Frozen Dog Treats 

I’m sure many of you have given your dogs a few ice cubes in their water on a hot day? Or if they were really lucky, a few ice cubes to chase around or chomp on.

What Can You Freeze for Your Dog?

• Vegetables & Fruit – plain veggies like green beans, squash, and sweet potato are fun to freeze and give as a cold treat. Just as fun are icy cool bananas, strawberries, and apples.
• Chicken & Beef Broth – This should be a staple in your doggie pantry. It makes for great homemade dog treats, like the chicken broth biscuit recipe, but it is also a base ingredient for many chilly dog treats. Chicken or beef broth that is low in sodium is preferable to use for all of your dogs treat recipes.
• Fruit Juices – You can use fruit juices for cold treats on a hot day. It’s best to use juices that are lower in sugar. For example, look for juices that list “no added sugar”.
• Yogurts – Another base ingredient, is plain low-fat yogurt. You’ll find many ways to mix this into your frozen dog treats.
• Baby Foods – These make a nice addition to a cool snack. Use organic fruit or vegetable blends for added flavor.

Tips & Techniques

• Ice Cube Trays – When using ice cube trays to freeze treats for your dog, you may want to buy a set just for him. You can make them a different color or style than the trays your family uses. There’s nothing worse than putting a chicken broth ice cube in your glass of water!
• Cupcake Liners – You can use paper liners instead of ice cube trays to freeze treats. Once frozen, let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes. Then simply tear away the paper liner and watch your dog enjoy her treat.

Keep in mind, any time you’re warm, your dog most likely is, too. So, when you come back from a long walk, hanging out by the pool or really working up a pant by competing in agility or fly-ball, remember, homemade frozen dog treats are sure to hit the spot.

———————————————————————–

Ice Cream Heaven

Peanut butter is a great ingredient to use in ice creams because most dogs love it.

Here is a great starter recipe that is easy to make.

Ingredients

• 1 banana
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 2 cups natural yogurt
• 2 tablespoons honey

How to make

1. Mash the banana and stir into the yogurt.
2. Warm the peanut butter either on your stove or in the microwave until it is easy to stir.
3. Add the banana/yogurt mixture and the honey.
4. Mix everything until well combined.
5. Pour into non-stick trays or containers and freeze. We like to use ice cube trays, or freeze in small dog sized containers!
6. Freeze overnight or until frozen

This recipe makes a lovely creamy ice-cream. It is nicer if you take it out of the freezer to let it soften before giving it to your dog. It depends on how big your frozen portions are, but this could take somewhere between ten minutes and half an hour.

———————————————————————–

Strawberry Ice Cream

Strawberries are as good for dogs as for us – and they usually love them.

Ingredients

• 1 small tub of strawberries.
• 3-4 cups low fat ready-made custard.

How to make

1. Mash the strawberries. This can get a bit messy! We use a potato masher. It is ok if it stays a bit lumpy – your dog won’t mind!
2. Mix custard and strawberries together.
3. Freeze overnight or until frozen in individual containers.

Defrost slightly before serving.

If your dog doesn’t much like strawberries then you can use other berries or bananas for this recipe. Just experiment to get the texture your dog likes. If your dog is a big fruit lover, then check out these fruit dog treats too.

———————————————————————–

Puppy Ice Pops

A fast and easy frozen “pop” dogs will love, this treat is as simple as one ingredient!

You need:

• Chicken or beef broth (fat-free, low-sodium, no onion ingredients)

Freeze overnight in ice cube trays or mini muffin pans. You can feed a few alone as treats for your dog. Or, try placing on top of kibble or in the water bowl to enhance flavor. Again, experiment with mix-ins like finely diced carrots, apples, or lean meat.

Alternatively, you can cut fresh watermelon into chunks and freeze them. Dogs love these mildly sweet frozen treats on a hot day, and you might enjoy some too!

———————————————————————–

Frozen Yogurt Dog Treats Recipe

Makes 30-40 Cubes

Ingredients:

4 cups yogurt (flavored or plain, your choice. I went with plain.)

½ cup creamy peanut butter

2 tablespoons honey

1 ripe banana, mashed

Directions:

1. Melt peanut butter in microwave for about 30 seconds
2. Place all of the ingredients into a blender, mixer or food processor and mix well (until smooth)
3. Pour into ice cube trays or Popsicle trays.
4. Freeze until firm.
5. Pop out of the tray (you’ll need a knife) and let your dog enjoy this frozen treat!

———————————————————————–

*** Peanut Butter & Jelly Frozen Pops ***

This recipe for dog treats also makes a nice smoothie drink. Serve as is for a hydrating treat, or to secretly add liquid dog vitamins and supplements to your dogs daily diet.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups plain yogurt, low or fat-free
• 1 ripe banana
• 1 cup of blueberries
• 3 tbsp peanut butter, natural and salt-free is preferred
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Stir all of the ingredients together into a medium bowl.
2. Pour into a blender, and puree until smooth.
3. Pour the smoothie into ice cube trays and freeze.

Storing – if frozen into smoothie pops, will last for 6 months or more in the freezer. You can keep the smoothie in its liquid form, but keep it refrigerated for about a week.

Yield – Using a 1/2 inch ice cube tray, you will make 32 PB & J Smoothie dog treats.

admin