Treats for my sweets

I confess: I am a junkie. A junk food junkie, that is.

It is no wonder then that my five canine companions are junkies, too. And because of this, I have had to be more selective with the kind of "junk" I feed them. Thanks to import liberalization, there are now as many treats for doggies in a pet store as there are for humans in a supermarket.

Here’s a list of my doggies' favorite treats:

Beggin’ Strips – It’s been said that pork is bad for ‘em doggies, but my companions love these chewy bacon-flavored strips. Just like human junk food, these bacon strips are loaded with fat and contain a lot of preservatives. Some of the ingredients are ground wheat, corn gluten, wheat flour, artificial smoke flavor and even bacon fat preserved with BHA.

"It tastes like real bacon, although I have never tasted bacon in my short life," barks Marx as he jealously guards his strip from his siblings. It is Marx who particularly likes the strips, something that’s easy to figure out, because he finishes his ahead of the rest and runs back to me in the hope of getting a second helping.

"No way," I say to Marx. "All you get is one today."

The Beggin’ Strips come in original flavor and cheese and costs about P70 for a 3-oz. bag.

Alpo’s Prime Beefy Burgers – These soft treats are made with real beef. And if you read the label, Alpo claims that the burgers, which are about the size of a one peso coin, are good for the teeth as they are fortified with calcium and phosphorus. They also contain natural oat fiber which aids digestion. The treats are enriched with 11 essential vitamins and minerals, giving your doggie healthy skin and coat.

Warning: Once you open the resealable pack, be prepared to be "hounded" by your doggies. Give ‘em beef or run for your life.

"Ruff, ruff," Boris says when the treats for the day are beefy burgers. Boris loves these burgers so much, it is not strange for him to gently give me a soft bark in the middle of the night with his eyes lovingly focused on the pack of Alpo treats on the table. "OK, one more and then we’ll call it a night," I say to him. Boris, an obedient doggie, settles for a little piece.

These Beefy Burgers cost P85 for a 6-oz. pack.

Pro Plan Lamb Biscuits – "I love these treats," barks Yuri, when he sees me typing this. "OK," and I give him a biscuit. Yuri says that he likes the crunchiness of the treat. "But make sure that Greta is not around so I can eat my favorite treat in peace," he barks once more. These biscuits are loaded with vitamins and minerals, have no artificial flavors and colors. The Pro Plan treats are available (but not all the time) at Canine Depot for around P200.

Eukanaba Biscuits – These are regular biscuits without the beefy flavor. My doggies don’t really like them very much, but if there’s nothing else, they’ll still eat this. These biscuits come in 200-g. packs and cost about P45 a bag.

Schmackos Strapz – These strips are thin and less chewy than the Beggin’ Strips. They come in plain and bacon flavors and get gobbled up sooner than I can say, "treat!" A bag of Schmackos costs P35.

Vitakraft Beef Sticks – Beef jerky for canines. These treats are best given when you want your doggies to keep still for at least three minutes. I notice that Greta takes the longest time to finish them. "Well, I have small and dainty teeth," she barks. A 12-g. stick costs P28.

Doritos – For me, not my doggies. This is what I eat after I’ve given my canine companions their treats. I know, I know. Junk food isn’t good for dogs or humans. But when did that ever stop anyone from snacking on junk food once in a while?

Here,Yuri, want a Dorito?

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