As the weather heats up, frozen treats for your dog is a great alternative to your typical dog biscuits. Making treats that help keep your dog cool and are delicious has become easier than ever, with a few ingredients from your grocery store and your freezer. These goodies do not require extensive steps or ingredients and are healthy for your dog.
#1 Frozen dog bone treats
- Baking mold or ice cube trays.
- 2-cup glass measuring cup or similar
- Blender or food processor
- Unsweetened frozen blueberries
- Unsweetened frozen strawberries
- Plain yogurt
- Peanut butter ( Look for no sugar and definitely no xylitol, an artificial sweetener that’s poisonous for dogs).
- Water
Instructions: Whisk together 4 ounces of yogurt and 4 ounces of water for the base. Add more yogurt and reduce the water if you want a creamier treat with more calories. Pour into one row of 5 wells, leaving a generous amount of room for the blueberries. Add blueberries to each well until the mold is almost filled (the pupsicle will expand as it freezes, plus it’s nice to have a little extra space to protect from spills)
#2 Fruity Frozen Punch
- ½ cup watermelon
- ¼ cup pineapple
- ¼ cup blueberries
- 2 strawberries
- ¼ cup cold water
Instructions: Add fruit and water to your blender and blitz until the fruit is completely crushed. Serve in a bowl or wide-mouth cup
#3 Two Ingredient Cantaloupe Ice Cream
- 2 cups (300g) frozen ripe cantaloupe
- 2 tbsp unsweetened yogurt
Equipment
- Food processor or blender
- Freezer
Instructions: Make sure you have space for your cantaloupe in the freezer. Scrub the outside of the cantaloupe thoroughly. Slice the melon in half and remove seeds. Slice each half into quarters and remove the skin, then dice the fruit into bite-sized chunks. Place cut melon in the freezer. The more space around your melon chunks, the faster they will freeze, so if you’re in a rush, place pieces on a baking sheet to speed things up. When completely frozen (2-4 hours or overnight), place about 2 cups (300g) of melon pieces into the food processor. Add 2 tablespoons of unsweetened yogurt. Blend until combined, adding a little cool water if needed to blend to your preferred consistency.
#4 Easy Watermelon Ice Cream
- 1 1/2 cups frozen watermelon
- 1/4 cup yogurt (substitute with coconut milk or coconut yogurt for lactose sensitivities)
Equipment
- Freezer
- Food processor
Instructions: Wash melon before cutting. Dice a few cups of watermelon, removing seeds as you go. Place in freezer for 4 hours (or overnight if you prefer). Place 1 1/2 cups of frozen melon in the food processor. Add 1/4 cup of yogurt. Blitz in a food processor, adding more fruit or yogurt to adjust flavor and texture. Serve immediately.
#5 Banana, Peanut Butter, Carrot, and Bacon Pupsicles
- 6 ripe banana
- 3 tbsps of creamy peanut butter
- 2 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1/2 c shredded carrots
- ice cube tray
Instructions: Cut the bananas and put them in a plastic bag and place the bag in a freezer (2 hours or overnight). Blend the bananas in the blender until smooth, if needed you can add chicken stock. Next, blend the peanut butter with bananas, then pour into a bowl and mix in the carrots and bacon. Fill ice cube tray with the mixture and freeze for at least 4 hours.
#6 Yogurt Pops
- 32 oz of either plain or vanilla yogurt
- 1 banana
- 3 tablespoons peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions: Blend all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Pour mixture into ice cube trays and freeze for 10 minutes. Put toothpicks or Popsicle sticks in the treats meant for the humans, but your dog would like his dessert placed directly into his bowl–or mouth.
#7 Frozen Meat Treats
- 2 cups cooked meat
- ¾ cup plain low-fat yogurt
- A little bit of finely chopped parsley
- 1 cooked and mashed carrot
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Spoon mixture into ice cube trays and place in freezer until hard.
The versatility of this recipe makes it a great option for when your pantry’s running low and you don’t feel like going to the store. Carrots and parsley can be replaced with peanut butter, and the meat can come from your leftover dinner.
#8 Pupsicles
- 2 bananas
- 32 oz plain yogurt
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ¼ cup water
- Ice Cube Trays, Muffin Tins or another small container
Instructions: Blend all ingredients together until you have a smooth consistency. Pour into ice cube trays, muffin tins, or any other kind of small container. Add the dog bones (cheese, fruit, and veggies would also make great garnishes). Freeze overnight.
These treats are completely customizable, so you can cater to your furry friend’s unique pallet. The yogurt can be replaced with sweet potato or pumpkin, and the water can be replaced with chicken broth. So go ahead, what’s your pup’s favorite concoction?
#9 PB & J Freezies
- 12 strawberries
- 3-4 spoonfuls of peanut butter
- ¼ cup cold water
Instructions: Prepare strawberries by washing them and removing stems. Pure water and strawberries. Pour strawberry mixture into ice cube trays. Place a dollop of peanut butter into each tray, and make sure it sinks into the strawberry juice. Freeze for several hours
#10 Apple Peanut Butter Dog Ice Cream
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 tbsp creamy peanut butter (no sugar or xylitol)
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 – 32 ounce container plain whole milk yogurt
Instructions: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together applesauce, peanut butter, and honey until smooth. Warm peanut butter and honey for a few seconds if combining them is difficult. Fold in yogurt until combined. Divide into freezer-safe containers and freeze for at least 2 hours.
