as manufacturing. If you're unsure, describe the work you'll do and where you'll do it, and check with your regional agricultural administration office before you start selling.
Reference: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, "Pet Food Safety (Page for Businesses)" (Japanese)
In-store service and takeout sales are treated differently
If you make treats at a dog cafe or similar establishment and give them to dogs on the premises, no manufacturer notification or labeling under the Pet Food Safety Act is required.
On the other hand, if you package and sell them for takeout, you need to comply with the notification, labeling, and safety standards.
Reference: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, "Q&A for Businesses" (Japanese)
Penalties for failing to file or filing false information
Under the Pet Food Safety Act, failing to file a notification or filing information that differs from the facts can result in a fine of up to ¥300,000. Before you start selling, correctly fill in your business name, address, and the type of pet food you'll make on the notification form, and submit it to your regional agricultural administration office. If you're unsure how to fill it out or whether you're subject to the notification requirement, don't start selling based on your own judgment—describe your planned ingredients, production method, and sales method to your regional agricultural administration office and confirm with them.
Even after filing your notification, you must comply with safety standards. If you make or sell pet food that doesn't meet standards for ingredients and so on, you may be subject to "imprisonment of up to one year (a penalty involving confinement in a facility such as a prison) or a fine of up to ¥1,000,000." Before selling, check that the ingredients and production method you use meet the standards of the Pet Food Safety Act. If you're unsure, prepare a list of your ingredients and your production steps and consult your regional agricultural administration office.
Reference: e-Gov Law Search, "Act on Ensuring the Safety of Feed for Companion Animals" (Japanese)
Records and Package Labeling Required for Handmade Sales
After filing your notification, prepare a record book (ledger) documenting the details of the products you make, and a label conveying the information buyers need. Keeping a management sheet that lets you check the ingredients and quantities for each production date makes it possible to trace the relevant products if a problem arises.
Record and keep production date, ingredients, and quantity for two years
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' "Manual on Notifications and Recordkeeping" (Reiwa 8 [2026] June revision, the latest version as of July 22, 2026) requires that records—whether on paper ledgers or saved on a computer—be kept for two years.
Reference: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, "Manual on Notifications and Recordkeeping" (Japanese)
The main items a manufacturer needs to record are as follows.
- When making treats: the pet food's name, quantity, production date, and the names and quantities of ingredients used
- When purchasing ingredients: the purchase date and supplier
- When shipping to another business: the shipping date, destination, and so on
When selling directly to consumers, the Pet Food Safety Act's recordkeeping requirements do not require you to record the buyer's name or address. However, even for direct sales, you still need records of the products you make. Using spreadsheet software or similar tools to manage ingredients and quantities produced by batch—grouping products made on the same day with the same ingredients—makes this easier to track.
State the five legally required items on the package in Japanese
Dog treats you sell must display the following five legally required items in Japanese.
- Name
- Ingredients
- Best-before date
- Business name and address
- Country of origin
If the product name alone doesn't make clear it's for dogs, state this clearly, such as "dog treats." List all ingredients used. It's recommended to list them in descending order by quantity used. The country of origin is not where the ingredients were sourced, but the country where the final processing that changes the product's content or nature took place. Simply bagging a product made overseas domestically doesn't necessarily make the country of origin Japan.
Before creating your label, it's a good idea to use the labeling checklist published by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to confirm you haven't missed anything.
Set the best-before date based on evidence, and convey allergy information
The best-before date should be set based on scientific, reasonable grounds. You can conduct storage tests yourself, but depending on the product, testing for microorganisms or moisture content may be necessary. If it's difficult to judge yourself, consult a testing institution. Since the speed at which quality declines varies depending on moisture content, packaging, and storage temperature, avoid simply copying the same shelf life used by other sellers.
Providing guidance on storage method, how to handle the product after opening, and a recommended daily serving amount also makes the product easier for buyers to use. In addition to ingredients that can cause allergies, if there's a possibility of cross-contact from other ingredients handled with the same cooking equipment or machinery, convey that information on the label or product page as well.
Reference: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, "Q&A for Businesses" (Japanese)
Points to Watch in Dog Treat Advertising
When describing the ingredients and production method you use, you need to avoid wording that could be taken to suggest an effect on a dog's illness or body.
Avoid expressions like "improves allergies" or "strengthens joints"
Even for pet food, depending on the ingredients, form, and wording used in advertising, a product may be treated as something like an animal drug. In that case, it becomes subject to the Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Act, which governs the sale and advertising of drugs and similar products. Avoid expressions like "improves allergies," "prevents illness," or "strengthens joints"—anything that suggests treatment, prevention, or an effect on bodily function. This applies not only to product pages but also to social media, flyers, and packaging.
When describing a product, convey information that can be confirmed as fact, such as "made only with chicken breast," "manufactured at a workshop in Japan," or "no preservatives used." If you're unsure whether a particular expression could violate the Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Act, consult your regional agricultural administration office or the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' National Veterinary Assay Laboratory, which handles animal drugs, before publishing it.
