GOOD DOG BAKERY

Emma is not an expensive or rare breed of dog, we actually got her from the parking lot of a local store. Her life began with us as we chose her from the back of a pick-up truck. There were two dogs and we could just see that there was something special about this little dog, she had that spark in her eye that just draws you to her. My daughter wrapped her up in a blanket and held her all the way home.

She was an adorable little bundle of Rottweiler/Labrador energy that fit just perfect on one cushion of the couch and soon became known as Emma The Wonder Dog. She was born in November and when we got her it was winter in full swing in Michigan so Emma found herself jumping into snowbanks and sliding down the small hill by her new forever home. I also learned quickly that if I ever wanted to wear shoes again to keep them away from this puppy.

It didn’t take long for Emma to start growing, this puppy that rode home on my daughter’s lap soon took two cushions on the couch and thought she should still sit on your lap.  I was at this time able to work from home and as I worked Emma laid as close as she could, when I moved she moved. My shadow now had four legs.

Emma loved her rides in the back of the jeep, when the red leash came out she knew it was time for a ride. She would even grab the leash and walk you to the Jeep, jump in and wait for you with the look of what is taking you so long, come-on we are going for a ride. The let’s go, let’s go of Emma J

In the spring with the snowbanks gone for jumping and sliding Emma discovered the grass of her new yard. The new smells of spring, grass, flowers kittens outside and oh did I mention the grass. Emma has now found a new best friend, grass. She lay on her back with all four feet in the air, and while making grunting noised squiggle her back end around and wiggle with delight until she is so tired she just can’t move. Recharge and do it again after getting up, running around checking out the raspberry and blueberry bushes, not sure what they are but knowing something good will come from them, then back to the grasssssss.

Taking up almost two and a half cushions on the couch and weighing 110lbs she is still a lap dog, a shadow, best friend, loyal protector and one of the family. Emma is there when you come home wagging her entire body and happy to see you. Welcoming her kids home from elementary school, high school and now college. She continues to love her rides to anywhere. And Emma has now adopted a cat of her own Linus and is a great mother to this little orange cat that she found abandoned at just a few days old. They made quite a pair, big gentle Emma and teeny tiny Linus.

A peek at the life of Emma.

As she got older Emma had seasonal allergies and also allergies to food and treats that we were feeding her. Thinking we were being good to her we didn’t realize that we were actually making things worse for her. Why was she so itchy with dry flaky skin that even the grass couldn’t make feel better? And she was slowing down, walking just a little slower, not able to jump into the Jeep for a ride. She was still 110lb dog and hard to lift in and out of the Jeep for our rides. And it breaks your heart to look at her with bare spots on her back and knowing she is miserable. It is similar to when your children are little and you know they don’t feel good but they can’t tell you exactly why. A feeling of being helpless. But we wanted to do something, anything for Emma she is a part of the family. We started looking at what we were feeding her. Was there something we could change, my son had allergies and we look after him so let’s do the same for Emma. After all – when Emma is miserable so is everyone else J

I started looking and looking and looking for recipes for dog treats. You can find information from one spectrum to the other on dog treats. Commercially produced treats with ingredients from who knows where, to homemade treats with things I would not want to put in Emma’s mouth. Let’s just say ewwwww. There had to be something that we could feel good about giving her. So the mad scientist came out and I started baking for her. It was trial and error. What would be good for her that would not spoil to fast? What a learning experience, with Emma at my feet we baked. We would put treats on the floor and let her pick her favorite. At this point I had some that she loved and feeling confident with what I had made we started sharing with family and friends. We also quickly learned that Emma was not alone in her allergy, itchy, treat problems. There were a lot of other people concerned about what they were putting in their dog’s mouth. At this point working a full-time job away from home and coming home and baking was getting to be a lot. But I was not going to stop and we had a growing number of other dogs that we baked for too. It was time to take the leap of faith. I quit my job, figured out how to start a business in Michigan, kept baking with Emma as the official taste tester. We have now grown into what you see now, Good Dog Bakery And More. Emma celebrated her 10th birthday with us last November. She loves to come to the bakery because she is in charge – this was done for her to help keep her healthy and with us for as long as possible A happy healthy life, isn’t that what we want for all family? So we share with you what we did for Emma so you can be confident about what you give your dog and we hope to make a difference for you and for them.