Icy Treats for Hot Dogs

Help your pets cool off in the dog days of summer with tasty frozen delights made just for them.

When the heat seems to crank all the way up on sweltering summer days, nothing beats the refreshment of a cool treat. The next time you enjoy a tasty ice cream cone or popsicle, consider giving your dog one of his own. Several manufacturers offer frozen treats made just for dogs.

Sweet Frosty Scoops

The next time you’re tempted to share your ice cream cone with your dog, consider giving him Frosty Paws from Nestlé Purina. Simply pull off the top of this frozen treat and let him lick the treat out of the cup while you hold it for him, or scoop the contents into his bowl. Frosty Paws come in original and peanut butter flavors.

A similar treat for dogs is Puppy Scoops Ice Cream from Puppy Cakes. This product comes as a mix; just stir hot water into as much or as little of the mix as desired, then freeze the mixture. When your dog needs a cool treat, take it from the freezer and let it thaw for 10 to 15 minutes, then serve to your canine companion. Puppy Scoops Ice Cream Mix comes in four flavors: peanut butter, vanilla, carob and maple bacon.

For a little variety in your dog’s frozen treat selection, offer him one of the flavors of Nature’s Variety SweetSpots. These frozen yogurt treats formulated specifically for dogs come in two flavors: sweet potato and molasses, and peanut butter and honey. Like the Frosty Paws treats, SweetSpots come in individual cups that you can help your dog eat or scoop into a separate sturdy bowl.

Other frozen delectables to consider include: YöPup frozen yogurt for dogs from Yöghund, available in Banana & Peanut Butter or Apple & Cheddar flavors; frozen yogurt from The Bear & The Rat, which comes in Bacon Peanut Butter and Banana Peanut Butter flavors in 16-oz. tubs and Pumpkin flavor in four 3.5-oz. tubs; and Freezy Pups Frozen Treat Kits from Head of the Pack, the kits include a bone-shaped tray and a sample packet of four flavors: White Cheddar Cheese, Chicken Soup, Banana Honey and Sweet Potato ‘n Maple.

Made With Love

If your local stores don’t stock these frozen treats or your dog has dietary concerns, you can make some at home quickly and easily. A Google search for “homemade frozen dog treats” turns up many recipes, ranging from peanut butter “pup-sicles” to chicken pops. Some ideas are as simple as making chicken broth ice cubes, or as elaborate as bone-shaped creamy peanut butter and jelly ice cream nuggets. If you have concerns about which ingredients are safe for your dog, consult your veterinarian.

Cool Alternatives

For times when you want to help your dog cool down without adding to his calorie count, try one of these frosty options:

• Cool Pup Cooling Toys by Guardian Gear. These rubber toys can be filled with water and stored in the freezer (holes facing up) until your dog needs a fun way to cool off. As the ice in the toy melts, the cool water seeps from the holes in the toy. The toys come in ice cream cone and Popsicle shapes (shown right) in a variety of colors.
• Arctic Freeze and Hydro Toys by Hugs Pet Products. Similar to the Cool Pup Cooling Toys, these rubber toys come in a variety of shapes to satisfy the cooling and chewing needs of all breeds of dogs. Arctic Freeze toys are prefilled with purified water, just store them in the freezer until needed; the Hydro toys feature a foam core surrounded by molded rubber, simply soak them in water and freeze for cool fun.
• Chilly Bones by Multipet. These freezable canvas toys work well for teething puppies as well as hot dogs. Simply run the toy under water, put in back in the provided plastic bag, and place it in the freezer until you need it. Chilly Bones are available in two sizes, 5.5 inches and 7 inches.

And in a pinch, you can always put an ice cube or two in your dog’s water bowl so he can enjoy a nice, cool drink. Remember to keep your dog’s bowl out of the direct sun if possible, and be sure to offer him plenty of water all summer (and all year) long.

Stacy N. Hackett is an award-winning writer with more than 25 years’ experience in the pet industry. She is the former editor of Pet Product News and a former staff editor with Cat Fancy, Cats USA, Critters USA and Ferrets USA. To learn more about her work, visit stacynhackett.vpweb.com.