Summer is definitely a time for staying cool during fun in the sun, and for many of us, beating the heat includes enjoying frozen treats. Just like humans, our dogs also like frozen treats; making them is a great way to provide them with a nutritional snack while keeping them cool at the same time.
Like many desserts, frozen treats for your dog can be as simple, or as fancy as you choose. Best of all, your dog doesn't care if the treats look pretty or not.
Unlike human ice cream treats, frozen treats for dogs aren't always sweet. They may be sweetened with fresh fruits, but your pooch will also enjoy savory treats made with low-sodium chicken broth or ice cubes with some of his favorite kibble included.
Supplies You Need to Make Frozen Dog Treats
Here's a list of the basic items you probably already have around your home that can be used to create frozen doggie treats:
- Silicone molds: We have silicone molds that make fancy ice cubes, perfect for bite-sized treats, cupcake-sized molds that are great for ice creams, and cake-sized molds that we use for sorbets and any desserts that need to be stirred during freezing.
- Small paper cups: These are great for making an individual-sized treat. Peel off the cup after freezing.
- Dog chews: Drop your dog's favorite long chew in the mix to create a "handle" for the treat. The handle will make it easy for you to distribute the treat to your dog (and he'll love it!) Strips of homemade chicken jerky work great, too.
- Turkey baster: If you'd like to make bite-sized treats, a turkey baster is an easy way to get the mixture into the small trays. Another option is to put the mixture in a zippered plastic bag and snip out one corner, squeezing it into the ice trays. This works great with yogurt-based treats.
Frozen Doggie Treat Recipes
Here are a few quick and simple recipes that you can make for your pooch on a hot summer's day.
Frozen Fruit Pupsicle
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup fresh fruit, chopped (do not use grapes or raisins)
Directions
- Wash and core all fruit.
- Finely chop fruit into bite-sized pieces.
- Mix the fruit with water.
- Freeze the mix in ice cube trays or small tubs.
Blueberry Pops
Ingredients
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
Directions
- Puree blueberries and yogurt in a blender.
- Pour the mixture into ice cube trays and freeze.
- Serve frozen.
Dirty Banana Bites
Ingredients
- 1 banana
- ½ cup peanuts
Directions
- Chop peanuts in blender or food processor.
- Peel banana and cut into four pieces.
- Roll banana slices in peanuts. Freeze on wax paper.
You can substitute other nuts for the peanuts in this recipe EXCEPT macadamia nuts, which are toxic to dogs.
When preparing doggie treats, make sure that you consider any allergies that your pet has to specific ingredients. During the hot days of summer, your hound needs something healthy as well as frosty to help cool him down. What could be more fun for Fido than chowing down some delicious homemade frozen treats?
Photo ©iStock.com/MerrilBuckhorn
