A WOMAN who started making healthy treats to help her dog’s weight issues has celebrated her first year in business as Cork’s only dog bakery.
Lucy Marshman, originally from the US and now living in Carrigaline, set up The Paw Print Bakery after she saw the great results her dog Dug was achieving from her home-baked canine treats, made from natural ingredients.
‘My dog, who is a corgi mix, was having issues with his weight and his temperament,’ said Lucy.
‘We got a trainer to help with the temperament, but this involved a lot of treats to help reward him. We realised his weight was increasing and too many of the training treats were making him “brat-ty!”
‘My husband and I had taken a baking and cooking class in November of 2023 and I loved it, but I felt I could only make so many brownies for us. At that same time, I saw an ad for making your own dog treats kit. I made the treats for our dog. He lost about 1kg and his temperament got better.
‘I realised this something that other pet parents probably had an issue with, so I started sharing treats with friends and neighbours. I think many people like the idea of knowing exactly what is in their pet’s treats.’
Working out of her home kitchen, Lucy produces an everyday range comprising four products including vitamin-filled apple and carrot treats, and chamomile tea which helps with dry skin and anxiety.
Her birthday range comprises cake – mainly apples and cheese – iced with yogurt and peanut butter, decorated with blueberries and treats, and cookies made from apple and carrot and customised per the pet’s name, age and more.
‘I felt a dog bakery was missing from Cork. There are similar businesses in Dublin and around the country but nothing in Cork. Our dogs are family members too and deserve to be spoiled, especially for their birthday or “gotcha” day.
Lucy noticed Cork had no bakery specialising in petfood.
‘I have gotten to meet so many wonderful people and amazing dogs. I feel people are changing their mindset around dogs,’ said Lucy.
‘They are no longer just pets but now members of the family. The dog community focuses on what is best for the dog and that’s the whole reason I started this bakery, to create healthy options that people can spoil their dog with, and not worry about what they are giving their beloved furry family member.’
Lucy’s degree is in criminology, but she did a ‘start your own business’ course through the Local Enterprise South Cork office.
‘It helped fill in some of the gaps of having a business in Ireland that I didn’t know, coming from the US,’ she said.
Her customers are mainly in Co Cork, but she has had sales all over the country.
‘There is a lovely woman in Galway who regularly buys our treats for her two dogs. One of the dogs only has three legs, so she loves the idea of still giving her treats but not worrying about her dog putting on weight.’
