Recession can’t suppress focus, vision and heart.

That’s Patrick Meiering’s philosophy. And the world has yet to prove it wrong.

Meiering is the founder, chief executive officer and “Head Bone Maker” at Zuke’s – a Durango-based dog-treat company with international sales.

The Zuke’s brand has grown by 25 percent each year since the idea was spurred in Meiering’s garage 15 years ago, and that held true even through the murk of the one of the nation’s worst recessions.

In fact, Meiering said some of the company’s greatest successes came “in the thick of the downturn.”

The company’s revenue in 2009 topped $8 million, and this year’s growth is expected to match that of years past.

The company founded and funds a nonprofit organization devoted to helping pet owners pay for medical treatment related to cancer. And he recently brought some new investment capital into the business and hired three high-level and well-qualified executives to lead the company to greater successes.

Next year, new flavors and products lines will be developed, and the production of natural pet foods by Zuke’s also is “on the horizon,” he said.

“We’ve kept our nose to the grindstone, stayed focused, worked hard and kept a team spirit,” Meiering said. “In difficult times, it’s important to do that.”

Smart decisions and a refusal to let the “big picture freeze us in our tracks” has kept the Zuke’s organization working on the “offensive” through tough times, rather than the “defensive” approach that Meiering said companies can easily fall into.

The company that started with natural energy bars for dogs – an idea that came when Meiering’s dog Zuke collapsed from exhaustion on a mountain hike – has grown to include more than 10 product lines, each with its own plethora of flavors and identities.

The company’s reach extends well beyond Durango to independently owned pet stores, natural grocers and outdoor product retailers across the U.S., Canada and Asia.