How do you cool down during the summer? Do you sip some ice-cold water, slurp a chocolate milkshake, or head to your nearest ice cream shop? Fortunately, we can easily access refreshing treats and beverages, but our dogs don’t share the same luxury. Plus, most store-bought frozen doggie treats are filled with sugar and other unnecessary ingredients. Luckily, we found some great DIY summer pup treat recipes. Check them out below!
PB & Jam Fro-Treat
(image via the dog people via feast and well)
Did someone say PB&J? Arguably, it’s one of the best sandwiches ever created! We bet your dog would wholeheartedly agree. Luckily, this recipe from The Dog People is super easy to make and has very few ingredients.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup strawberries
- ¼ cup water
- A few dollops of natural xylitol-free peanut butter
Instructions:
- Wash strawberries thoroughly and slice off the tops.
- Add strawberries and water to a blender; blend until you form a smooth purée.
- Pour liquid into ice cube trays, filling approximately ¾ of the way.
- Add a small amount of peanut butter to each ice cube slot using a teaspoon.
- Pop your tray in the freezer and allow it to freeze completely.
- Serve straight from the freezer!
Frozen Broth
Bone broth is a super nutritional snack for doggos. The savory flavor of chicken or beef is just an added bonus. So, if you want to create an inexpensive fro-bro treat this summer, just freeze some leftover broth. Or buy a container or two from the market and keep them handy. NOTE: Do not give your dog frozen broth if it has additional flavorings like garlic and onion powder, as these ingredients are toxic to dogs.
PB & Banana Dog Ice Cream
(image via daily paws/jason donnelly)
This peanut butter and banana ice cream recipe from Daily Paws may have a few additional steps, but let us tell you, your dog will love you more than they already do (if that’s even possible!). Our mouths are salivating just thinking about it…now imagine the drool your pup will experience after getting a taste.
Ingredients:
- 3 medium sliced bananas, frozen
- ½ cup natural creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup plain low-fat yogurt
- ¼ cup crisp-cooked and cooled bacon (crumbled)
Instructions:
- In a food processor, combine frozen bananas, peanut butter, and yogurt. Cover and blend until completely smooth.
- Add bacon to the mix and pulse the processor a couple of times. This will crumble the bacon and mix it in thoroughly.
- For small bites, portion the ice cream into ice cube trays. For larger scoops, use an ice cream scooper and line parchment paper on a tray.
- Freeze for approximately 2 hours.
NOTE: The ice cream can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to one month.
Watermelon Snow Cones
First, we had strawberries, then bananas, and now, we have watermelon! And we all know that no other fruit says “summer” like watermelon.
NOTE: Be sure to use a seedless watermelon. Other ingredients include your dog’s regular everyday food and goat’s milk. Check out a video for this recipe here.
Doggy S’mores
(image via the dog people)
Chocolate-y goodness for dogs? We thought those were toxic! Fortunately, we found the perfect s’mores recipe for your pup, courtesy of The Dog People. Just replace the chocolate with carob, and you’re good to go!
Ingredients:
- Dog biscuits
- 1 cup carob chips or 1 Tbsp carob powder
- 1 cup Greek or plain yogurt
Directions:
- Melt carob chips over boiled water. If you’re using powder, mix it directly into the yogurt.
- Dip one side of a dog biscuit into the carob mixture and place it onto a tray.
- Place another biscuit on top of the first biscuit to make a sandwich.
- Repeat until you’ve used the entire mixture. Put tray in the freezer until hard, then serve.
Frozen Veggies
If you prefer a simple alternative to the sweet treats we mentioned, lean on a good old-fashioned package of frozen veggies. Choose pup-safe varieties, like green beans, carrots, celery, cucumbers, and broccoli. Yum!