Jul 23, 2008

Call It Puppy LoveBy Yvette C. HammettBrandonNews2.TBO.com

Seffner – Finding a good dog groomer who can also photograph your pup and bake him nutritious treats is like finding a good doctor you can trust, says Sandra Simpson, who has found such a spot a few miles from her home.

“If I ever moved, I’d traveled to get there with my dogs,” Simpson said, referring to Whiskers & Wags Pet Bakery at 11713 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. “They’re that good.”

Having eight dogs, she said, it’s important to work with someone you can trust.

Mother and daughter proprietors Joanne and Jennifer Ballengee converted their small doggie gift shop into a wholesale business a few years ago, baking beautiful cookies and cakes of the K-9 variety to sell to other shops.

But too many times, Joanne Ballengee said, she would get a tap on the shoulder at the grocery store from someone asking when Whiskers & Wags would open again for its loyal clientele.

“Within 10 days, we shelved our wholesale distribution and opened our doors again,” she said. That was in December 2006. “We hit the ground running,” she said, noting business is brisk even with the faltering economy. “People have been very loyal to get the word out and give us referrals. Business is great.”

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