A Dapto woman has made sure every dog has its day designing organic sweet treats for pampered pooches.
Molly and Me is a barkery owned by baker Melissa Batterson. Her dog-friendly tarts, donuts and cupcakes line the stall every Sunday at the Foragers Markets in Bulli.
Inspiration for this enterprise struck Ms Batterson when a brown snake did the same to her Staffordshire terrier, Molly.
“We almost lost her,” she said. “One of the recommendations from the vet was to put her on a natural diet.”
Ms Batterson started to experiment, researching recipes and adding her own unique twists.
“It grew from there,” she said. “I had neighbours and friends wanting them.”
In 2014 Molly and Me was born, using human grade ingredients that you would find in any pantry including rice flour, carob and yogurt.
“People like the ones shaped like donuts and cupcakes, the dogs think that their sharing their humans treat,” she said.
Along with the unique baked goods, she provides products for all tastes and needs, such as dental sticks, savoury dog pizza and pig ears dipped in sprinkles.
One of her most popular products is beef flavoured dog beer, a product she outsourced from the company Beer dogs Brew house.
“People say that their dogs like the taste of beer anyway, so they love fact that they can have their own.”
As a pet owner herself Ms Batterson understands the communities dedication to their pets.
“For a lot of people their dog is their first child, and it’s becoming more normal to treat them like a part of the family,” she said.
Fellow Forager’s stallholder Lauren Fleming has been a dedicated customer of Molly and Me since it began.
“She loves the treats, she eats anything and everything,” said Ms Fleming of her Staffordshire terrier cross Cattle Dog, Bundy.
“You’re treating your dog but also giving it something that’s not bad for it,” she said.