Homemade frozen pet treats to make it through the dog days of August

The sweltering summer temperatures have many looking to cool down with a cool treat. And your pets don’t have to be left out of the fun. Here are some recipes from the American Kennel Club for easy-to-make frozen treats for your canine companion:

1. Peanut butter pops

For this treat, simply layer peanut butter in the bottom half of an ice cube tray, top it off with a layer of plain yogurt or mashed bananas, and freeze. Pop the frozen treat out of the tray to serve. For best results, use natural, unsalted peanut butter for this snack. It is imperative, however, to check the label to confirm Xylitol is not listed, as the sugar substitute can be poisonous to dogs. Why plain yogurt instead of ice cream for this treat? Unless your pet suffers from lactose intolerance, yogurt is usually better tolerated than ice cream, plus the bacterial cultures in yogurt are great for intestinal health, according to the AKC.

2. Banana pupsicles

Slice up some bananas and freeze the pieces for a few hours. With a blender or food processor, mix the fruit with a few spoonfuls of plain yogurt until you reach the thickness of a milkshake. (Take this treat up a notch by adding into the mixture pumpkin puree or frozen strawberries.) Once all the ingredients are blended together, pour the mixture into ice pop molds or paper cups, insert a “stick” in the middle and freeze. For the pupsicle sticks, the AKC suggests using bone-shaped dog biscuits or another stick-shaped, edible chew.

The AKC recommends feeding your furry friends treats such as those above in moderation, as they can lead to excess weight gain.

Cedar Lane Kennels: 6901 Dunham Road : Downers Grove, IL 60516 : 630.969.1198 : https://www.cedarlanekennelsinc.com/