Happy Valentine's Day!

I love Valentine's Day.

It’s a day for bacon cookies and peanut butter kongsicles, bouquets of freshly gnawed sticks, and slobber-soaked squeak toys shared with your sweetie.

It’s a day for flowering epistles of love to fill the cyberwebs with so much saccharinisity that you’ll need an extra walk or romp in the park to burn off the sugary contact high.

Most importantly, it’s a day to share in and celebrate love and friendship with those you hold dear.

I know I act all ruff and tough and serious.   I've kept myself emotionally distant and business-like throughout this blog.  But it's time to let you in on a little secret.

Truth be told, I'm really a big softie.  I love cuddles and date nights.  I love chick flicks and happy endings and I’ve chewed through more romance novels than my mom cares to count.  I’ve watched Lady and the Tramp so many times I can recite it backwards with a tennis ball in my mouth, but I still cry every time Trusty gets hurt.

I also have another secret.  I know I never really talk about my life outside of work, but today is an exception.  I've kept these feelings pent up inside for far too long, and it's time to let them out of their crate. 

You see, I have a Valentine.  A sweetheart.  A suitor. 

A - gulp - boyfriend, if you will.  

There!  I said it.  That wasn't so hard, was it?

He’s the only pup in the world who can make my butt wiggle with excitement and my skin tingle with his touch.  He warms my heart on cold winter nights and kisses away my worries when my job gets a little overwhelming.  He's my man, and I love him dearly.  I've kept quiet about our love for far too long, which hasn't been fair to him.  I've been a little self-conscious, not knowing if the world would take a young entrepreneur seriously if she had such a studmuffin by her side.  But with all the love in the air today, I can't keep these feelings inside me any longer!  I love him! I LOVE DUKE!

You guys have seen him before...his handsome face has been a model for my cookies for the past couple years.  But that's not enough.  I need to express all the love I have for him before I explode into a sticky pile of lovesick goo.

Let me share with you the letter I wrote to him today.

My dearest Duke,

My prince.  My king.  My perfect Coon Hound.

My Duke of Squirrels

I love you not for your tracking ability, or how you can tree a squirrel in three seconds flat.  I love you not because your eyes are warm pools of Tupelo honey, dripping slowly into my soul. 

I don't love you because you smell like trees and freshly mowed grass, or how your coat is like pumpernickel and peanut butter.

I love you for all of this, and more. I love you because you accept me who for I am, and have always looked past my days of homelessness and my pitbull heritage.  You see the gorgeous girl beneath these spots and huge feet, and show me my beauty within.  I love you because when I remember all the loneliness I felt as a child, you're there to comfort me and remind me of how far I've come.

I love how your long, velvety ears caress my cheeks when we play.  I love how your feet smell like corn chips and you lumber like an elephant when we chase squirrels. 

Oh, Duke.  I love how you're tall and rugged like a canine John Wayne.  I love how you're open and honest with your feelings and aren't afraid to wear your emotions on your fur.  I love your warm and soulful voice, calling out to me in that deep baritone I can hear from two blocks down (much to our neighbor's dismay).

My dearest Duke.  When I first met you, it wasn't love at first sight. I was too busy stalking that squirrel at the park to notice the spry young man who'd just frolicked into my life.  Then on the walk home, I was too jealous of your attention to Lily to even notice you guys weren't interested in each other...ya know...THAT way.

But then your mom brought you over for a playdate, and our eyes locked for the first time.  I remember my heart did a little pitter-patter that usually only happens after I steal my dad's cheeseburger. I remember the vibrations I felt from my ears to the tip of my tail, and for the first time, I prayed I didn't have grass in my hair or tennis ball fibers between my teeth.

I didn't fall hard and fast into love with you.  Instead, it's been a long, slow, beautiful tumble, tooth over tail, further and further into this abyss.  

I'm still falling for you.  I don't know how deep this goes, but I hope I never reach the bottom. I love falling in love with you.

