Save your pennies, says Kennel Club, dogs don’t care for fine dining
Love, attention and regular walks are all pets want or need, experts tell indulgent owners
EVEN the wealthiest shoppers in Britain’s finest food halls might baulk at paying £27 for a pound of sausages. Dog owners, it seems, wouldn’t think twice.
The escalating cost of canine treats has prompted the Kennel Club to sit up and take notice. It says that dogs do not need luxurious treats, such as Canine Caviar’s free-range, grass-fed buffalo tails, sold on Amazon for £50 a packet of six, or The Innocent Hound’s £27 “luxury superfood sausages”.
Exotic, expensive snacks may be all well and good, but the Kennel Club insists that what a dog needs most is love, attention and a walk – all of which come free.
Bill Lambert, spokesman for the Kennel Club, said: “Dogs are a part of the family and we know owners can’t help but want to spoil them. But this can actually be done very simply. Dogs don’t need artisan treats, expensive luxuries or any extensive pampering.
“They are at their happiest when owners give them love and attention and provide for all their needs – taking them for walks and providing social and mental stimulation – and this is important around Christmas, too.”
Ocado sells a range of luxury dog treats, including The Innocent Hound’s lamb with yellow split pea “Puppy Training Treats”, priced at £5 per 100g (£50 per kilo); Woofs’ Cod Fingers Dog Treats, £4.85 per 100g (£48.50 per kilo), and Thrive ProReward 100 per cent Liver Dog Treats, £7.60 per 100g (£76 per kilo).
The human equivalent is noticeably cheaper: one packet of regular cod fingers is priced at £1.75 (£7 per kilo) on Ocado, and a 250g packet of M&S Select Farms Scottish Lamb’s Liver costs around £1 (£4 a kilo). The manufacturers of the dog treats point out their produce is made from the finest ingredients and often put through complex food manufacturing processes such as air drying.
The cost of dog snacks might be food for thought for some, but the majority seem happy spending such sums on their pets. According to Mintel, the market researcher, 63 per cent of owners say if they had money worries they would reduce spending on their own food before they cut their pet food bill. Mintel also found that 54 per cent of owners bought more pet treats during the pandemic.
“People sought out antidotes to the emotional toll of the pandemic – snacking and self-treating increased,” Mintel added. “This appears to be translating into a heightened desire among pet par
‘Dogs don’t need artisan treats, expensive luxuries or any extensive pampering’
ents to similarly treat their dogs ... While not limited to food, that 54 per cent of pet owners say they have looked to treat their pets more is clearly playing out in increased purchasing of snacks/treats, as well as trading up in this segment.”
More than 3.2million households in the UK have acquired a pet since the start of the pandemic, according to the Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association, and the world of luxury canine living looks to be booming – with dog caviar becoming the latest addition to the market this summer. The Innocent Pet Care Company, owner of The Innocent Hound, said: “The price of our treats reflects the quality of the ingredients that we use, as well as our gentle air-drying process. We use freshly prepared British, human-grade meat and our gentle air-drying process ensures the nutrients are not destroyed.
“We won’t compromise our values and quality by substituting our ingredients for cheaper alternatives.”
It’s a dog’s life, and only getting better. Online one can now pick up a packet of Canine Caviar’s free-range, grass-fed buffalo tails (for dogs) for £50, or The Innocent Hound’s “luxury superfood sausages” for £27. Higher-end goods, perhaps – but one survey found that 63 per cent of owners, if they felt the pinch, would be more likely to cut back on their own food bills than their best friend’s. Another survey, which we have imagined, found that 63 per cent of cats concur: they, too, would rather their owners ate less than their pets. Dogs, by contrast, are perceived to be willing to sacrifice for the pack, so we’re happy to sacrifice for them, and it’s that love that we’re rewarding with luxury lamb, liver and cod fingers. And if we ever want to try the canned stuff most of them eat, we’re welcome to. Pedigree Chum goes great on a cracker.