DIY Summer Treats For Your Dog

 

Summers can be hot and uncomfortable but they can also be delicious  and refreshing. We all love to enjoy summer treats such as yummy ice creams, seasonal fruits such as mangoes, watermelons, cooling buttermilk and so on. While many of these natural summer treats can also be shared with our dogs in appropriate quantities such as deseeded mangoes and watermelons, some are best kept at a good distance such as sugar and preservative laden ice creams. 

But your fur-baby also deserves some lip smacking cooling summer delights that are also healthy for her.  It’s time to enter the kitchen and make some delicious summer treats for your dogs. 

DIY Easy Dog Summer Treats Recipes You Can Make At Home

Here are some easy and healthy DIY summer treat recipes for dogs (and humans!).

Minty Bites

These minty bites are a great way to keep your dog’s breath fresh. It includes parsey, mint and yogurt. You already know all the wonderful benefits of fresh homemade yogurt. Parsley is great for digestion and some studies show that it may also prevent cancer. In addition, mint is fresh, cool, and it will suppress your dog’s smelly breath. It also contains antibacterial and antifungal properties. Here is how to make these:

Ingredients

• 1 cup Yogurt
• 1 tsp Parsley (add more or reduce as per taste)
• 1 tsp Mint  (add more or reduce as per taste)

How To Make:

1. Put all the ingredients in the blender
2. Blend until a smooth mixture is formed. Mix water if required
3. Pour them into ice tray and freeze
4. Give 1-2 frozen cubes to your dog as a yummy midday/evening snack

Did You Know?

Parsley is diuretic, which makes your dog’s motions smooth and keeps his stomach healthy.

Frozen Fruities

Fruits are a treat in themselves and when they are frozen, they make summers wonderful. Your dog can also enjoy the fruits after freezing them. The frozen fruities include summer fruits like berries, mangoes, pineapple, banana, etc. Put in a cup of yogurt and it will make a wonderful treat for your doggo. Don’t give your dog more than 2-3 pieces to your furball or it will upset his stomach. Here is how to prepare frozen fruities.  

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Yogurt
• Sliced fruits (include more fruits that your dog enjoys more) 

How To Make:

1. Blend the yogurt in a blender
2. Fill the ice tray half with sliced fruits and the other half with blended yogurt
3. Mix using a spoon so it’s nicely combined with yogurt
4. Freeze & enjoy

Did You Know?

Grapes are highly toxic to dogs. You must never treat your dog with grapes. Not even in small quantities

Peanut Butter Fruity Cubes

You might wonder if peanut butter is healthy for dogs or not. It is if it is free of xylitol. Peanut butter includes healthy fat and lots of protein. Peanuts are highly nutritious and dogs can enjoy them too in small quantities. Berries are an excellent source of antioxidants. For dogs, you can safely use strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. So, mix these fresh and tasty ingredients and make this recipe.

Here is how to prepare Peanut Butter Fruity Cubes:

Ingredients

• 2-3 spoons of unsweetened peanut butter
• Chopped berries
• Water, as required

How To Make:

1. Put the berries in a blender with water. Make a fine puree.
2. Add 1 spoonful of Peanut butter. Blend it again. 
3. As the mixture is ready, pour it in silicon molds or ice trays. 
4. Let it sit tight and treat your dog with these tasty frozen cubes

Did You Know?

You should never give salted peanuts to your dogs. Roasted, unsalted peanuts are fine, but salted are a big no-no. You can also easily make your own peanut butter at home for your dogs and family to enjoy.

Cantaloupe Bites

Cantaloupe has a very pleasant fragrance that reminds of summer. They are also safe to be given to our dogs. Cantaloupe is full of vitamins, antioxidants and several other nutrients. Here is how to make cantaloupe bites for dogs:

Ingredients

• 1 cup Cantaloupe
• 1 cup Yogurt

How To Make:

1. Clean cantaloupe and dice it into pieces
2. Take a fresh cup of yogurt and blend cantaloupe with it until smooth
3. Pour it in an ice tray or into popsicle molds
4. Freeze it and serve

Did You Know? 

Fruits should only form 10% of your dog’s entire diet. Too much fat, or sugar content may cause diabetes and weight gain in the long run. More than 1-2 pieces of cantaloupe are not recommended for your dog. 

Frozen Kong

Does your dog own a kong toy? If yes, summer is the time to fill it with some delicious treats. It makes your dog have some fun as  he plays and enjoys some tasty frozen food.

Cheese Kong

Ingredients

• ½ cup Cottage Cheese
• 1 cup boiled potato

How To Make:

1. Mix the two ingredients well and fill in a kong
2. Freeze & Serve

Banana Kong

Ingredients

• 1 medium sized banana
• 1 tablespoon raw honey
• 1 cup yogurt

How To Make:

1. Blend all the ingredients and fill in a kong.
2. Freeze and serve

Carrot Kong

Ingredients

• 1 cup carrot
• 1 boiled sweet potato
• 1/2 cup yogurt

How To Make:

1. Blend all the ingredients and fill it in a kong.
2. Freeze & serve

Did You Know?

Carrots are a great source of vitamin A and your dog can enjoy carrots daily. You can give it boiled, raw, cooked, mashed or in any form, including frozen.