We have our differences.  You're purebred and I'm a mutt, you're a chewer and I like fetch.  You like The Walking Dead and I'm a Breaking Bad kind of girl.

But somehow, through it all, you've become my prince.  And I'm your blooming Rose, now and forever.

He's romance royalty.

I love you, Duke.  And so I ask, with all the world listening (reading, I guess..)...

Will you make me the happiest pup on the planet and be my Valentine?

Love Always, 

Your Rosie

New News!

Mom says I'm half monkey.

Hi guys and gals!  Lily here!  I got so excited when Rosie said I could post this week that I peed myself a little bit.  Ah, well.  It happens with us little pups, right?

With so many things happening right now in our Barkery, it’s hard to keep everyone up to date on all the wonderful things we’re doing!  I know we’ve shared our new location and our new staff members, but what about the every day things that affect all our customers (that's YOU!!)?

This is why I am so excited that Rosie let me write this week’s blog post.  See, I’ve been keeping track of our growth and expansion, and I've been waiting not-so-patiently for a chance to share all this "new" news with you! 

NEW LOCATION!!

As Rosie told everyone a couple weeks ago, we outgrew our old location and have set up shop right in the heart of West Hollywood, California, at the Melrose Place Farmers Market.  You can find us here every Sunday.  Look for the polka dots.

Melrose Place Farmer's Market

8400 Melrose Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90069

NEW WEEKEND HOURS!!

While you can find us online 24/7, and our old market booth was open 9am-2pm, our new market booth is open 10am-2pm.  So, get that extra hour of sleep, then come on over and say hi!  We can't wait to meet you!

NEW FLAVORS!!

Who wants to eat the same cookie day after day, week after week, right?  So, while we still have our original flavors, my mom has come up with some yummy new recipes to keep our taste buds interested!

These are my favorite.
The doggie on the label is pretty special, too!

You can choose from our signature treats like Bacon and Honey, Molasses, Apple Pie, Peanut Butter, and Organic Pumpkin, or you can go for a new flavor!  

We now have Cheddar Cheese, Sweet Potato and Peanut Butter, and Sweet Potato Pie!

All of our Hearts n' Homes cookies are still gluten free, grain free, and corn free, with no added salt or sugar, and no yuckie additives.  We use ground chickpeas, which are high in protein and fiber, low in fat, and actually have a low glycemic index, whatever the heck that is!

NEW PRICING!!

Another advantage to us growing and expanding is that the bigger we get, and the more puppies that snack on our treats, the less expensive they are to produce!  What does this  mean for you?

This means that our pricing has DROPPED! You can get our same yummy cookies for less!

This is only going to get better, too.  The more cookies we can produce, the cheaper it will be for you to buy them!  (This is another reason to share us with your buddies!)

NEW WAYS TO SHOP!!

I'm a picky eater.  It took my mom a bit to realize that hungry as I may get, there are just some foods I will. not. eat.

Like chicken. Who has two paws and hates chicken?!  THIS GIRL!

My mom would buy all the pricey, delicious smelling cookies and kibbles and canned food, and I wouldn't touch it.  Thank goodness Rosie only picks her nose, or else my mom would have wasted tons of money tossing out all that high quality stuff I wouldn't even sniff.  

Bulk cookies come in Cheddar Cheese, Peanut Butter,
Sweet Potato Pie, and Peanut Butter Sweet Potato.

So, anyway, my mom decided that there are most likely tons of other puppies out there just like me.  Why make all these puppies buy entire bags of cookies before their moms know if they'll like them or not?  It's silly. We want everyone to be happy, so...

Introducing....
Bulk cookies! While this isn't available online yet, anyone who stops at our new market location will see something like this:

FYI, an ounce of these yummers comes to somewhere
between 10-14 cookies.  Not a bad way to shop!

Each tin has one of our new flavors inside, and you get to choose how much and of what flavor you get! For a mere $1.25 per ounce, you can test out new flavors or stock up on the ones you know you love!

