Animal-lovers can now enjoy a drink with their four-legged companions – after a pub became one of the first to sell beer especially for DOGS.
Landlord Craig Armstrong, 52, has taken dog-friendly pubs to another level by stocking a Belgian beverage that is exclusively brewed for pooches.
Human beer is harmful to pets, but Snuffle Dog’s range is zero per cent and comes in chicken and beef flavours.
Craig, who runs The Hopwater Cellar in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffs., started selling the tipple last week and says it is already proving very pup-ular.
He said: “Dogs love beer and if you give one some bitter or ale they will lap up every drop.
“But it’s really bad for dogs to drink alcohol. They love chocolate but you shouldn’t give them that either.
“The flavours are chicken and beef and we have had a lot of happy dogs come in to try it.
“I haven’t tasted it myself but one customer told me it was similar to gravy.”
Craig, who quit his job as a computer technician to set up the bar, first spotted Snuffle Dog Beer while visiting a brewery in Nottingham.
It is stocked in pet superstores such as Pets At Home but only a handful of UK pubs are believed to be selling it at their boozers.
He said: “I thought ‘what I good idea’ so when I got home I ordered some.
“We have always been a dog-friendly pub and now they can have a beer with their owners.
“We don’t have a dog because we have two cats but we like animals and enjoy holidays to the Lake District where most pubs welcome dogs.”
Regular customer James Bosworth, 45, comes in with his dachshund Billie and says the new tipple has been a hit with his pet pooch.
He said: “He absolutely laps it all up, he pretty much downs it before I’m half way down my pint.
“I’m glad he’s not on the proper stuff though as I would be carrying him home otherwise.
“We’ve looked up where else stocks it but I can only see one other pub that sells beer for dogs and that’s all the way up in Liverpool.
“So Billie and I will definitely be coming back here again for a pint together.”
Snuffle is brewed in Antwerp in Belgium and is sold in 25cl bottles for £2.50.
While bigger dogs can drink a bottle in one sitting, smaller ones should only consume half.
A Snuffle spokesman said: “We men drink beer with our buddies. Now you can do all that with that other best friend of yours’, your dog.
“Snuffle has been brewed with ingredients that are also used in products for human consumption.
“It is made with beef or chicken and malt barley extracts, mineral oils, vitamin B and other doggy goodies for a taste that will have dogs’ taste buds twitching.
“Just like your pint does for you.”
