Scrumptious Summertime Sweets!
- Guyton Animal Hospital
- Jun 20, 2024
- 7 min read
With the summer temperatures soaring day by day, it's important to keep your pets cool and comfortable in this unrelenting heat. With many pets now needing to spend more time inside due to the extreme temperatures, you might be wondering how to keep them cool and entertained.
Check out these easy recipes below for some yummy summer treats to keep your pet comfortable in the heat! Also take a look at some easy DIY enrichment activities you can give to your dog to keep them entertained inside!
FOR DOGS
1. Frozen PB and Jam Bites
Ingredients:
1 cup of strawberries
¼ cup of water
1/2 cup of xylitol-free peanut butter
1 cup of plain, unsweetened, Greek yogurt
blender or food processor
silicone mold baking tray
Method:
Wash the strawberries and slice off the tops.
Add the strawberries, Greek yogurt, and water to the blender and blend until smooth.
Add the peanut butter and blend until a smooth puree. (Add a couple tbsp. of water to the mixture if the mix isn't blending smoothly.)
Pour the mix into a silicon mold baking tray.
Freeze 4-6 hours or overnight.
Serve these treats straight out of the freezer and watch your pup enjoy!
Notes:
You can substitute the strawberries for another tasty fruit like a banana or blueberries.
If your dog is sensitive to dairy, omit the yogurt and replace with 1/2 cup pumpkin puree.
2. Coconut Berry Balls
Ingredients:
1 cup of organic coconut oil (good for skin and coat health!)
1/2 cup of raspberries
1 teaspoon of honey
blender or food processor
silicone mold baking tray
Method:
Melt the coconut oil in the microwave for 5 second increments until completely meted. Let cool for a few minutes.
Blend the raspberries and honey until pureed.
Pour the coconut oil into the raspberry-honey mixture and mix thoroughly by hand.
Pour the mixture into the silicone mold.
Freeze 4-6 hours or overnight.
Serve when hardened. Because coconut oil stays hard in cool temperatures, you can store your balls in the fridge in an airtight container to save on freezer space.
3. Star-Spangled Pup Pops
Ingredients: (Recipe yields 6 Pup Pops)
Six 5 oz. plastic cups
3 cups (24 oz.) plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt
2 cups of diced strawberries
2 cups of halved blueberries
6 Rawhide rolls
Method:
Wash the strawberries and blueberries thoroughly.
Cut the stems off the strawberries and dice them. Set aside 1/3 cup.
Cut the blueberries into halves. Set aside 1/3 cup.
Set aside 4 oz. of yogurt.
Take one 5 oz. plastic cup and add 1 oz. of yogurt on the bottom.
Layer a few strawberries and blueberries on top of the yogurt.
Add another ounce of yogurt on top, and then add another layer of fruit.
Repeat the yogurt and fruit layering process until you use all 4 ounces of yogurt.
Any remaining fruit, sprinkle on top of the yogurt.
Place the rawhide roll in the middle of the cup.
Repeat steps 4-10 for the remaining 5 plastic cups.
Place the cups in the freezer for 4-6 hours or overnight.
13. Once frozen, run the pops under warm water to loosen the cups.
Monitor and watch your dog as they enjoy their sweet little treat!
Notes:
Each pop will have 4 oz of yogurt, 1/3 cup of blueberries, and 1/3 cup of strawberries
For a quicker method, skip the layering and mix in the 1/3 cup of strawberries and 1/3 blueberries into the 4 oz. yogurt and spoon into the plastic cups before freezing.
For smaller dogs, you can halve the recipe and use a 2 oz. plastic cup instead.
Plastic cups can be substituted with paper or foil cupcake liners for easier clean-up. Just peel the liner off after frozen.
If you don't have any rawhide rolls, you can substitute with dog biscuits (ex. Milk Bones,) a celery stick, or a large carrot.
4. ENRICHMENT: Classic Stuffed Frozen KONG
Method:
Blend or mash all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
Spoon your mixture into the KONGs. (You can also place the mixtures in a Ziploc bag, cut a small hole in one of the corners, and squeeze into the KONGs.)
Freeze for 4-6 hours or overnight.
For the recipes with "dryer" ingredients, add a few tbsp. of water to the mixture to make it easier to spoon the ingredients in the KONG.
Serve to dog and watch them lick away for up to an hour!
Pot Pie KONG:
1 cup of boiled, mashed potato
½ cup unseasoned, cooked ground turkey (can substitute with 1/2 cup boiled, shredded chicken breast)
1/4 cup cooked, chopped carrots
1/4 cup peas
Peanut Butter Banana KONG
1 banana
1-2 teaspoons of honey
1/2 cup xylitol-free peanut butter
1/4 cup plain oats
Thanksgiving KONG:
1 boiled, mashed sweet potato
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup of shredded, boiled chicken
1/2 cup of cooked carrots
Classic KONG:
1 cup of your dog's kibble, softened in water for 30 minutes (if on wet food, use 1/2 can of their wet food)
1/2 cup bone broth for dogs (can substitute for LOW SODIUM or unsalted chicken/beef/bone broth for humans)
Top with 1 long treat to insert in middle (celery stick, sweet potato jerky, rawhide treat, bully stick, 1 carrot, Greenie, etc.)