It doesn't matter if you only want a handful of cookies, we now have you covered. Also, for a limited time, if you buy 5 oz of these bulk cookies, we'll give you a 6th oz totally free. Just for being cute and adorable.  So, say your mom knows you love our peanut butter, but has no idea if you'd like our cheddar cheese?  Ask her to buy you 5 oz of peanut butter cookies, and she'll get an entire ounce of the cheddar cheese cookies TOTALLY FREE!!  Isn't that amazing?

NEW CUSTOMERS!!

This is where you guys come in!  We’re still expanding, but we’d love it if you shared this blog, or shared our website, or even told your play dates about us and our weekends at the Farmer’s Market.  We can’t wait to meet you, and we know you’ll love our yummy yummy cookies!

See you soon!

Staffing Up! Harley's Help Desk #1

Hello, dog friends, friends of dogs and cats!!!  I had such a wonderful time last week visiting with my nana and pawpaw!  There were squirrels EVERYWHERE!  Even though I missed the market, it was nice to take a break; refresh, recharge, and regroup before hitting the ground running in Melrose (see everyone Sunday!!!).

I've got to admit, I was a little worried letting Wesley look after my blog while I was away, but he really surprised me! I mean, he's a bit..um...well, let's just say he's 100% boy and it kind of comes out in his writing.  But he's my buddy, and I love him, farts faults and all.

I think I want to keep the trend going of introducing you guys to my staff.  They have wonderful insight on a lot of different topics, and it really takes a load off of me when I'm out rounding up clients, helping my mom bake, and keeping squirrels out of our yard (it's a tough job, but someone's gotta do it!)

Today, I’d like to introduce you guys to a very special friend of mine.  I met her through Lily – she’s actually my sister’s best friend, and so she’s been hanging around my house since she was a puppy. 

Harley always wears a big smile.
And lots of pink.

Harley is some kind of beagle/rottie/aussie/hound mix – just an All-American mutt.  We just call her a Harley.  She was rescued in December 2011 from – gulp – Death Row – at the animal shelter in Lancaster, CA when she was 9 weeks old and scrawny as a newborn meerkat. She loves to chat with squirrels, eviscerate squeak toys, and read her dad’s philosophy textbooks.  I hope you guys like her as much as Lily and I do. 

Here’s an except from our chat:

Hello again, Harley!  You’re looking well!

Thank you, Miss Rosie!  You too.  That’s a very pretty necklace.  It goes well with your spots today.

Er, thanks.  So, Harley, have you given much thought to what you want to write about on my blog?

Oh, yes.  Much, much thought. I’ve thought so much I dreamed I was thinking in my sleep.

Wow.  That is a lot of thought.  What have you decided?

I’ve decided I would like to hike Mount Fuji when I grow up.  I’m sure the hike would give me lots of time alone with my thoughts, and I'd find a lots of new squirrel friends to guide me.

Um, okay. Any decisions on blog topics?

Oh, yes!  I’m sorry, you weren’t specific.  Specificity is the key that unlocks the door to communication. But I do have an idea for you.

That’s great!  I’d love to hear it!…Um, I mean, can you please share your idea on blog topics with my readers?

Certainly.  Miss Rosie, do you remember the day you were rescued?

Not really.  I was pretty young.        

Same here.  I don’t remember much any more except how cold and dark everything was until my parents rescued me.  I also remember how hungry I was, and how my tummy hurt all the time.  Then, when my parents rescued me, I was warm, and I had a good meal, and my tummy stopped hurting so much.  It was wonderful.

It sure was.  I’ll never forget when my mom picked me up and hugged me the first time.

Same here.  I didn't know what it was to hug and snuggle, and now it's my favorite thing ever. So I got to thinking – and I think a lot – and it occurred to me that my mom and dad took a big step in rescuing me.  Some parents rescue puppies like us and they have no idea what to feed us, or how to get our tummies to stop hurting, or what to do when we can't stop pooping everywhere, or anything, really.  They come to us with a heart full of love and compassion and a desire to save our lives. When they open their hearts and homes to us, they may not have the slightest clue on what comes next.  It's a wonderful place, but a very scary place, too. I’d like to help with that.

