Chocolate is BAD....
CHOCOLATE IS BAD!.......For dogs……
I often get asked from our customers, the retail outlets whom we service, about the difference between Carob and Chocolate and why Chocolate is bad for dogs…..
Considering Easter is upon us, and there is chocolate everywhere we look, I thought now is a good time to discuss these two questions.
From there, why don’t you consider educating your staff for two reasons…..
1. So they can explain to your customers why, in-fact, Chocolate is bad….
This will show they care.
This will give your customers a good experience.
2. So you can make more sales by targeting the Easter Treats made by Huds and Toke and sold by us….Active Pet Products.
Plus sell other Carob and Yogurt Gourmet Pet Treats which we supply.
SO……Why is Chocolate so bad????
In fact, it is the Theobromine, which is an alkaloid, which is technically the bad thing for dogs…….It just so happens that it occurs naturally in the seeds of the cocoa tree.
These seeds are harvested and Cocoa Butter is made from them, which is what chocolate is made from!
Oh, and the darker the chocolate; the higher the concentration of Theobromine which means the higher the toxicity!
Just for your interest however, it’s not just dogs who suffer from chocolate toxicity; it occurs in most mammals…….even us……to a degree.
It’s just that humans, rats and mice have different metabolic pathways to process, and deal with, the Theobromine we ingest from Chocolate……
Cats, on the other hand, have a lower tolerance than dogs, however, they do not posses the same “sweet taste” receptors that us and dogs have. Therefore, they do not find the Chocolate appetizing; as such, they rarely, if ever, will eat chocolate even if it is lying around.
Before we create mass hysteria however, It is stated in the Royal Society of Chemistry, that a human would have to eat at least 5kg of Chocolate before we would succumb to Theobromine poisoning!
I dare say the sugar, and fat, might wreak havoc on us before the Theobromine had a chance, if we ate that much all at once!!!
I suppose the key points your staff need to remember are these……..
· Chocolate will harm your dogs.
· It is NOT entirely dose dependent.
o Also depends on the type of Chocolate.
· It is also type of chocolate dependent.
o The darker it is the worse it is for them!
If your customers want to give Easter treats to their puppies, advise your staff to direct them to your Easter Treats.... AS LONG AS YOUR EASTER DOG TREATS ARE MADE SPECIFICALLY FOR DOGS!!!
The ones which come from Active Pet Products are Australian made and are SAFE for dogs.
These are especially designed for dogs. They look like chocolate…….BUT THEY ARE NOT CHOCOLATE…..NOR ARE THEY MADE WITH CHOCOLATE! All Huds and Toke Treats are made with Carob, which is a chocolate substitute……it DOES NOT contain Theobromine, added sugar, or other added fats and preservatives…..
Carob is a vastly different plant and is SAFE for dogs, and other mammals, to eat.
But this is another topic to expand on at a later date.
Back to this Easter……..
Of course accidents happen……and dogs have a tendency of sniffing out the left overs and eating CHOCOLATE……..so tell your staff to educate your customers about what to look for just in case!
Keep an eye out for a few signs such as:
· diarrhoea
· Vomiting
· Elevated heart rate
· Tremors
If you see any of these signs head straight to your local vets practice or animal hospital. It could mean they have eaten chocolate.
If you keep an eye on them and ONLY feed them Easter Dog Treats made with Carob, they will be fine, happy and healthy!!!
But lets help your customers avoid the trip to the vet by spending just a little time to educate them……It will do wonders for your customer relationships plus you get some opportunities to make added sales!!!!!
HAPPY EASTER from the guys @ Active Pet Products.
