Pamper your pup at Brown Dog Bakery

By M. MONICA GILLEN
REGISTER STAFF WRITER

Dogs are always welcome at Brown Dog Bakery, said business owners Anna and Jeff Woodcock. On certain days, Sadie, vice president for quality assurance, and Sophie, chief dog officer, the Woodcocks' two brown, Labrador-mix colleagues, welcome guests and sample the products.

"Dogs are welcome, and we've had a ton come in," Anna Woodcock, 34, said of some of the pampered pets that have visited. "They are so fun, especially the puppies."

The store has been open since May. Anna Woodcock, who had taken a year off from her advertising sales job, began research for the store in January. "I decided what to carry and worked to find people who had good stuff and stuff that looks good," she said.

"It took a ton of research and hard work," Anna Woodcock said. "And then a lot of heavy lifting and late nights."

The bakery has a large supply of specialty items to cater to the tastes and taste buds of the most discerning dogs.

The shop is filled with party collars, everyday collars, leashes, beds and formalwear - including a prom dress. A plush dog bed, fashioned to look like a Faberg? egg, is available and comes numbered with a certificate. It is made by a company called Pawsitively Posh.

Elegant collars can be customized with letters adorned with Swarovski crystals.

As football season approaches, licensed jerseys and beds for Iowa, Iowa State and Nebraska fans are in stock.

The bakery case is filled with treats such as yogurt bones, midnight munchies, pup strudel and dipped bones. The specialty treats, which range in price from $1 to $2.50, are meticulously decorated and displayed.

"The most popular bakery items are bagel bones, dipped mega bites and iced dogs," Anna Woodcock said. Humans in need of a cake for a canine celebration will find fancy cakes for $6 and $18.

An array of bulk items can be found on display in the center of the shop. Barbecue-flavored treats and chewy rolls are among the numerous items available from the self-serve area for $5.99 and $7.99 per pound.

"Riley loves all of it, especially the Lolli Pups," Laura Wyatt of Jefferson said of her dog. "I'm going to bring her in. It is great fun, and the pastries are so cool. It makes me hungry."

The Lolli Pups, a tasty, sweet treat at $2.99 each, are yogurt bones on a rawhide stick. Flavors include strawberry and peanut butter. Wyatt said her mother ate a strawberry one. While made with no preservatives and formulated for dogs, the treats sound like they are fit for human consumption because they are.

"I haven't tried all of the items, but probably 80 percent," Anna Woodcock said. "It is like any bread or cookie recipe, minus the salt and sugar."

Anna Woodcock said some customers are leery of tasting the fancy puppy treats, but others are game.

"Anna knows about products that are good for dogs with allergies, like shampoos and treats," Kelly Marten of Ankeny said. "I think they are good quality. They have a good selection of gifts for dog owners and people getting new dogs."

"I knew we had to stop in. We like to spoil the dog," Joe Harestad of Ankeny said of his Yorkipoo. "My wife will just go nuts in here."