A woman on a mission to provide dogs with the tastiest treats is taking the pet world by storm - despite being turned down from investors on BBC Dragon's Den.
Michelle Turnbull, based in Blackpool, pitched The Barking Bakery on the BBC One show in 2019, but didn't let the dragons' rejection put her down.
Three years on, she now supplies pet hotels, dog-friendly restaurants, shops and garden centres with her goods.
She's worked with the likes of fashion brand Radley and even baked for Real Housewives of Cheshire pooches.
Michelle told The Mirror : "Since Dragons Den, things have gone from strength to strength. Even though we weren’t successful in investment, the publicity we gained from this iconic show has been phenomenal.
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"Not only did we reach over 60,000 hits on our website on the day the show aired, we had over 13 separate investment opportunities.
"We made the decision to go it alone and have since moved premises into a purpose built pet manufacturing plant and continue to grow both within the UK and internationally."
Michelle was inspired by her border collie, Spot, to create The Barking Bakery in 2012.
"I would wander up and down the supermarket aisles looking for an unusual tasty treat for Spot to enjoy, but was always left frustrated when nothing seemed to fit the bill," she said.
"I wanted something a bit special, and since I couldn't find it, I made it. After the creation of my first Doggy Woofin, Spot and I knew we were onto something."
Following lots of research and testing, Michelle launched her high-end dog treats onto the high street in 2014, supplying the likes of Pets at Home, The Range and Boots.
Her business has become a household staple for thousands of dog owners up and down the country.
"We have created three-tier doggy wedding cakes, treats for the Real Housewives of Cheshire's pooch pamper parties and supplied Radley with treats for their dog-friendly afternoon tea," Michelle said.
And it's not just dogs that love her treats - even humans enjoy them too.
"All our tail-swishing treats are made from human-grade ingredients and are perfectly safe for humans to consume, and I have to say they are delicious," Michelle said.
"The yoghurt frosting we use is particularly yummy and super low in fat too, as is our Cheesy Pupcorn. I do draw the line at eating the dog bones on top though!"
Michelle's customers most love her uniqueness and how they can enjoy their favourite treats alongside their pup.
"We call ourselves the naughty cake ladies and picture our pooches snuggling with the family tucking into treats," Michelle said.
"Allowing dogs to enjoy popcorn for film night, celebrate their birthday with a cake or enjoy doggy safe chocolates on Valentines Day adds a little bit more occasion into their lives."
The Barking Bakery products are made from recyclable, food grade plastics and their 9-12 month product shelf life is unrivalled.
"We are constantly asked for unique requests and the wackier the better for us. We love it!" Michelle added.
You can follow The Barking Bakery on Instagram and Facebook - or visit their website to place an order.
Do you have a dog story to tell? Contact nia.dalton@reachplc.com.
