The Bakery for Dogs!

I’d been wanting to get to this place for months.  You might think that long-awaited anticipation might lead to unreasonable  expectations and hence disappointment…not so!  I grinned as I approached–I could see through the windows to the bakery cases inside and, as I had hoped, it looked like a people bakery:)  Well, apart from the fun dog products on the shelves! 

Nothing disappointed…the fresh cookies in the cases are baked on the premises, honey is used  instead of sugar. there are no chemicals, salt, animal fats, or artificial preservatives added. There was an entire refrigerated case with cakes and individual pumpkin tarts, apple tarts, beautifully decorated  pastery-like goodies with what looks like icing but isn’t, and cookies that look like multicolored macaroons, wreath cookies with green “icing”, decorated to give people Christmas cookies a run for their money, cookies that look like mini donuts, and big peanut butter cookies in the shape of a cat. And the designs change frequently.

The kitchen area is something you spot right after your eyes have had their fill of the amazing array of dog goodies. There’s a big flash of stainless steel at the end of  the room, where huge cookie cutters hang over the pastry counter… the place just puts a smile on my face.

The owner, Gina Aulisio, brings her three dogs to work every day at Three Dog Bakery (is that a condition of becoming a franchisee?), although as the only other employees, it’s not all fun and games for the two Chihuahuas and the Husky mix.  They have the tough job of being taste testers, and that’s serious business.  I think that’s the bulk of their pay, but they do get perks like walks with the local dog walker, so Gina’s a good boss.

Three Dog Bakery is an international franchise, established in the US, Canada, Japan,and Hong Kong.   

And one more close up, just for fun, and another of the look of the place just below.  There were collars, pillows, dishes, soft sided over the shoulder carriers for small dogs or for trips to the dog park.  There were some grooming products, and bulk foods, as well as packaged food and treats.  The chicken and salmon “Pity the poor kitties” treats look good. I think I saw some books, too.  The store is a good find!

Many thanks to Gina and her dogs for their time, and for letting me  take photos. Tashi really loved the peanut butter cat cookie! (If I could have snapped a photo, the 14.7 lb Shih Tzu with a cookie the size of Cleveland in his mouth–well, around 10 inches anyway–very funny!  Of course, I let him revel in his wonderment for a full 30 seconds and then broke off a more appropriately sized piece for him to eat:)

(Full disclosure: I paid for that cookie and many more!)