Coconut Oil And Berries Popsicles

Coconut oil is a great way to improve your dog’s coat and you can feed it to him or apply it directly on its fur. This popsicle will not only make his hair shiny but will help reduce hairfall and treat skin conditions, if any. Here is how to make these tasty popsicles.

Ingredients

• ½ cup extra virgin coconut oil
• 1 cup mixed berries
• 1 tablespoon raw honey

How To Make:

1. Clean the berries and chop them
2. Put them in a blender with coconut and blend until smooth
3. Mix the honey  and blend it again
4. Pour it in popsicle molds and freeze
5. Be careful about how much of it you give to our dog

Do You Know?

Coconut oil can be given to a dog orally as well as used on his body. If you give coconut oil to your dog, use cold-pressed virgin oil and administer the dosage carefully. For a small dog, 4-5 drops are good

Carob Smores

Loving your chocolate ice cream but can’t share it with your dog? Don’t worry. Make these carob smores for her and see her enjoy this delicious summer treat. They are perfectly safe and do not contain chocolate or caffeine or any other ingredient which might harm your dog. So, here is how to make them.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Yogurt
• Dog biscuits (sugar & salt free)
• Carob chips

How To Make:

1. Pour ¼  cup carob chips  in a bowl and melt
2. Blend it with yogurt 
3. Now take a dog biscuit, spread the melted carob and yogurt mix generously and seal it with another dog biscuit making an ice cream sandwich
4. Freeze it and it’s ready

Do You Know?

Carob is made of a tree’s beans. They have a unique taste but chocolate like color and texture and it is good at flushing out toxins. 

Frozen Banana Treats

Bananas and yogurt make a perfect combination. They are tasty and safe for your dog. A bit of banana everyday won’t harm your dog. But remember to give it in moderation. 

Here is how to make a tasty banana treat.

Ingredients

• 1 Banana
• 1 cup yogurt

How To Make:

1. Slice the banana
2. Blend yogurt and pour it in a bowl
3. Take a toothpick and push it into a banana slice
4. Then dip it into yogurt and place it into a tray
5. Freeze them and they are ready

Did  You Know?

Bananas contain fiber and natural sugar. Excess sugar may cause diabetes in dogs. Thus, serve this treat to your dog in moderation.

Watermelon Popsicles

Watermelon is full of water and is low on sugar. Plus, in summer, it is available in abundance. It is a good choice to feed your dog watermelon. It will also keep your dog hydrated. Here is how to make watermelon popsicles.

Ingredients

• 1 cup watermelon
• 2-3 drops lemon juice
• Mint leaves

How To Make:

1. Remove watermelon seeds
2. Blend it in a blender with 5-6 mint leaves
3. Put in lemon juice. This step  is optional. See if your dog can digest lemon juice or not
4. Pour the mixture into popsicle mold
5. Freeze & Serve

Did You Know?

Lemon does not suit all dogs. Lemon is rich in vitamin C but there are other better alternatives than lemon juice like Kiwi. Plus, before you give watermelon to your dog, remove the seeds. Dogs find it hard to digest them.

Fruity Smoothies

If your dog can’t wait, make him a quick to serve smoothie. How? It’s simple, just take whatever fruits you have, excluding grapes, avocados, raisins, and get ready with some fresh homemade unsweetened  yogurt. Your dog will love her smoothie just like you do.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of mixed fruits (apples, banana, mangoes, watermelons, barries)
• 1 cup yogurt
• Ice cubes

How To Make:

1. Blend all the fruits and yogurt
2. Make a mixture and blend a few  ice cubes with it
3. Served chilled

Did You Know?

When giving your dog a bite of apple, make sure you remove the seeds. Apple seeds contain amygdalin, a substance that releases cyanide into the bloodstream when chewed and digested

Chicken Broth Cubes

Does chicken stock appeal to you as a summer treat? Maybe not. But your dog will surely love it. Mix it with a few more tasty ingredients and he will drool over it. So, here is how to make it.

Ingredients

• Chicken Stock
• Peanut Butter
• Few parsley leaves

How To Make:

1. Blend all the ingredients well
2. Freeze them into silicon molds and see your pooch enjoy 

Did You Know?

Chicken broth can be a very healthy addition to your dog’s diet as it can detox their kidney and liver.

Pumpkin And Banana Treats

Pumpkin is good for your dog’s health as it adds volume to your dog’s poop. If served fresh and raw, it can be very good for your dog. So, here is how to make a safe and healthy pumpkin and banana treat. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup pumpkin
• 1 cup banana

How To Make:

1. Slice banana and pumpkin and freeze them.
2. Then blend them in the blender and pour them in silicon molds.
3. Serve frozen

Did You Know?

Pumpkins are a safe bet for dogs only if served uncanned, fresh without sugar. Don’t give more than 3-4 pieces of pumpkin daily to your dog

To sum up,

We hope you try out some of these easy peasy recipes and don’t forget to share your experience with us in the comments below. Whenever you’re trying a new food with your dog, always give them in small quantities first to ensure they don’t develop food allergies or side effects. Use fresh, natural ingredients as much as possible instead of market bought commercially available ingredients so you can have full control over quality. And yes, there are no rules here (as long as you're only using dog friendly ingredients). Get creative with these recipes and have loads of summer fun with your pup!