Even pets need a cool treat in the summer, says a local business that has started selling frozen treats made for dogs to help them beat the heat.
Laza Food & Beverages Inc. has released a line of single-serve ice pops called Arki Frozen Dog Treats.
The bone-shape treat is made in Guelph using all-natural ingredients.
Melku Gebrekristos, CEO of Laza Food & Beverages, explains there are very few companies in Canada who sell this type of product.
"There are very few choices of frozen dog treats to buy, pets deserve to have cool treats," said Gebrekristos, "and pet owners feel good to treat their pet while they treat themselves, and most of all it is a healthy treat and made of human-grade ingredients."
The idea to launch a line of frozen dog treats came from Gebrekristos son, Essay Michael Gebrekristos, who owns a dog named Arki.
In Tigrinya, a language spoken in Eritrea, Arki means ‘friend.’
“She is excellent,” said Gebrekristos about Arki, “They (Essay Michael and Arki) have a special bond. If we are sitting in the living room, she suddenly goes to the door and I think, 'Oh he must be here,'... and I wonder, 'How does she know?'"
She adds Essay Michael also helped design product labels, take product photos and create the mould used for the treats. It took a year to develop the idea before the product was officially launched at Laza in July.
“It is a really good idea,” said Gebrekristos, "He is full of excellent ideas."
The treats come in four flavours, carrot chicken, blueberry moringa (a type of plant), tuna oats and banana peanut butter.
Gebrekristos mentions it’s not only canines who enjoy the frozen treat.
“We have a tuna and oat flavour, and cats love the tuna and oat,” she said.
Residents can find the treats in select stores across Guelph or at the farmers markets in Guelph and Aberfoyle. At Guelph Lake and Royal City Park, the treats are sold alongside Laza’s popsicles.
"It's doing very well," she said about the product, mentioning lots of residents like that they are made in Guelph, "We have online orders, we do deliveries."
