Meet Parker the Wonder Dog

Parker, an AKC black labrador, was born April 24, 2021 and was welcomed to her FURever home by her humans, Whit and Michele, eight weeks later. The anticipation of her arrival was met with much excitement and preparation, including researching the best trainer (Gila Kurtz) and veterinarian (Emily Helber, DVM), whom Parker would soon meet.

Parker exudes so much love and joy. She is a pleaser at heart, and when Parker and Gila met, it was a true love affair, so much so that when Whit and Michele traveled to Hawaii in December 2021, Gila invited Parker to stay at her home. During play time and fetch, Gila noticed that Parker was more winded than the average puppy, and upon Whit and Michele’s return from Hawaii, Gila advised that Parker get evaluated by a cardiologist as soon as possible.

Shortly thereafter, Parker was diagnosed with Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) among other heart defects with a very grim (perhaps only a few months…) prognosis. With much love, a good diet, medications and all the necessary attention to her special needs, Parker…the Wonder Dog…has remained stable, with no progression of her condition.

All about
Why we created our special treats

Prior to her retirement in 2018, Parker’s mom, Michele, had worked 11 years in the non-profit industry. Her career shifted from corporate America to philanthropy after her father died at 67 years old. He was diagnosed with leukemia at 64 and was in remission from that when he was soon after diagnosed with prostate cancer. After successful treatment of that disease, her Dad was then diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He battled that cancer before finally succumbing to it in March 2004.

Michele began voluntarily raising money for cancer organizations before changing careers, when she took a job in philanthropy with a Long Beach Hospital, and then Special Olympics of Southern California – retiring from there in 2018.

In 2021 a former colleague of Michele’s got in touch and told her about a non-profit, Dogs for Better Lives. They were looking for volunteers in Southern California. Michele wasn’t ready to commit to anything at the time. By the end of 2022, the organization was preparing for an inaugural fundraiser, Bone AppeTREAT, that would take place in the spring of 2023. Michele agreed to participate in the nationwide contest that included fundraising and coming up with a unique recipe for dog treats…and this is how Parker the Wonder Dog’s Peanut Butter & Jelly (“PB&J”) Biscotti “was born.”

See our hand-crafted treat process up close.

The PB&J Biscotti didn’t come easy, but as we were developing the recipe and baking, our desire was to be special, tasty, and different. We also wanted a treat that could be enjoyed by not only the pup, but the parent! And we wanted the treat to look different, too.

So – out with the cookie cutter, and in with the special baking process of a biscotti…that would include every dog’s favorite – peanut butter – and a healthy and delicious, cooked from scratch, no-sugar added “jelly” that adds the healthy nutrients of mixed berries. Other nutritious ingredients to note are flax seed, wheat germ, goat milk and just a bit of raw, unfiltered honey for a touch of added sweetness.

The development of Parker’s PB&J Biscotti has been a labor of love and is dedicated to Parker the Wonder Dog. Many tears were shed after Parker’s diagnosis, but she has taught us about resilience and embracing each day with unbridled love, joy, cuddles, walks and wags from head to toe. We look forward to a profitable business that will be able to contribute to dog-centric non-profits that underscore the important role dogs play in the betterment of the human soul.

We look forward to sharing other things we love from our kitchen and things we “DIG” in the dog-related world!