These Bakeries are Doggone Good!

If your dog has been refusing lately to eat dog treats bought from the local store, perhaps its time to take a look at the ingredients.

You might just be surprised at what you find. Many popular dog treats contain ingredient such as animal byproducts, animal plasma, and monosodium glutamate (MSG).

And while your dog cant read, he can still taste. And so he might seem a little less thrilled these days to chow down on the usual fare. Indeed, it could even be making your four-legged best friend sick.

Thats one of the reasons Amparo Vargas started Dogstoyevskys Pet Bakery in Florida. Vargas admitted that the motivation for starting the business was "stinky dog poop." She explained that as an apartment dweller, she had to constantly clean up after her two rat terriers, and she began to wonder just what they were eating.

"I came to the conclusion that if processed food is not good enough for my family, it certainly was not good enough for my beloved canine companions," Vargas explained.

Also, opening up a dog bakery that uses healthy, natural ingredients was a good fit for her personality. "I express my love with food," Vargas said. "That expression of love carries over to my mutts and all living things. So this is a very maternal thing for me."

Vargas started cooking for her dogs in 2006. But when she gave a few treats to friends and neighbors as gifts, she was surprised by the reaction from other canines aside from her own.

"One day, my mom asked me to make treats for her craggy old dog, a blind, gnarly, ill-tempered poodle with very sensitive teeth and gums," Vargas said. "I made him special soft treats, lo and behold, he liked them " a miracle!" Other dogs, including ones that were diabetic and had other health problems, also gobbled up the treats Vargas made.

So what kind of treats does Vargas actually make? Well, too many to mention as she now has about 200 custom recipes. But by visiting the companys Web site at www.dogstoyevskys.com, one gets an inkling of how much care goes into her treats. Heres a sample of what folks can buy:

* Chicken treats made with whole wheat, oats and pureed chicken.
* Veggie treats made with whole wheat, oats, mixed vegetables, olive oil and brewers yeast.
* Applesauce treats made with whole wheat, organic sugar-free applesauce, olive oil and brewers yeast.

Vargas is passionate about the mission of the business, and is happy her treats have generated a positive buzz through word of mouth. "There is an established awareness out there that unprocessed, whole foods are crucial to ones well-being, a knowledge that canines are very special creatures who give us their souls without question, and a desire for human commitment to care for dogs by providing them the basic ingredients for the lifestyle they deserve. (That requires) healthy and satisfying food, comfortable and clean shelter, companionship and love " the same ingredients people need."

Vargas isnt the only one who has started a successful dog bakery, of course. By all accounts, the first dog bakeries began appearing in the United States in the late 1980s, and now they are popping up throughout the country.

For instance, in New Jersey, Gregg Bernhardt, a former journalist, decided to put down his pen and try his hand at selling healthy dog treats just a year or so ago with the opening of Bag of Bones Barkery in Hamilton, N.J., located in cyberspace at www.bagofbonesbarkery.com. The business says that it has "the best, all natural gourmet dog treats this side of the hydrant."

According to Bernhardt, he wanted to offer dogs everywhere "a healthy, dog-gone delicious alternative to the bland, sometimes unrecognizable, treats you find in chain pet stores. We use real ingredients. Bacon, cheese, banana, peanut butter, and honey just to name a few. Browse the ingredients list on any of our treats, and you'll never find any additives or preservatives of any kind. And we intend to keep it that way."

One thing you will notice if you do a quick search for dog bakeries throughout the country is their names. Just think how delighted your dog would be if you took him to a fine eatery named "Pawtisserie," "The Pup-Cake Store" or "Canine Caf."

Veterinarians agree that the treats offered by specialty dog bakeries are better than most treats sold by large stores. In an article on Helium.com, Janet Farrick, a veterinarian assistant at a large animal hospital, wrote, "You can compare the label of a dog bakery treat against the label of a common name brand commercial dog treat found in your supermarket. You will notice the difference right away. Many times not only commercial treats are full of preservatives but there are also a bunch of ingredients that we do not even know what they are! Keep also in mind that many dog bakeries also specialize in catering to dogs with medical conditions or on special diets and/or dogs with food allergies."

Next time you pass a specialty caf with your dog in the car, take a closer look. It may just be a dog bakery that can provide your best friend with some healthy refreshment before you hit your local Starbucks.

Check out Bag of Bones Barkery owner Gregg Bernhardt's profile on ONLYforPETLOVERS.com! See photos of his "barkery" and golden retriever Chloe.