Reference: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, "How to Determine Whether Something Falls Under Animal Drugs, Etc." (Japanese)
How to Choose a Sales Channel for Dog Treats
When choosing a sales channel, compare how easily new customers can find you, how much detail you can share about your ingredients and production method, whether you can encourage repeat purchases, and the cost involved. If you already have social media followers or customers from events, you might open your own store from the start. To help new customers discover you, you could also use both a handmade marketplace and your own store.
| Criteria | Handmade marketplace | Own store |
|---|---|---|
| Discoverability | Easy to be found through the service's own search and featured listings | You drive traffic yourself via social media, search, events, etc. |
| Repeat purchases | Buyers repurchase within the service | Easy to design subscriptions, bundle sets, and post-purchase follow-up |
| Fees | minne (non-PLUS member): 10.659% per order | BASE Standard: 6.6% + ¥40/order and up Shopify: monthly fee + card fees from 3.25% (Basic plan from 3.55%) |
| Best suited for | Getting discovered by new customers | Building a mechanism for repeat purchases |
*The fees listed reflect information as of July 22, 2026. They are subject to change, so check each company's official site before signing up.
Choose a handmade marketplace to reach first-time customers
Image source: minne
Handmade marketplaces have large numbers of users, so even in the early stages when you have low brand awareness, buyers can find your products through search or featured listings. On the other hand, since your products appear in search results alongside similar items, they're more likely to be compared on price.
The products you're allowed to sell and the fees involved also differ by service, so check the latest terms of service before listing. To sell pet food on minne, you need to apply in advance and pass a review. Applications are submitted through "Food Sales Application" in your web browser, and review results are generally notified within five business days. Creema, on the other hand, prohibits listing animal food products under its terms of service, so dog treats cannot be sold there.
Reference: minne, "Can I Sell Pet Food?"; Creema, "Terms of Service" (Japanese)
Choose your own store to encourage repeat purchases
Image source: BASE
With your own store, you need to drive visitors yourself through social media, search, events, and similar channels. In exchange, you can feature subscriptions and bundle sets on your product pages and guide first-time buyers on how to purchase again next time. This is a well-suited approach if you want to build a mechanism for getting dog treats purchased repeatedly.
Services that let you build your own store include BASE and Shopify. BASE's Standard plan has no startup costs or monthly fee. With the standard payment method, a 3.6% + ¥40 payment processing fee and a 3% service fee are deducted from each order's revenue. It's an easy option to choose if you want to test selling first without spending on setup or a monthly fee.
Shopify's Basic plan costs ¥4,850 billed monthly, or the equivalent of ¥3,650 per month billed annually. If you accept credit card payments issued in Japan through Shopify Payments, a payment processing fee starting at 3.55% of the order amount applies. While a monthly fee is required, the percentage deducted from your revenue is lower than BASE's Standard plan, and you can also use the subscription apps introduced in the next section.
If you want to keep your recurring monthly costs low when starting out, BASE is an option; if you want to run your store long-term and offer subscriptions as well, Shopify is worth considering.
Why Shopify Is a Great Choice for Selling Dog Treats
Image source: Shopify
On Shopify, you can manage subscription orders and detailed product pages describing your ingredients and production method within the same store. It suits cases where you want both a mechanism for repeat purchases and pages that convey your dedication to the product.
Easy to encourage repeat purchases through subscriptions
Using an official Shopify subscription app such as "Shopify Subscriptions," you can sell a monthly treat delivery. You can also create sets tailored to a dog's size or preferences, and offer multiple delivery interval options.
Offering a subscription reduces the effort buyers need to place an order each time. Introducing a subscription option on your product page or in post-purchase messaging to those who first bought a single item makes it easier to convey how to buy again next time.
Easy to share detailed ingredient and production information on product pages
With your own store, in addition to the legally required labeling, you can post the origin of your ingredients, storage method, allergy precautions, and recommended serving amounts alongside photos and an FAQ. Since you can also show why you chose certain ingredients and your production process, buyers can choose products based on concrete information rather than just terms like "additive-free" or "made in Japan."
That said, advertising rules also apply to product pages on your own store. Don't claim effects like preventing or improving illness—stick to ingredients and production methods that can be confirmed as fact.
When building your own store on Shopify, the cost of setting up your store varies depending on which features you use and how much work you outsource.
For details on Shopify build costs and how to choose who to work with, see the following article.
What Does It Cost to Build a Shopify Store? Comparing Agencies, Freelancers, and DIY
Get Your Filing and Labeling in Order Before Selling Dog Treats
If you plan to sell handmade dog treats for takeout or online, first consult your regional agricultural administration office and confirm the notifications you need to file. After filing, prepare a management sheet that can keep records of the products you make for two years, and a label stating the five legally required items. Also check how you determined your best-before date and whether your advertising contains any problematic wording before you start selling.
You don't need to limit yourself to just a handmade marketplace or just your own store. One approach is to get discovered by new customers on a handmade marketplace, then have them purchase from your own store from the next time onward. Compare each service's fees and how they help you reach customers, and choose the approach that fits your product.
