Trip to North Carolina

Something I have wanted to do for a couple of years is to take the dogs to see snow. I know, how silly! Well I talked my boyfriend Matt into going along for the road trip to North Carolina. As soon as we reached the mountains it was snowing! When we arrived in Beech Mountain I bundled the dogs up in their coats. Abby was sporting a Canine Styles coat that was lined with fleece (very similar to a ski coat) and Parker was cozy in his Monkey Daze Rock Star Hoodie. Abby and Parker took to the snow immediately. I was surprised by this especially since they do not like to be out in the rain. Parker was perplexed by the lack of green grass around but eventually realized that the snow is where he would be using the bathroom. One thing that I would bring next time is boots for the dogs since they kept getting little snowballs in their paws making it hard to walk for extended periods of time without wiping their paws. It was a great trip and the dogs loved it!

NEW Treat Inspired By Italy!

From a little inspiration from Italy I designed a doggie Cannoli! It is made with cheddar cheese and chicken bouillon and is drizzled with unsweetened carob and dipped in vanilla icing. These are perfect for the dog that has a refined taste that only an Italian dessert can satisfy. These are now available at the store and will soon be available in our online store at http://www.sweetpawsbakery.com/

All of Sweet Paws Bakery's cookies are safe!

I am sure you have heard about the recall of products containing peanut butter due to contamination with Salmonella Typhimurium. I wanted to let all of our customers know that we have been keeping up with the current information from the FDA about the recall. Sweet Paws Bakery does not use products from the Peanut Corportion of America to make our Carob Chip Delights or Nutty Peanut Buddy Cookies. We make our treats in small batches and use real peanut butter that is sold directly to consumers, not the paste that has been warned about on recent news alerts. We want to assure that our treats are 100% safe and we will continue to monitor this situation. Thank you for your business!

You can view the latest information from the FDA at http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/salmonellatyph.html

Top Dog & Cat Names of 208

Dogs
Top names
1. Max
2. Bailey
3. Bella
4. Molly
5. Lucy
6. Buddy
7. Maggie
8. Daisy
9. Sophie
10. Chloe
Most unusual
1. Rush Limbark
2. Sirius Lee Handsome
3. Rafikikadiki
4. Low Jack
5. Meatwad
6. Peanut Wigglebutt
7. Scuddles Unterfuss
8. Sophie Touch & Pee
9. Admiral Toot
10. Spatula

Cats
Top names
1. Max
2. Chloe
3. Tigger
4. Tiger
5. Lucy
6. Smokey
7. Oliver
8. Bella
9. Shadow
10. Charlie
Most unusual
1. Edward Scissorpaws
2. Sir Lix-a-lot
3. Optimus Prrrime
4. Buddah Pest
5. Snoop Kitty Kitty
6. Miss Fuzzbutt
7. 80 Bucks
8. Sparklemonkey
9. Rosie Posie Prozac
10. Toot Uncommon

You can see the rest of the article at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28540800/

Why should I shop with you instead of Walmart?

One thing that I love about Gainesville is that it is filled with many locally owned businesses that care about the city. In larger cities chain businesses outnumber locally owned businesses 10 to 1. As consumers we should support our local businesses instead of supporting a large chain such as Wal-Mart.
In a recent national advertising campaign by Wal-Mart, they seemed to have deliberately targeted small Pet Boutiques. They basically asked a question, why shop at your local high priced Pet Boutique, when you can get the same high quality products at Wal-Mart? I personally find this humorous since I associate Wal-Mart with Ol' Roy dog food (a dog food that is filled with fillers and not healthy for your dog).
I have to say that Wal-Mart pet products are not the same quality as the lines that I carry in my store nor do they have the customer service that I offer.
I take pride in hand picking all the quality products that I have displayed in my store. I know that my beds may be pricier than Wal-Mart's beds but I also know that they won't fall apart after washing it twice. The clothing that I carry will last after numerous washings this is something that Wal-Mart can not say about their pet clothing.
What I love about shopping locally is the customer service in these businesses. The people who work there are usually the people who own the business so they like to know their customers and make sure their customers are happy with their purchases. Wal-Mart employees will not take the time to explain all their treats and help you pick out the ones that are best suited for your dog. They also are not going to be able to special order a specific size or color that they don't carry so that your baby has the correct size and color that matches their personality.
These are the reasons you should shop at Sweet Paws Bakery instead of Wal-Mart! We as consumers need to support our local businesses because they can provide the quality and the customer service that big chains can not.

Shop Online!

An exciting new addition to Sweet Paws Bakery is our website. On the website you can view clothing, life jackets, toys, spa products, beds, collars and leashes. Some of the products I already have in the store but if you find something you like on the website you can let me know and I can order it for you. There is an option when checking out that allows you to choose to pick up the items at Sweet Paws Bakery. If you choose something online that I currently do not have in stock then please allow 2 days for the item to arrive at the store. You can shop at Sweet Paws Bakery's online store at http://www.sweetpawsbakery.com/

New Shampoo

A new line of spa products has been added made by Harry Barker. Two types have been selected: Oatmeal Shampoo & Conditioner and Shea Butter a 2 in 1 Shampoo & Conditioner. The oatmeal shampoo contains colloidal oatmeal, chamomile, and aloe vera to soothe damaged, inflamed, itchy, or scaly skin. An excellent moisturizing and cleaning shampoo for all dogs, with a mild fragrance that leaves them smelling clean and fresh. While the oatmeal conditioner helps control static, reduces matting and tangling. The concentrated 2 in 1 Shea Butter Shampoo with built in conditioners is fortified with aloe vera and yucca extracts to produce a luster on all types of coat textures and contains Shea Butter to provide softness to the skin. This is an excellent moisturizing and cleansing shampoo for all pets and is hypo-allergenic and soap and detergent free.