Dexter's Deli: Two stores to Serve You
Dexter's Deli is the "original" health food
store for dogs and cats. It's unlike any pet store you've ever
visited. Dexter's is the next generation of pet supply stores.
Providing the best in natural alternative diets, up-to-date nutritional
information, fresh homemade foods and snacks, cool collars, and
the wildest toys and gifts.
At Dexter's Deli we take pride in what we do and who we
are. We're not a national chain store, we're just a neighborhood
pet store with a twist! We like to treat every pet like family,
so we'll bend over backwards to accommodate you and your pet's
needs. |
DEXTER'S DELI DELIVERS!
Let Dexter do the driving!
OK, we won't actually let Dexter drive, but we will deliver fresh food direct to your door.
Download the PDF of our Delivery Policy for details. To start deliveries you must fill out and return the PDF of our Customer Account Form. Then we will give you all the information you need to place your first order using this PDF of our Order Form.
Questions? Call 760.720.7507, or email us.
Delivery Days
Sundays 9:00am – 2:00pm
Thursdays 9:00am – 3:00pm
Deliveries will be scheduled according to area. |
Delivery Areas
Carmel Valley
Cardiff By The Sea
Del Mar
Encinitas
Fairbanks Ranch
Leucadia
Rancho Santa Fe
Solana Beach
Bonsall
Carlsbad
Del Dios
Fallbrook
La Costa
Oceanside
Olivenhain
San Elijo Hills
San Marcos
Vista
Carmel Mountain
Escondido
Miramar
Poway
Rancho Bernardo
Rancho Penasquitos
Scripps Ranch
Valley Center
Chula Vista
Clairemont
Coronado
Downtown San Diego
El Cajon
Hillcrest
La Jolla
La Mesa
North Park
Pacific Beach
Point Loma
Mission Valley |
About Dexter 
 By: JESSICA MUSICAR - For the North County Times
CARLSBAD ---- For the health-conscious, good nutrition means staying away from processed foods while eating a diet of fresh fruits, vegetables and meats. Yet pet owners, no matter their own eating habits, often feed their pets processed food filled with byproducts and preservatives.
Poor-quality dog food can lead to certain skin allergies, and even lends itself to that pungent doggie odor, which permeates many a pet owner's house, said Stephen Blake, a holistic veterinarian based out of Rancho Penasquitos and a member of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association.
"The food allergy problem in animals is rampant. A lot of them are allergic to what they are eating," Blake said. "Just like with people, you start eating better and you feel healthier."
In order to provide an alternative to the mainstream pet-food industry, dog and shop owner Tori Rosay opened Dexter's Deli, a health-food store for dogs and cats.
There, pet owners can get raw foods such as marrow bones, tripe, beef, chicken and turkey necks, as well as buffalo, ostrich, chicken, duck and lamb meat.
Rosay also carries meat and vegetable mixes, which she said are good for dogs because they tend to be omnivorous.
Locations for the deli can be found in Del Mar and Carlsbad. The stores offer vitamins, dietary supplements, books and shampoos, as well as gifts for both pets and humans that range from kitschy to practical. Among them are "Doggles" (eye protectors for dogs), collars and leashes in multiple colors and materials, as well as doggie tiaras for incredibly spoiled dogs.
Rosay said her shop was the first in San Diego that promoted fresh-food diets for dogs. Since then, the trend has taken off across the country, she said.
"We re-educate people on how they feed their pets," Rosay said. "We are like a health-food store ---- like People's Market for dogs and cats."
One animal who benefits from this healthy lifestyle is Dexter, Rosay's dog and the namesake of her store. A mix between a Boston terrier and a Labrador, Dexter spends his days inside either of his owner's two shops.
Since he was adopted as a puppy nearly 10 years ago from a pet shelter, Rosay has fed Dexter home-cooked meals, she said.
Today, although Dexter's black coat is spotted with gray, he is active and healthy, which can't be said of many dogs his age, Rosay said.
"He has a lot of vitality," Rosay said. "We might not get them (dogs) to live longer but they will be healthier in their senior years."
Sheila Kenny, a Vista resident and owner of one dog and five cats, came to the Carlsbad location of Dexter's Deli on Wednesday.
Kenny said she originally started coming to the store after an old pet was diagnosed with diabetes. Her veterinarian suggested a low-carbohydrate diet for the dog, which Kenny said was difficult to find.
Although the dog eventually died, Kenny continues to feed her animals with food from the deli.
"I feel that they care enough to get the right food and nutritional supplements to ensure a happy, healthy dog," Kenny said.
Rosay, who worked in health-food stores for many years, said she realized the need for a natural dog-food store after reading several books about the pet-food industry and animal nutrition.
Moving from Missouri, where she owned a publishing company for three years, Rosay found a location in Del Mar and opened Dexter's in 1996.
In the time it has been open, Rosay said both her business and the trend toward natural pet food has grown. In August, she opened her second shop in Carlsbad to accommodate customers from North County. Dexter's Deli grossed $700,000 in 2003, and Rosay expects it to make $1 million this year.
"We are here to educate people and bring them into the light," Rosay said |
