More sophisticated dog treats
for the discriminating pet ownerBored dog not happy
By Leila Fujimori
Star-BulletinDARLENE Nojima used to make wedding cakes. Now she bakes birthday cakes -- for dogs. And she's made get-out-of-quarantine, puppy class graduation cakes as well.
Her cakes -- made from scratch with such ingredients as flour, carrots, molasses and icing of non-fat cream cheese -- are featured at Dino's Doggie Deli & Bakery at Pets Etc., a Kailua pet shop.
"It started purely out of requests," Nojima said. One of the puppies sold at the shop turned a year old and the owner wanted to throw a party. So Nojima made a cake the dog could eat.
At a customer's request, Nobriga has made a cake using canned dog food with the cream cheese frosting. She's even made a 14-inch cake for a 140-pound bull mastiff.
Nobriga ensures the cakes are easily digestible. She uses little fat and no chocolate, which can be toxic to dogs. She will even cater an entire doggie party, complete with cake, main dish, party favors, hats and gift wrapping.
Pets Etc. owner Dean Iraha explained he needed "something original to set us apart, to be a little unique." He opened the store three years ago after taking early retirement from Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and can't afford the advertising the big stores have. So he started the deli and bakery.
Nojima, owner of two labrador retrievers, came up with the idea of a sit-down area for dogs and their owners. Now people can sip a soda at a table while their pets snack on fresh-baked cookies from the bakery case or "Frosty Paws" from the ice cream freezer.
The deli also carries entrees such as turkey loaf pie and shepherd's pie, as well as fresh sausages and liver treats.
Humans can eat the items baked by Nojima, but may find them bland. Her "Peanut Butter Poodles" and "Garlic Golden Retrievers" cookies are favorites with the dogs.
Michael McKenna works for her father's two car dealerships, and commutes between them on foot with her golden retriever, Mongo, who leads her to Pets Etc. daily. "Mongo loves the Frosty Paws and garlic cookies," she said.
Tracy Lehmann, her mother Tracy Olival, and their dogs are also regulars. Lehmann's dog Josephine, a Chihuahua-terrier mix bought from the shop, celebrated her first birthday last Thursday with a cake by Nobriga.
"We're trying to be customer-oriented," Iraha said. He and his staff seem to succeed in that. They know customers by name. And two bulletin boards covered with photos from pets on their birthdays and at Christmas.
They will ready the dining area for its grand opening 7 to 10 p.m. July 30. "Brown Bags to Stardom" winner Erland Kilani Pahukoa will sing and play ukulele. Dogs can taste free samples from the deli, and there'll be refreshments for their human companions as well.
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