That’s a wonderful idea, Harley.  You’re so right – rescuing a pup can be just like bringing home your first baby – you can read up on everything, and try to prepare, but there are some things that are going to come up that pet parents may not know how to handle on their own.

Yep.  Like when my brother ate my mom’s disposable razor.  Or when he jumped up and ate a bunch of grapes off the kitchen counter.  Or when he ran smack into a fire hydrant and knocked himself silly. Who can prepare for THAT? Wouldn’t it be nice to point them in the right direction?  Maybe not about snacking on disposable razors, but about how to provide proper nutrition, how to get us to love our new crate and not chase the kitty cats, that sort of thing.

Um, Harley?  You used to chase kitty cats?

I plead the fifth. 

So there you have it, folks!  Stay tuned for updates from Harley’s Help Desk – a place for new rescue moms and dads to grow and learn right alongside their new furbaby – or anyone who needs a little nudge in the right direction!

Wesley's Wisdom #1 - Sunday Funday!

 Friends!! It's The Wesley!  Hi there!!

Rosie told y'all earlier this week that she and her mama won't be at the market on Sunday, which is a major bummer, right?  So, since she's visiting her nana and pawpaw, and you can't get your weekly cookie fix at the market, imma give you guys some alternit aldernate, uh...different options on how you can spend your day.  Here goes.

No way this is better than chasing squirrels.

Okay, rumor has it that this Sunday is some kind of human holiday ritualistic sporting event of sorts.  Lots of people at your place, huh?  Don't hide under the bed with your chew toys! Go all out!  Enjoy it! Here are some ideas to get you started:

BLUE!!

How about you help your dad with those brats and burgers?

Okay, we all know what happens when daddies grill and watch sporting events at the same time.  There's a lot of swear words, burned sausages, and we puppies FEAST BOUNTIFULLY!!!  Today is no different.  If your parents can't take you to the market to get Rosie's delicious cookies, it's only fair that you get to man (or dog..) the grilling station when your dad is otherwise occupied.

Daddies can't pay attention to all those burgers and brats while that tall guy in orange is complaining about hurting his foot all the time (ohmyPAW!! ohmyPAW!!), amiright?

Daddy's toy.  Puppy's vending machine.

I like the "snatch and sail" approach, myself.

1) Jump up on grill (careful, those glowing lumps of kitty litter are HOT!!).

2) Pull back lips to expose front chompers. The short stubby ones work best..sometimes the long ones get stuck in stuff.

3) Grab sausages/burgers/chickens and FLING ACROSS THE PATIO!!


This will not only render them unfit for human consumption (crazy humans, it's just DIRT!!), but it will also help disperse heat so you can enjoy without too much distress.

FORTY TWO!!

So many snacks.  So little time.

If you're not into grilling, how 'bout helping your mama play hostess?

Same general idea, but on an easier target, with less chance of scalding your eyeballs. Which hurts, btw.  Been there. Done that.  Not recommended.  

If your mama is anything like mine, she'll be bustling in and out of the kitchen carrying trays of vegetables (stay away from those, they're gross), chips (getting better), potato skins (fart city, but definitely worth it) and sausages (BINGO!! CA-CHING!! JACKPOT!!).

Why not help a lady out?

If you're a little pooch, your job is easy.  As she's coming out of the kitchen with a tray in her hand, merely step in front of her; stop, wag your tail, and offer assistance.

She will:
a) trip over you, sending yummy goodness flying in all directions (make it rain!! make it rain!!);
b) give you a reward as you escort her to the snack table; or
c) scoot you out of the way with her foot (sucks being small! sorry!).  

