One of the most common warnings given to dog owners is that chocolate can have devastating effects on a canine, but a pet shop in Chorlton, England has created a new recipe that is 100 percent safe for dogs to ingest.
At Betty and Butch, the chocolate eggs sold fast as the Easter holiday approached, and many dog owners were pleasantly surprised at how much their dogs enjoyed the treat. The eggs are made with carob instead of cocoa and proved to be a huge hit with the canine community around the shop.
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The creative designer for the shop, Angel Moore, said that the dogs in the community loved them so much that they no longer have any left after the holiday. They ordered the first batch and it sold out so quickly that he had to beg the supplier to send another batch in time for Easter. The second shipment was gone before the holiday even arrived.
Staff at the store thought the eggs would be a great way for dog lovers to include their pets during the holiday festivities, and they are looking forward to creating more products made from the dog-safe chocolate. In fact, according to Moore, carob is one of the safest substances in the world for dogs.
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Chocolate contains high amounts of caffeine-like stimulants, known as methylxanthines, and fat. If a significant amount is ingested by a dog, chocolate has the potential to produce serious clinical effects including vomiting, diarrhea, heavy panting, hyperactivity, excessive thirst and urination, tremors, abnormal heart rhythm, seizures and even death in severe cases.
Usually, the darker the chocolate the more likely it is that the dog will suffer from methylxanthine poisoning and the size of the dog also varies the effect. Unfortunately, holidays are the most common time when dogs accidentally get into chocolate.
Moore and his partner, Paul Fox, decided to open their specialty shop after their previous business, a dog grooming service, was inundated with requests for higher quality dog products and treatments. Originally they tried to search out the products to recommend to their customers, but then they decided to sell the products themselves and start a new business.
Everything in their store is chemical, additive, and preservative-free and they will not allow any product on their shelves unless it meets those qualifications. Moore is a certified groomer and canine reiki therapist, and although he admits the products are slightly gimmicky, they also all provide important health benefits for dogs.
