Frozen snacks for greedy and hungry dogs? Some dairies have thought about it, like Wild Willy’s in Pointe-Claire. But others wanted to go further, even going so far as to look for a recipe and ingredients in Italy to flatter the taste buds and preserve the health of our canines. This is the case of La Léchée, in La Petite-Patrie, which recently offered sugar-free frozen treats made to measure for dogs.
Kitsu didn’t have to be asked. Barely after sniffing the portion of ice cream placed under his nose, the shiba inu greedily devoured it, enticed by the funny smell of coconut. This is how La Léchée’s very first customer ate the new product offered by the brand, affiliated with the Bilboquet ice cream counter in Rosemont.
He was probably unaware of the whole behind-the-scenes process before those canine treats hit the shelves. Because the owner of the business, Clemente Monterosso, traveled this summer to Padua, Italy, to meet the artisans of Rue Flambée, who have developed a mixture specifically intended for dogs. Knowing the love of Quebecers (well, not all, but many) for their pets, Mr. Monterosso returned from the Italian boot with, under his elbow, several kilos of the two recipes, respectively with Italian almond and coconuts, which come in the form of flour. “It’s very simple, it’s like oatmeal, you add water to the mixture, pour it into molds, then put it in the freezer. While making it in Padua, I ate it myself, it’s very good,” says the Montreal importer.
Alright, but why bother bringing those “perlimchienchien” powders from Italy, when you could just dip a spoon in a jar of Coaticook and offer it to Pitou-qui-gobe-tout? Well, you have to be careful with what you offer your companion, as veterinarian Lucie Hénault told us in a previous article, dairy products appear on the list of potential allergens for animals. . Also, sugar in an unreasonable amount is not recommended for them.
It is in collaboration with an Italian veterinarian specializing in animal nutrition that the owner of Rue Flambée, Fausto Benetazzo, developed these ice cream flour recipes. “We developed it with oatmeal and fibre, with protein from free-range eggs, which is important for dogs. There is no palm oil, lactose, preservatives, gluten, sugar, stevia, or aspartame, ”lists Mr. Benetazzo, joined by videoconference.
The two mixtures, under the supervision of the veterinarian, were first tested on a dozen breeds of dogs of all sizes, to ensure that everyone found them to their liking. The vast majority are licking their chops… but no rule without exception, since Ozzy, young shih tzu and second customer of La Léchée, although intrigued, finally lifted the truffle on his ice cream. Perhaps he will find his happiness in the future flavors currently being developed in Italy, where canine gelato is the big trend? In the meantime, Mr. Monterosso would like to play the pioneers by implementing this new ritual in Quebec, “friendly and affordable”. Canine frozen treats are sold for $4 per tray, which contains two pieces.
