Kokova Magazine

When it comes to dog treat they don't come any more luxurious than Olive's Larder. Individually packed, beautifully presented and perfect for even the most fussy pooch.

At Kokova Magazine we have fussy dogs. Not tiny pampered pooches, but large dogs with large appetites - although they know what they like, and what they don't. And many a treat has been left untouched because it doesn't come up to their standards!

Harry, our large Lurcher (Bull Mastiff Crossbreed) and Emmie, our medium yet 'full-on Madam' mongrel (crossed somewhere between a Collie and a Staffordshire Bull Terrier) have discerning taste when it comes to food. They have to be pretty hungry to eat whatever is put in front of them, and often are because of their fussy ways.

When the box of treats arrived from Olive's Larder they showed little interest at first, probably because everything is vacuum packed for freshness - and so well so that the dogs had no idea what was in store for them. This set the standard because I knew that whatever treats were in the package would be fresh and free from any outside contamination. And it was nice to surprise the dogs, who usually sniff out the tiniest scent of food, if it interests.

The packaging and presentation is the next plus side to Olive's Larder. Beautifully boxed treats that would not look out of place as gifts for your family and friends - and since dogs are both, these elegant treat boxes make the ideal gift.

If you are looking for an everyday selection then the bagged treats, still vacuum packed, are just as suitable, and make a nice addition to any hamper.

Olive's Larder are a family run and independent business that supply healthy, unprocessed and natural hand baked, luxury dog biscuits - as well as dog accessories and natural eco toys.

The treats are all made with 100% human grade ingredients and as organic as they can possibly be. All preservatives are left out of the mix - hence the vacuum packaging.

"To make the world Olive's Larder & our homemade yumminess more accessible we've done the hardwork for you and sourced a delicious collection of dog delights including biscuits, treats and chews to ensure your dog has the best ingredients in their diet at affordable prices."

So, aside from great ingredients and looking fabulous, do the dogs like them? Well, Emmie is usually a little more fussy about what she eats but had no hesitation in taking her treats and coming back for more. In fact, as I write she is by my feet in the hope that some of the packages still left on the desk may fall her way.

Harry, somewhat reserved for his breed, tentatively took his first treat and set it down. However, once the nod of approval had been received via Emmie, and just in case she tried to steal his away, he took it off to his bed to eat. And quickly returned for more.

The treats are quite chunky (a good couple of cm round) and feel fairly hard to touch. They smell divine and it is quite tempting to give one a try! They break fairly easily and are softer inside, like cookies, which makes it easier to break them down into smaller bite-sized pieces to suit your dogs.

Ours have no trouble with the sizing, in fact they could probably eat them all at once. As a treat they are a luxury, but then all treats for dogs should be just that. Save them for special times, for rewarding good behaviour and for when they deserve something a little bit more special.

It is a pleasant change to see a dog treat that actually looks appealing to us, as well as the dogs. It is also good to see that the range carries a wheat- and gluten-free selection too.

Check out the full selection of treats and accessories at www.oliveslarder.co.uk