Gourmet dog biscuits 'good enough for humans to eat' sold in Epsom
7:30am Wednesday 13th March 2013 in News By Francisco Diaz
Dominique Pizzingrilli samples her own dog biscuits.
A new range of dog biscuits including cheese and Marmite and peanut butter and banana, are good enough for humans to eat according to their creator.
Dominique Pizzingrilli, 46, an Epsom resident of 30 years, is baking the unusual biscuits at her home in College Road.
Mrs Pizzingrilli, 46, a former marketing manager, has set up The Little Pet Biscuit Company which specialises in healthy canine treats and shipped her first orders to customers a fortnight ago.
She started getting orders in January, using social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter to promote her products.
She said: "We discovered that people are not just beginning to look closer at what they eat - particularly in light of recent headlines - but are also considering what their pets might be eating as well.
"Commercial dog food manufacturers use animal and vegetable derivatives, artificial colours and flavours, and bulk out their feeds with wheat because it's cheap and readily available.
"But dogs find wheat hard to digest because it's high in gluten."
So wholesome are all her biscuits that she insists they are perfectly suitable for human consumption.
"We use alternatives to wheat, so our products are low in gluten or gluten free. There are no artificial colours or flavours, no added salt or sugar and only natural, healthy ingredients."
The biscuits are all handmade freshly to order and baked in Mrs Pizzingrilli’s kitchen.
She said her Jack Russell terrier, Taffy, loves them.
In future, she hopes to find some local stockists and be able to exhibit at county fairs during the summer.
"The interest in our products indicates that there is a need for a healthy pet-treat alternative to what has traditionally been available," she said.
"Dog owners are keen to reinforce and reward good behaviour without worrying about piling on the pounds or feeding their pets unnatural treats - and our biscuits definitely fit the bill."
