In 2008, the newly married Ben and Dawn Ford were running a dog care service, Assembly of Dog. They had always been dog lovers and enjoyed helping the pet community. As a cute addition to their business, they decided to try their hands at making fresh, homemade treats to offer their clients. These original treats were cheesy donuts, beefy sticks, and chicken jerky. The handcrafted dog desserts became such a hit that they decided to start a business for the snacks alone. Ben and Dawn bought a truck from Craigslist and named it Buster (the Treat Truck). They began making treats for pups and selling them from the truck throughout the city. It was the original dog food truck! And so, the Seattle Barkery began in 2014.
After about a year, Seattle Barkery was so successful that Ben and Dawn decided to pursue it full time and closed their other business. Though Buster no longer traverses the city streets, you can find him from Thursday to Sunday each week at Marymoor. Dawn and Ben have since opened three other Seattle Barkery locations in the area. Their first expansion was Hammy (the Treat Trailer). Located in Magnuson Park, Hammy is a larger version of Buster.
The first Seattle Barkery brick and mortar location (the Treat Shop) opened in 2020 in South Lake Union. It is open for business daily. Here they take orders for custom cakes and baked goods, and they even have some options for felines as well! Finally, their newest bakery location (the Treat Bar) opened this year in Shoreline. For more information about their locations and what they offer, check out their site here.
The Seattle Barkery offers freshly baked goods and treats for pups daily, and will also make custom orders (with at least a day’s notice). Last year, they fulfilled 5,000 custom orders, and they have already surpassed that this year! Delivery is available through DoorDash. To maintain the integrity and freshness of their treats and cakes, they do not offer shipping.
Ben and Dawn have really created something amazing for the pet community, and they remain committed to helping as many pets as they can. To date, they have fostered more than 60 pets together and rescued 10! We tip our hats to the Fords and hope for their business to continue thriving and serving the pet community for many years to come!
Article by Wendi Black
Edited by K. Sims
Photos Provided by The Seattle Barkery