Plenty of novel products for pets

It’s not all kibble and cans in the world of pet food. There have been some novel product introductions of late for four-legged consumers.

Boston-based Molli Brand’s debuted Molli’s Choice, a line of nutritionally enhanced flavored bottled waters for pets, this year. Developed using vet-approved formulations, they come in unique flavors including beef tenderloin, bacon delight, roasted turkey, roasted chicken and original enhanced purified water.

Wetbone Co. LLC, Kensington, Conn., launches the first water in a flexible drinking pouch pack for on-the-go dogs. The bone-shaped pouch features two compartments with a reservoir for the purified, vitamin enriched water at the bottom and “drinking bowl” at the top.

Cooler treats

FrostBite Doggie Ice Cream provides a cool organic treat made especially for dogs. It’s doing so well the company now sells franchises, reports Brandweek.

Inventor Jeff Walker says the product was such a hit at his Boston-based doggie daycare center that customers started asking for it to take home. Walker, a historian of Chinese herbal sciences, “has created a team consisting of a pharmacologist, a culinary historian and a veterinarian to help formulate the world’s first healthy homeopathic ice cream for dogs.”

Franchise opportunities are up for grabs for $20,000, and the company says it will supply “state-of-the-art doggie ice cream trucks to all franchise owners.”

Even one “respectable” ice cream company is going to the dogs. Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream, Oakland, Calif., developed frozen, lactose-free Frosty Paws Frozen Treats for Dogs. Fortified with vitamins and minerals, they contain no added sugar, sodium or artificial flavors or colors and come in Original and Peanut Butter flavors.

Meat for canines

Savory Market Inc., Santa Fe, N.M., introduced Savory Dog Pet Food Seasonings with virtually no calories or fat. Four to five shakes over a dog’s dry or wet food lets them enjoy crispy bacon, roasted chicken and rich beef flavors that taste like home cooking.
Bil-Jac Foods Inc., a Medina, Ohio, manufacturer, introduces Little-Jacs Liver Treats, a treat that is the ideal size for smaller dog breeds and puppy training.

It's the company's first product specifically for small dogs. Consistent with Bil-Jac's nutritional philosophy of only using fresh protein sources, the dog treats are gluten-meal-free and contain a combination of fresh chicken liver and chicken. The nutritional value of this fresh protein is protected during manufacturing with Bil-Jac's proprietary low-temperature, vacuum-drying technology that avoids heat damage.

“Puppy training takes lots of love and affection, and oftentimes, a lot of dog treats to reward appropriate behaviors,” said Robert Kelly, president of Bil-Jac. “Dogs love Little-Jacs because they contain fresh chicken liver, and small dog owners feel good about giving their pet treats that are sized appropriately and made with only high-quality protein sources.”

Altered consciousness

Kwispelbier, a nonalcoholic beer for dogs made from beef extract and malt, was created by Terrie Berenden, a pet shop owner in the Dutch town of Zelhem. She hunts with her dogs and thought they might want to relax after a long day with a beer.

Okay, it’s not exactly beer because it's not fermented. Berenden contracted a local brewery to brew and bottle Kwispelbier, which is Dutch for "wagging a tail." Advertised as "a beer for your best friend," it retails for $2.14 a bottle. The pet’s owner can also imbibe the brew.

Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Co., maker of Prozac, will market Reconcile, a beef-flavored chewable tablet that helps treat dogs for separation anxiety. “Dogs are pack animals, and they sometimes develop a deep attachment to humans,” says a Lilly veterinarian Steve Connell. “That makes them anxious when the humans leave.” Good, no more half-eaten cell phones.