These cupcakes are for the dogs. And that’s not a bad thing.

Canines at the Flathead Animal Shelter were treated to some sweet goodness last week as local baker and shelter volunteer Sarah Baier gave out “pupcakes” to the shelter dogs.

Baier, 22, is attempting to raise money for her own bakery in Kalispell and was commissioned to make the doggie cupcakes through a national nonprofit, Gabe to the Rescue. That organization is dedicated to helping homeless, abused and neglected dogs throughout the country.

But Baier has an even more personal connection, having recently adopted a dog from the shelter.

Tyler, a middle-aged Lab, has epilepsy and needed a special home where he could be treated well. Where better than with a bona fide baker who whips up dog treats when not chasing around her three kids?

“I originally made these for my dogs,” she said. “Tyler the rescue dog and a puppy we took from a friend who couldn’t have him anymore.”

Baier delivered five dozen cupcakes to the shelter on Wednesday. She made them in three flavors: apple-oatmeal, peanut butter-oatmeal and cheese with a Greek yogurt-peanut butter frosting.

They were quite a hit.

Jerry, a large yellow Lab who had an eye removed because of a melanoma, wolfed his down with abandon.

Just a week before giving the Gabe to the Rescue-funded cupcakes to the shelter, Baier had gone through volunteer training at the shelter.

“I’ll be going to a Flathead Shelter Friends meeting and hopefully volunteering on the weekends,” she said.

With children ages 5, 4 and 1, Baier finds herself busy as a stay-at-home mom. Despite that, she is set up on the crowd fundraising site GoFundMe to get her bakery, Sarah’s Sweet Bakery, up and running to pursue her dream. Her husband, Donald Clark, said he was excited for his wife moving forward with her longtime passion.

“I’ve been baking since I was little with my father,” she said. “He’s a baker in Portland. But yes, I’d like to do people cupcakes.”

Small gourmet cupcake shops have sprung up all over the country in recent years, and Baier hopes to bring one to the Flathead Valley.

But the dogs like their treats as well. She will bringing four dozen more pupcakes to the shelter in a few weeks, thanks to donations.

Her Facebook page can be accessed at www.facebook.com/sarahssweetbakery and her GoFundMe site is at www.gofundme.com/sarahsweetbakery.

Plans are already in the works to expand her pupcake repertoire.

“I’m thinking about trying one with wet dog food,” Baier said. “The dogs are going to love that.”

Reporter Ryan Murray may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at rmurray@dailyinterlake.com.