I like option one, myself, but a little modified to fit my, um..girth.  See, I'm a big guy.  My mom can't trip over me, I'm a canine road block.  And she's gotta pay the toll.

Delicious, delicious toll.

HUT!! HUT!!

Don't want to work so hard on your day off?  Let the snacks come to you!  Let me introduce you to a wonderful concept I call "making a new buddy."

Lots of people over, right?  Couch full, coffee table brimming with beers and sodas, humans yelling at the television and actually WATCHING commercials?  I gotta admit, that one with the little goldie and the horse made me cry, uh, made my allergies act up a bit.  I digress.

Lots of people mean lots of opportunities to show off your stuff.  Definitely use this to your advantage.  Look around the room.  There will be a very cute blonde girl wearing an oversized (read: boyfriend's) team jersey.  She'll be asking stuff like, "so, are we offense or defense right now?" and "what is that yellow flag for again?"

We like these girls.  There's one in every crowd.  They're breathing snack dispensers. 

Why?  They so totally aren't at your house to watch the big game.  These ladies are sitting on your couch, snacking on your chips and sausages so their boyfriends will take them shopping next Saturday.  These girls are lonely and a little overwhelmed.  It's our JOB to keep them company, even on our day off!

THIS face.  I call it The Wesley.

All you gotta do is give her this face:

And she'll give you anything you want!  Snacks, belly rubs, oh-so-coveted butt rubs, you name it. But remember, you're there to comfort her while the boyfriend yells at the guy in orange, so don't hesitate to hop right up in her lap and give her a great big kiss or twelve.  

SPIKE!!

Time for some entertainment!

Once you're full of sausages, potato skins, cookies, and have gotten your fill of butt and/or belly rubs, why not go sit with the kids and watch the PUPPY BOWL?!  This is seriously the best thing on television.  All those cute little girl puppies prancing around...mmm... irresistible.  And when the little boy puppies get in wrestling matches?  It's like Wrestlemania 2014: Puppy Edition.  Best thing ever!

Ask your mama to put it on the puppy channel in the spare bedroom (they call it "Animal Planet", but seriously, it's the puppy channel), and let the good times roll!

Well, there you have it.  With all these neat tricks, you guys won't even miss Rosie's cookies this week, amiright?  But don't worry, Rosie and her mama will be back at the Melrose market in one week - or you can always go to www.rosiesbarkery.com and buy a couple bags to tide you over!

Enjoy the big game, everyone!

Change is a Good Thing

Change can be scary.  Trust me, I know.  Who doesn't get a little weirded out when their favorite collar breaks and they have to start sporting new bling, or a best buddy moves out of town and play dates get fewer and farther between?

However, my mom and I are learning that at the right moment, change can be a very, very good thing.  We've been making several small changes here and there over the past few months, and Rosie's Barkery is better than ever.  I've brought on board a few new staff members, and they're working their tails off researching exciting things to post about. We've gotten new packaging to fill with our yummy treats, we've started testing out delicious new flavor combinations, and now we've made one pretty big change I want to share with you.

See, back when I was just a puppy - in the Fall of 2010 - my mom took a huge leap of faith and got our cookies into the Harvest Market in Montrose, California.  Every Sunday without fail, through wind, rain, scorching heat, knee surgeries, best friend's weddings, and new sister adoptions, my mom and her partners loaded up my cookies and sold them to our buddies in Montrose.

Saying goodbye at our last weekend in Montrose Harvest Market

The wonderful people and pooches of this community were invaluable in getting our paws off the ground.  They were our beta tasters, our sounding board, and our friends.  Most importantly, they carried Rosie's Barkery for three solid years, helping us grow into what we are today.