Skin + Coat Boost KONG
1 boiled egg, peeled
1 boiled, mashed sweet potato
1-2 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 cup boiled chicken breast
Top with 1-3 dried minnows or dried sardines (can sub with 1 tbsp salmon oil)
Fruit Boost KONG
1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/4 cup diced blueberries
1/4 cup chopped raspberries
1/4 cup chopped strawberries
Strawberries and Cream KONG
1/2 cup unsweetened, plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup diced strawberries
1/4 cup oats
Notes:
Each recipe will fill 2-3 Large sized KONGs
Ensure your dog's KONG is appropriately sized for them and can't be swallowed whole.
Always monitor your dog when giving frozen enrichment treats or new toys.
For pups with less patience, or for pups who can't quite figure out how to get the food out of KONGs, switch to the West Paw Toppl.
5. ENRICHMENT: Frozen Fruit Bowl
This Frozen Fruit Bowl is a great way to keep your pup entertained for several hours while outside and to keep them cool! This recipe is one of the easiest enrichment treats you can make and can be fully customized! It can be used for dogs, cats, and even chickens!
Ingredients:
One extra large bowl
One smaller bowl that can fit in the larger bowl
3-6 fruits of your choice
4-5 lb weight (This will weigh down the smaller bowl, You can use a handful of medium rocks, a dumbbell, a pack of frozen meat, etc.)
(Optional): Pet Bone/Beef/Chicken Broth or No-Salt Bone/Beef/or Chicken Broth
(Optional): 1/2 to 1 cup of your dog's kibble
Method:
Wash all of your fruits thoroughly. Remove stems, cores, seeds, and/or peels depending on your fruit
Cut the fruits into small, bite sized pieces.
In your larger bowl, place a layer of fruit slices at the bottom. If you're using kibble, sprinkle some kibble pieces on the bottom now.
Take your smaller bowl and place on top of the fruit layer.
Add more fruit slices in the space between the small and large bowl until the space is filled.
Take your 4-5 lb weights and place inside the smaller bowl. This will help keep the bowl in place when you add your water.
Pour water around the fruit slices and fill the space completely. (Optional: You can mix some pet broth/no-salt broth with the water to create an even tastier treat.)
Place both bowls in the freezer and freeze 4-6 hours or overnight.
When fully frozen, remove both bowls, and give your dog the fruit ice bowl you created!
Notes:
You can use fruits like apples, bananas, blueberries, raspberries, watermelon (remove the seeds) and strawberries.
You can also throw in vegetables if your dog prefers vegetables. Mix and match as many dog-safe ingredients as you want!
FOR CATS
If you have a cat that you take on adventures, it can be difficult to keep them adequately cooled and hydrated. These easy recipes below can ensure your feline friend stays cool all summer long! These frozen treats can also be used for cats that live outdoors, cats that are indoor/outdoor, or cats that like to lounge on your patio/catio.
1. Meowsicles
Ingredients:
Cat Squeezy Treats
Method:
Place the squeezy treat in the freezer for 1-2 hours.
Serve as cat safe popsicle!
2. Frozen Fish Cubes
Ingredients:
Canned fish (with no salt, oils, or spices) (ex. canned tuna in water or canned salmon in water)
1/2 cup water
silicone baking mold tray
blender or food processor
Method:
Put the canned fish in your blender and blend with the 1-2 cup of water. If needed, add more tbsp. of water until you get a smooth consistency.
Pour the mixture into the silicone tray and place in the freezer.
Freeze for 4-6 hours or overnight.
Serve to your cat in a bowl or on a towel for a yummy, cool treat!
3. Pate Pops
Ingredients:
2 five-ounce cans of pate (if you don't have pate, canned shreds or chunks can work, too)
Cat jerky sticks or Silvervine sticks
1/4 cup of crunchy cat treats (or 1/4 cup of your cat's kibble)
1-2 tbsp. of catnip or powdered silvervine
silicone baking mold tray
(Optional): blender or food processor if you have shredded or chunked canned food
Method:
Place the cans of pate in a small bowl. (If you have canned shreds or chunks, place the cans in a blender and add 1/2 cup water and blend until a pate consistency.)
Pour in the crunchy treats or kibble in the pate and mix well.
Spoon the mixture in the silicone tray.
For the "popsicle" sticks, place one jerky stick (or silvervine stick) in the middle of each mold.
Place the tray in the freezer for 4-6 hours or overnight.
When serving, monitor your cat as they enjoy their treat!
4. Kitty Ice-cream
Ingredients:
1/2 to 1 cup of Goat's Milk
Freeze dried cat treats of your choice (ex. freeze dried chicken, minnows, salmon, or chicken heart)
silicone baking mold tray
Notes:
Raw Goat Milk or Packets of Powdered Goat Milk mixed with water can work.
Method:
Fill the mold halfway with goat's milk.
Chop up the freeze dried treats into bite sized pieces and sprinkle a few pieces into each mold.
Pour more goat's milk into the mold until it's filled.
Place the tray into the freezer for 4-6 hours or overnight.
Serve the ice-cream to your cat in a bowl or on a towel!
5. Yogurt Drops
Ingredients:
1/2 to 1 cup plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt
Canned Tuna or Canned Chicken (in water)
silicone baking mold tray
Notes:
Make sure the canned meat is in water and is not packed with oil, vinegar, salts, or spices.
Method:
In a bowl, mix together the Greek yogurt and canned tuna in a 2:1 ratio (2 parts yogurt, 1 part tuna).
Spoon the mixture in the silicone tray and freeze for 4-6 hours or overnight.
Serve in a bowl or on a towel!
Comments