Remember those carefree hot summer days when you were a kid and how a cold creamy treat from the ice cream truck tasted so good? You probably even shared some with the dog and that made it even more special!
Yes, our dogs love those icy treats on hot days too. Whether they’ve been out playing Frisbee or just napping under a tree, they love crunching on frozen ‘pupsicles.’
You can find frozen dog treats in the freezer section of some stores now and a particularly popular one is Purina Frosty Paws. Containing high quality protein fortified with vitamins and minerals and no added sugar, artificial flavors or colors, it actually is nutritional as well as delicious. But you can easily make healthful and delicious summer snacks at home for your best friend.
A simple frozen banana, carrot, chunk of cheese, or weenie will delight your dog on hot days. Something as easy as plain old ice cubes or treat cubes with a strawberry or banana slice or a cheese chunk in the center will cool your pup when the heat is relentless. For larger dogs, add several different treats and freeze in disposable cups.
To make your pup feel extra special, try this recipe. Blend a couple of spoons of peanut butter with mashed banana, add a spoonful of honey and mix in about a half cup of water to make a better freezing consistency. For optional extra crunch, throw in a few unsalted peanuts.
If you want to be a bit creative, try mixing and matching various fruit juices with your dog’s favorite fruit such as apple bits or canned peaches along with plain yogurt before freezing into cubes. You may even want to go all out and blend smoothies or slushes for your dog to lap up or crunch in frozen cubes. However, stick to fruit juices and water for liquid as many dogs cannot easily digest milk. Creamy treats can be made by mixing half cottage cheese and half water and freezing into cubes.
For dogs who prefer meaty tastes, freeze chicken or beef broth, or even thin unsalted gravies into cubes. For an extra surprise, add a chunk of baby food meat, a piece of milkbone, or a cheese bit into each cube before freezing.
Humans aren’t the only ones who enjoy cold goodies on hot days. Whether you’re spiking volleyballs on the beach and lapping chocolate dreamsicles or just relaxing around the patio slurping ice cream floats on a summer evening, make sure your dog has some 'pupsicles' of his own.
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Joy Butler - Writer, retired lab tech, mom, and animal lover with over 20 years' experience rescuing, kenneling, training and showing dogs.
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