William Gadsby Peet sniffs out some tasty treats for pampered pets
Bottoms up
J.Nichole Smith
You have to wonder how something as silly as a beer for dogs managed to make it past the suggestion stage of product development, but I for one am deeply glad it did.
When it comes to sharing a tail-wagging tipple with your pooch, you can choose from Snuffle (£2.99), which is made in a real brewery in Belgium, or the drolly named Bottom Sniffer (£2.49), made by Woof & Brew, which also produces a number of herbal teas for dogs, as you do.
You can find both products on the Pets at Home website, and don’t worry they’re not actually alcoholic or carbonated so you won’t have to deal with hair of the dog the following morning.
Fat cats
Is your moggy a little on the rotund side? Mine certainly is; he woke me up a few weeks ago by jumping on my head – I thought I was being water boarded by rocks! Since Cat-gate, I’ve begun feeding him from Lily’s Kitchen’s healthy weight range (packs start at £46) and the whiskered wastrel has slimmed down noticeably.
Sweet tooth
Why not celebrate your dog’s next birthday with a fully edible birthday cake? Doggie Patisserie bakes a variety of delectable doggy treats, including cakes (£14.99), cookies (£10.99) and the wonderfully named, pup cakes (£9.99). It even does party packs in case your marvelous mutt is planning on entertaining.
You can order online, with treats delivered to your door within seven working days. NB. You’ll have to pay for postage and packaging as well which is between £3.99 and £9.99 depending on how heavily you’re indulging your mutt’s sweet tooth.
Creature comforts
Endless nibbling of hay can get boring for little critters; so liven up their diet with the small animal treats at Fetch. If you’re looking for something that’ll last, then try the Boredom Break Double Woodroll (£5.49), consisting of two rolls of carrot and parsley sandwiched by edible wood. For one-off treats try the Critter’s Choice Chocolate Drops (£2.85). Hamsters can be chocoholics too!
Natural instinct
Eating junk food can be as damaging to your pet’s health as it would be to your own. With this in mind, Natural Instinct has developed a range of raw dog and cat food using ‘human grade’ meat that’ll benefit your furry friend in everything from digestion to coat shine.
And if you’re looking for an interesting treat to reward Fido or Mittens next time they’re well behaved, the company also sells unique snacks such as duck necks and whitebait.
Local stockists include Barkers in Marlow, Canine Care in Bourne End, and the Natural Health Shop in Burnham.
Pub crawl
You’d be hard pressed to find a more gorgeous setting than Windsor Great Park for a stroll with the dog. If the beautiful lakeside trails, wild forests and open fields aren’t enough to entice you; there are also several pup-friendly pubs in the vicinity for a warming, post-constitutional pint and bite to eat.
My pick of the bunch is the Fox and Hounds on the north-east corner of the park. This mutt-mad watering hole works hard to appeal to the post-Windsor walkies set, and even has a fully stocked doggy station packed with treats and toys for your canine companion. Other good pubs in the area for a hungry hound include the Bailiwick (south-east corner, best to book as the dog friendly section of the pub fills up quickly) and the Belvedere (south-west corner).
The birds and the bees
.
Transform any outdoor space into a thriving eco system with some of Plant Theatre’s products for the winged denizens of your garden. Whether you know your Pied Flycatcher from your Mistle Thrush or can’t tell the difference between a Red Breasted Robin and a chicken nugget, the company’s special Apple Feeder and Nesting Box (£17.99) is a great option for all bird lovers.
And if you’re looking for hired help around the garden, the Bee Hotel (£18.99) and Ladybird Lodge (£12.99) are a delightful way of exchanging bed and board for hard work culling bothersome aphids and pollinating flowers. (Don’t worry the Bee Hotel is for non-swarming and non-aggressive species of bee that don’t live in hives).
Check out another one of the pet-tacular features from our special March Pet Issue
Sign up to our Weekly Newsletter for exclusive competitions, offers and stories
You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter for updates on our latest articles
