Making Tails Wagg (Wagg Sensitive Dog Treats)

Member Name: FourPaws

Product:	Wagg Sensitive Dog Treats
Date:	30/07/09 (129 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: >£1, ideal for sensitive tums, no added sugar or artifical junk

Disadvantages: Just 4% lamb in the ingredients

*What are Wagg Sensitive Dog Treats?*
These dog treats are produced by the Wagg company- the well established manufacturers of a variety of budget dry complete dog food for puppies, adults and seniors, and a small collection of relatively new treats and snacks for dogs.

*The product itself*
There isn't much in the way of food that upsets either Grace or Benson. Over the years, their tummies have had to deal with some unusual choices of snacks, such as the odd television remote, assorted chunks of wood and stones and a vast collection of half chewed up dog toys, so by now, their digestive systems are pretty well used to just about anything and thankfully, they can gobble up whatever they like without any unpleasant surprises from either end! Well, the occasional chewing binge on any household item small enough to fit in their mouths can be slightly problematic, but, it does, at long last, appear that they are getting over their addiction for these.

For the third canine in my life however, things aren't quite the same. The dog in question is Alfie, a little Shih Tzu who isn't strictly mine- he belongs to my best friend but he often comes to stay with me whenever my friend is away, so I like to class him as an honorary member of the FourPaws gang!

He doesn't quite have the stomach made of steel that Grace and Benson have, and pretty much anything, other than his usual dry food causes him to get an upset tummy and occasionally, sickness! My friend is able to manage his diet quite well, making sure he only gets the foods that are trusted not to upset his stomach, but when he comes to stay with me, things are obviously a little harder with Grace and Benson around too. Whenever I give my two a treat, poor little Alfie looks at me with eyes sad enough to melt the coldest of hearts, as if to say ''well, why don't I get one too?!''.

So this is what led me to the purchase of these Wagg Sensitive Dog Treats. The range appears to be fairly new, I first noticed it around a year or so ago but never really paid much attention to it, as the treats in the range really are very cheap, and I didn't trust something so cheap to be particularly healthy for my beloved pooches, so I always by passed them. However, when I noticed they produced a packet of treats designed for dogs with sensitive stomachs, I decided to purchase a couple of packets to try with Alfie, in the hope that if they didn't upset his stomach, and he liked them, then I would have them available to give to him so he isn't left out when I give Grace and Benson snacks.

The treats are of the moist chewy kind, not a hard crunchy biscuit style snacks and have been specifically produced with the needs of dogs with sensitive tummies in mind. They have been oven baked, making them lower in fat than most manufactured dog treats and are made with an easily digestible blend of lamb and rice, known to be gentle on delicate digestions, whilst still providing a tasty source of essential protein and energy.

Pleasingly, they also boast claims of containing no artificial colours or flavours and have no added sugar either. The inclusion of various vitamins and minerals however provides much needed nutrients to help keep your dog happy and healthy and lastly, they have been enriched with a pre-biotic, to help care for dodgy doggie digestions!

*Packaging*
The treats come packaged in a small red and cream plastic packet that clearly states the product name and small amounts of other relevant information you might like to know about the treats. On the reverse, you'll find all the usual bumph such as ingredients, feeding guides, nutritional information and contact details for Wagg.

*Price & Availability*
Wagg treats and foods seem to be quite readily available in most supermarkets and the vast majority of pet shops. The treats are very reasonably priced, with a 125g packet costing you just 95p.

Although, Pets At Home currently (end July 09) have them on offer for 79p, so there is a small saving to be had there if your dog is a particular fan of the Wagg Treat range.

*My opinion*
If there is one positive side to Grace and Benson eating absolutely anything they can get their paws on, then it is that I can quite simply buy them any kind of treat from whatever range I choose to go for on that day, and I know they'll be majorly enjoyed and that the dogs won't suffer any adverse reactions where toilet habits are concerned! Which can only be a good thing considering the size of my mutts and the amount of waste they are capable of producing!

However, like aforementioned, little Alfie isn't quite such lucky and his owner, my best friend, has to take extreme care and give a great deal of attention to whatever she feeds him- as the smallest amount of a food that doesn't agree with him, can leave him quite sick for a number of days. The one really annoying and difficult factor however is that there hasn't ever been anything that Alfie has been pinpointed to be allergic to- it really is a game of pot luck as to whether something affects him or not!

So when I spotted this treats, pretty confident that my friend hadn't tried Alfie on them before, I purchased a couple of packets. One pack so my friend could try Alfie on them at home first (and therefore not hold me responsible if they did affect him!) and then the second pack to keep at mine if Alfie was able to eat them, if not, then I was sure Grace and Benson could find them a good home!

It just so happens when I arrived home from the shops with the treats, my friend just that second called in for a cuppa with Alfie in tow, so we let him sample the treats right away. Opening the packet, I was greeted by 20 or so relatively small treats- each around an inch in diameter and in an oval shape- mainly red with a white paw print design in the centre. The treats felt quite soft and squashy and also pretty crumbly too- lastly, they smelt pretty disgusting- but nevertheless, they drew the attention of Alfie, as well as my two, so we handed them all one each.

Grace and Benson gulped and swallowed them without them hitting the sides, so no real surprises there then. Alfie however, being a Shih Tzu is typically rather fussy like most small dogs, so took some encouragement before he tasted his treat, but once sampled, he was literally begging for another one.

So, that was the first test- Alfie actually liked, enjoyed and was willing to eat them, now it was time to wait and see whether it was going to remain safely in his stomach, or make a swift exit from his rear end! Well, I'm very glad to report, it was the first option. My mate ended up staying late and after sharing a bottle of wine with myself, she decided just to stop over, along with Alfie of course, and the next morning when we took him and my two on a walk together, his toilet waste was completely normal. Apologies to all those eating their dinner.

Anyway, during his next visit a week or so later, we got the Wagg treats out once again, glad to have found something that he enjoyed and that also agreed with him and dished a few out. This time however, they did upset his stomach. Although in all fairness, he did receive about 6 of the treats over the course of the day- one of two of them he can handle OK, but anymore gives him the runs.

A little point I would like to mention about these treats, is that I am glad to say I have been proved wrong in my earlier assumption that because these treats are so cheap, they would be packed with complete crap. Comparing the ingredients list of these Wagg treats and a similar Pedigree treat- the Wagg ones were miles better- containing no artificial gunk, added sugar or meat derivates- the Pedigree ones contain all 3, and cost on average £1 more per pack. The Wagg treats still may only contain 4% rice and 4% lamb, but the rest of the ingredients are not shockingly bad unlike the Pedigree ones.

To finish up, these treats are definitely going to be a regular purchase from now on- by both my best friend and myself. It is right nice to find something to treat Alfie with now and then, to give him a little break from his usual bland foods and prevent him feeling left out when he is around Grace and Benson receiving treats. He may not be able to consume as many as he would perhaps like to, but his tummy can deal with them in small amounts, so they make a nice occasional treat for him. Of course, Grace and Benson love them too, and they don't affect their stomachs in the slightest- that said, they could probably eat a tanker full of nuclear waste each and still be OK.

A nice little find that gets the paws up from 3 doggies, one of which is insanely fussy, that is actually doing them good, and doesn't break the bank either!

Summary: As far as dog treats go, you couldn't ask for much more for under £1!