With temperatures heating up across the country, pupsicles are an easy and highly customizable treat that can entertain your dogs while keeping them cool and hydrated. Pupsicles don’t take the place of making sure your dog is drinking fresh water, but they are a fun way to add more hydration to your dog’s day. Here are a few easy popsicle recipes your dog is sure to enjoy.
Frozen Dog Treat Recipes
To make these frozen treats for your dog you will need a few ice cube trays. You can purchase variously sized silicone baking molds at craft and kitchen supply stores. These molds are inexpensive, easy to freeze, and a perfect way to make different sized treats.
Interactive– Frozen treats can be more than a tasty reward, they can actually be an enrichment toy for your dog. To make these giant interactive enriching popsicles, add items such as your dog’s favorite ball, toy rope, and other water-safe toys into large silicone freezable molds. Then fill with water, put the mold onto a cookie sheet, and place in your freezer overnight. Remove the giant popsicle from the mold and give to your dog. This interactive treat/toy combination will keep your dog busy eating their frozen treat and digging out the toys! Be warned; it’s also messy as it starts to melt, so give this jumbo pop to your dog outside in the yard.
Broth Treats: If your dog needs extra enticement, use chicken, beef or vegetable broth instead of, or mixed with water. Just make sure the broth you use doesn’t contain salt. Freeze the broth in ice cube trays or other silicone containers overnight. You can use this base to spice up the next two recipes as well.
Veggie Treats – To give your dog’s popsicles an added crunch, consider adding small slices of healthy, low-calorie vegetables like carrots and cucumbers to the broth.. You can either fully submerge the vegetables or leave them sticking out to encourage your dog to discover the veggies inside.
Sweet Frozen Treats – While sugar isn’t good for dogs, small quantities of some fruits are safe to share with your dog for sweet frozen treats. To make your dog a fruity popsicle get fresh pineapple, apples or blueberries. Cut up and then liquify fruit in a blender before freezing in ice cube trays overnight and serve to your dog.
Meaty Frozen Treats – To add an extra meaty flavor to your dog’s popsicles, you can add small pieces of unseasoned cooked meat into each ice cube compartment, and then top with either water or broth. Freeze and let your dog enjoy!
Creamy Popsicles – For a creamier treat, use blended bananas or peanut butter, on their own or mixed together. Pour or spoon the peanut butter and/or banana into trays that make very small treats, and freeze overnight. These bite-sized popsicles make great summer training treats, too.
Want some pupsicle recipes? Find them here.
Sassafras Lowrey is an award-winning author and Certified Trick Dog Instructor. Sassafras lives and writes in Brooklyn with her partner, a senior Chihuahua mix, a rescued Shepherd mix, Newfoundland puppy, two bossy cats, and a semi-feral kitten. Learn more at sassafraslowrey.com.
He lo there yes my dog she just like bacon she can’t not eat a different cain of treats..
I have been giving my terrier Hills low fat dog floor.(about 1/3 cup. I top it with lettuce,, small amounts of cooked chicken & boiled egg.
I try giving her low fat hills but she won’t eat it alone. She is either fat or swollen. My dog before her died with peritinitus, I can’t stand it if that happens again.