Three Dog Bakery

1251 E. Southlake Blvd, Suite 323
Southlake, Texas 76092
(817) 310-3DOG (3364)
www.threedogdfw.com

In the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, we are lucky to have a number of shops that cater to dogs. We have stores that specialize in canine couture, some that carry only premium organic foods, and even delivery services that will bring supplies right to your home. However, there is only one store in our area that is first and foremost a dog bakery, dedicated to providing healthful foods and treats made with 100% natural, wholesome, human-quality ingredients. Three Dog Bakery in Southlake offers its customers quality products, a welcoming and helpful staff, and a place for dogs and dog lovers to socialize and have fun.

Three Dog Bakery began in 1989 with "three dogs, two guys, and one $0.59 biscuit cutter" and has since grown to include franchises all over the United States, Canada, Hong Kong and Japan. The Southlake store, which is owned by Christy Hill-Howard, opened in July 2008 and is the only location in Texas. Christy and her husband Brad, along with their five Mastiffs, manage this incredibly fun and friendly store that has just about anything you need to care for your dog, including freshly baked pastries, all natural foods and treats, dog supplies and toys, and of course, accessories.

While you'll be able to find anything from a "Who's Your Daddy" DNA Breed Identification Kit to a collegiate jersey for your dog to wear while cheering on his favorite team, the central theme of Three Dog Bakery is healthy foods. Three Dog Bakery has their own line of premium food called Bakery Blend, which is oven baked and contains no animal by-products, added sugar or salt, artificial preservatives, added wheat gluten, or artificial flavors, colors or additives. I was especially interested in the Reduced Calorie version of the dry food, since my beloved Buster has a bit of a...ahem...weight problem. Christy also demonstrated how easily it could be chewed by crumbling it between her fingers and I knew this would be a hit with Chewy, whose tiny little teeth sometimes work overtime to break down his food. I took home a sample of the Chicken Recipe "diet" food and attempted to gradually integrate it into my dogs' diet. I say "attempted" because once they tasted the Three Dog kibble, they picked around their regular food to eat only the Bakery Blend. Three Dogs Bakery also has a line called Entree for Dogs, which is the closest thing to wet food that they make. The version my dogs were lucky enough to sample contained chicken, carrots, green beans, and rice, which are probably their four favorite foods in the world. Needless to say, they absolutely loved it.

Without a doubt, the food must taste really good to dogs. Nothing can prove this more than the samples of baked pastries my three fur-kids taste tested. Not that it matters to the dogs, but the presentation of these treats is simply amazing. The photos speak for themselves, and more than one person told me that that they were tempted to taste them based on their appearance alone. (Christy assured me that the ingredients were all human quality so I confess to trying one of the cupcake-looking treats. A little beefy, but definitely edible.) I enlisted the help of a co-worker's rescue dog, Pepper the Dalmatian, to assist my three product testers in critiquing the quality of the treats. All four dogs had their favorites, but the clear winner seemed to be the "rrrRRRibs" - wheat flour treats coated with a barbecue flavor that smelled great - even to me! Other honorable mentions were the Cinnamutt Rolls, Peanut Mutter Bars, and the Itty Bitty Dipped Bones. All the treats in the display cases are baked on-site, and there are so many to choose from. Three Dogs Bakery also makes cakes for any doggie celebration, from 5-inch round cakes for a small gathering to huge bone-shaped carob cakes for a larger canine crowd.

One thing is certain: these people love dogs. The customers that came in with their dogs were all greeted with enthusiasm and warmth, and they seemed right at home in this "dog-topia." That's part of the culture at Three Dog Bakery - the location itself is the perfect gathering place for dogs and their people to mix and mingle. The store has regularly scheduled Mutt Mixers and Puppy Play Dates, and recently hosted a "Spaw Night" that benefited the Australian Shepherd Rescue and Great Plains Mastiff Rescue. The holidays are great fun too; Three Dogs Bakery held their second annual Howl-o-ween Costume Contest last month and Christy plans to organize additional events for the upcoming holidays.

For more information about Three Dog Bakery, please visit www.ThreeDogDFW.com or the Three Dog Bakery corporate website. You can also be a Facebook Fan of Three Dog Bakery to hear about upcoming events, such as the Mutt Mixer on Thursday, November 12 from 6-8 PM. The best thing to do, however, is to grab your pup and head to the store to see it for yourself. You'll be glad you did!