Dubai: Walking into Lin's kitchen, the smell of freshly baked cookies, muffins and carob cakes (a replacement for chocolate) wafts through the air.
From apple-cinnamon sticks to cheesecake, oat crisps and meat and cheese burgers, each dish sounds mouth-watering enough to want to dig into.
Except, these treats aren't for me. They're for Abbey, Pete and Max, three beautiful brown-eyed dogs, waiting anxiously for "mum" to finish baking the next batch.
Welcome to Lin's world of organic dog treats — a world where no pampered pooch need rely on preservative-packed commercial dog food.
Each biscuit, cake, stick and meal is handmade by Lin, Dubai's most-loved organic dog chef.
"Living in Canada, my dogs were spoiled with the options of healthy food available to them. When we moved back to Dubai, none of those brands were available. All we found were commercial packs of food and treats, often with ingredients that aren't best suited for all dogs," explains Lin.
Like humans, dogs too are sensitive to what they eat. Just as some people are allergic to nuts, others to milk, some to fish, dogs also have foods that some can digest but others cannot.
"For that reason alone, I won't make my dog food commercial or sell then in generic packs," says Lin. "Each dog is different and each one has individual tastes. Before cooking for them, I find out about the dog, his size, weight, character, lifestyle, age, allergies and, accordingly, cook him a meal that's best for him."
The inspection goes beyond just the dogs. Lin grills each owner about their relationship with their dog, feeding habits, etc. "I won't sell my treats to just about anyone because I don't know how people feed their dogs. Treats are all well and good in the quantities that are advised. Every pack of my treats, biscuits and cakes comes with strict feeding instructions."
This attention to detail has Lin's friends and acquaintances, including her four-legged friends, barking mad for her limited quantity gourmet meals.
Favourites include Training 101 (chicken liver and oat treats), Go Fetch Apple Sticks, Veggie Cookies, Winny The Pooch Biscuits (with granola), Sup Doc (cinnamon flavoured) and Meatlovers.
Before allowing someone's dog near her treats, Lin tests them on herself first.
"If it's good enough for me, it's good enough for them," she says. "Too many people assume that human food should be superior to dog food. If you can't eat something, why should your dog have to?"
It's this dedication to the four-legged world that makes Lin every dog's favourite chef.
So popular are Lin's treats that her canine friends have started turning their noses up at commercialised labels after tasting her food.
After all, wouldn't you walk past the frozen food aisle if you have a freshly baked lamb pie waiting for you at home?
