Last day of heat in the Seattle area... at least that's what the weather forecast says. We're working to stay cool, and so is our beloved doggie...our furry, unconditional love machine. We must keep him cool too. How? Dips in a nearby lake, and frozen dog treats. And he sits directly in front of a floor fan. Smart dog.
Once upon a time I bought him Frosty Paws. Now, I make them. I can't believe I ever paid good money for the store bought treats. I don't even recognize many of the ingredients in them. That was then.
This dog likes smoothies, so I freeze any leftover smoothie that is dog-edible and certified. Otherwise, I freeze some yogurt for him. Here are some of the ingredients that I use to make frozen treats:
- yogurt
- mashed berries & yogurt
- soup broth
- mashed sweet potato or yam
I use flat, circular plastic dishes that I have from a hamburger shaping kit - they give him a lot of licking surface. Here are some container ideas:
- ice cube trays (dogs tend to bite the cubes rather than lick them)
- paper or plastic bowls
- paper cups (trim the top off for easy access)
- paper ice cream cups
What do you do for your pets in the summer heat? I'd love to hear your ideas, especially for frozen treats!
Erica says
Tracee - it's just as well. They're overpriced too. I'm of the opinion that the dog food industry was created for our convenience. I remember my grandmother saying she fed her dog table scraps - that's all.
Tracee says
We used to do frosty paws too. We can't find them where we live but it didn't dawn on us to make some treats. I'm so glad you posted this!
Erica says
Just came back from a pet store, and there is a new frozen dog treat that uses honey and peanut butter. That sounds good (I think I might like that 🙂
Erica says
Love the image of a hockey puck being tossed around 🙂 (but I wouldn't want to clean it up - or find it a week later).
Nikki says
My dogs always share a few spoonfuls of smoothies when I make them. Hadn't thought of freezing anything else but it has been so hot here I'm sure they'd love it! Great ideas!
dozenz says
I buy some chicken flavored Ice Cream from the store (Dog Specific, but cannot recall the brand). Comes in small circular cups.
I only give it to him on Sundays a treat and he knows the second I touch the box in the freezer what it is.
If its still completely frozen he picks it up like a hockey puck and takes it to various places around the house, so I try to avoid cleaning up by thawing it for 10 minutes or so and placing it in his food bowl.