Over the last few months, as we experienced so much growth and change within our company, we realized we had outgrown our beloved market.  This was wonderful, seeing how far we've come in just three short years - but also a very sad moment.  We have friends in Montrose.  We've picked up rescues and found foster homes and met like-minded pet parents all inside the confines of our little Montrose Harvest Market.  But, as it happens with all growing businesses, we realized it was time to sniff out a new home where we could share our cookies, find and support new rescues, and continue educating even more people and pooches about the wonders of gluten free, grain free snacks. Our mission has always been to reach as many critters as possible, sharing our healthy snacks and raising money for local shelters and rescues.  And with the good people of Montrose, our mission was accomplished!

Bigger booth, more treat options - hello, Melrose Place Farmers Market!

So, where are we now?  In addition to still selling our treats online and in the few shops around Los Angeles, we are now happy to announce our new Sunday Spot - right in the heart of West Hollywood!


You can now purchase our cookies from 10am - 2pm at Melrose Place Farmers Market, located at 8400 Melrose Place in West Hollywood, California!


We were a little worried about leaving behind our loyal customers in Montrose, but we needed to expand into a larger market, and boy howdy, did we take West Hollywood by storm!  Seriously, it rained on us!!

Hearts n' Homes and
Wagaroons display at Melrose Place

Even though it did rain, the crowds were amazing.  All the wonderful people of West Hollywood were so nice to us - vendors and customers alike - we know we've found the right new home for our little mobile shop. It was so exciting to see all the new faces and have so many new puppies chomping on my cookies!  We can't wait until Rosie's Barkery is just as well known in our new location as we were in Montrose.

This opportunity to expand our reach was too important to ignore, and while our hearts will always be with the good people of Montrose, our new home is here in West Hollywood.  We look forward to the new friends we find here!

So stop on by and see us at our new location!

We won't be there this upcoming Sunday - my mom and dad are taking me and Lily to visit our nana and pawpaw - but we'll be back February 2, 2014 at 10am!  We hope to see you there!

2014: Year of the Rescue!

Rosie's ready to work in her employee uniform!

Greetings dog friends, friends of dogs and cats!

And we're back! Where were we? Don't ask.

Well, let's just say it's been a whirlwind since our trade show in July in Las Vegas. While the show was an amazing success, you'd be amazed at how difficult it can be to figure out the manufacturing for thousands of dog treats, that's right I wrote, thousands!

But with the turn of the calendar year, 2014 promises to bring fortune and luck, not just for us but for the rescues we love too. To quote the Jeffersons, "We're movin' on up!" and we're taking all the rescues we can with us, you'll see.

More postings to come, promise.
xo
Rosie

For Pittie's Sake!

Greetings dog friends, friends of dogs and cats!

October is my absolute favorite month of the entire year!  Why?  Not only is it my birthday coming up, and not only is it National Pit Bull Awareness Month…but it’s ALSO National Adopt-a-Shelter-Pet month! It's like having 3 birthday's in 1 month!

So in honor of the 3 occasions, we'd like to highlight a special rescue pittie named Sgt. Stubby.

Sergent Stubby (1916 or 1917 – April 4, 1926), was the most decorated war dog of World War I and the only dog to be promoted to sergeant through combat. Found at Yale Field in New Haven, Connecticut while a group of soldiers were training, Stubby was America's first war dog. Read more about him at: Sgt. Stubby on Wikipedia

See my buddies Remy and Casey and I come from a long line of pittie strays that make a difference in the world. Our battles may not be on a battle field but we put our best paw forward to help out in our own ways.

My mom and I have devoted our lives to raising money and awareness for homeless pups of all breeds through the sales of our treats and we've been successful locally. Recently we reached out to businesses across the U.S. and Canada and now they're excited about carrying our treats too. Just think of all the dogs we can help! But we need to expand our operation, and we need your help to do it.

We’ve launched a crowdfunding campaign to help hurl us into the national marketplace. This is my birthday wish, guys! Please visit our site, contribute what you can, and, most importantly, share with your friends and family. You'll get treats and we'll give treats to rescues too!

Go to: Rosie's Barkery Indiegogo

Let’s make this October a month where we help not just pitties but doggies of all breeds and creeds! Together, we can do it!