If you're anything like me, your pups are your life, like mine, my past, present, and future. After years of studying and practicing with 9 Newfies and 2 Spaniels despite their finest qualities, they inspired me to continue to study the skills and make sure everything I fed/feed them is delicious, nutritious and safe.

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It took every ounce of love, passion, and money to create Dogtown Bakery, inspired by my heart dog, Izzy. You know, the one that is always by your side, rain or shine and steals the covers? That one. I'll spare you the back deets but it wasn't a good time. I was now a single parent. One day I was chatting with Izzy figuring out my next steps in life holding her bear paw in my hand when I felt a small bump. A starburst life changing bump that my vet, Dr. Dennis Voorheis unwilling to speak sat on the floor in tears in a tiny exam room shrinking by the minute with an X-ray that would change my life. Words were not needed to tell me the words any big dog owner fears, Osteosarcoma. 

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Weeks of Chemo (Carboplatin), Oncology, Orthopedic, Demonology and Internist appointments, I found there was no way out of this. She was initially given 3 weeks to live. I found a Professor at USF that worked with me providing Izzy with a Keto diet. It was worth a shot and at 7 months post Dx she was doing pretty darn good with just a missing toe. No secondary spread at this point, life was good. 

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And then.... one day, it was over. You see, we were fighting cancer and inside she had a ticking time bomb of a genetic liver failure lurking within her bloodline. Her 3 brothers passed within 2 weeks of each other, My oncologist called the breeder ( I was too mad) and found out their mother passed of the same disease at the same age....6.  Izzy, age 6 was rushed in for an ultrasound and her liver was 4x's the size. Her counts were way off and her paw pads were cracked and bleeding.  Two days later she gave me the look.  It was time. 

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Everything I did and achieved no longer mattered. She made me realize it was time to turn around and go back to the journey we started and to go back to the person I became for her. She showed me that life without a dog is merely existence. Don't get me wrong, I love my son, it's just dogs need me and I need dogs more. This gives me reason. Knowing my true passion brought me back to life. And now we have a place to celebrate dogs of all ages, sizes, stages with safe, delicious, nutritious offerings.

 

Your dog is always welcome at Dogtown. Generally greeted with belly rubs, pup cups and a big ball pit for starters. Plus there are plenty of places to take pics. We specialize in gluten free cakes, Izzy's favorite snack. It's so rewarding to watch every dog come in with their humans. As Iz and I say, The Jouney Iz the Reward.  

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