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Anyone for tea and dog biscuits? The treats that owners can share with their pets
Last updated at 21:52pm on 09.06.07As a healthy gourmet snack they have to take the biscuit – dog biscuit, to be precise.
For a bakery company has come up with a range of dog treats that owners can share with their pets.
With names such as Liver Love and Carob Crunch, the new delicacies are unlikely to replace the digestive or rich tea as Britain's favourite biscuits.
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News hounds: Ross Slater and Jasper at work
And at £6.50 for 200 grams, they're more expensive than lumpfish caviar, (£2.35 per 100g at Waitrose), Cadbury's Chocolate Fingers, (72p per 100g), or even Prince Charles's entire Duchy Originals Organic collection.
The Alldog Bakery range is stamped proudly with the label "Made with human quality ingredients", many of which it says are organic.
The bakery's chief taster Leila Konig said: "They are much harder than human biscuits to suit dogs' teeth and the sweet range are best taken with a cup of tea.
"There are no unnatural ingredients, no preservatives and no additives. And they're really quite moreish.
"My personal favourites are the Honey Hearts which are a blend of wholemeal flour, maize meal, milk, honey, treacle and dessicated coconut."
Her husband, Dinny, who walks dogs staying at the couple's dog "hotel", says he reaches for the biscuits to keep his energy levels up.
"I stop for a cappuccino most mornings," he said, "and I have a Honey Heart or two with that. It's a good combination and a healthy way to snack."
Alldog director Jonathan Zlotolow said: "It is very much a health issue for us. By using the best possible ingredients we are giving owners the chance to spend a little bit more and have a healthier dog."
The healthy snacks have already won approval from vets alarmed at an obesity epidemic afflicting man's best friend.
Marc Abraham, resident vet on Channel 4's Paul O'Grady Show, said:
"Today's dog population is mirroring humans and getting fatter – and one of the biggest problems is treats.
"They are small but very concentrated with fats, additives and sugar.
"It may well be that just like children who misbehave when fed too many E numbers, dogs that are given organic and additive-free snacks may behave better as a result."
Still harder than a HobNob...after a minute's dunking
With some trepidation, I tested the biscuits with my flat-coated retriever Jasper, who loved them all.
Honey Hearts, a vegetarian dog treat, weren't as bad as I feared, a sweetened version of Ryvita – though they nearly broke my teeth. Even after a minute soaked in tea they were still harder than a HobNob.
The Carob Crunch – heart-shaped and flecked with the chocolate substitute carob – was edible and you'd certainly lose weight sticking by such a diet.
Liver Love are savoury morsels. I could detect the hint of garlic but they left my mouth somewhat dry.
Jasper enthusiastically munched on a Doggy Doughnut, looking disparagingly at me while I nibbled the edges like a chihuahua with a dodgy stomach.
They cost more than £1 each and would not look out of place in a supermarket bakery – but they are brittle and anyone with false teeth had better beware!
