Hi, this is Taylor and the gang, hoping you are having a lovely summer so far!
Since it’s been so dog-gone hot🥵 here lately (still), we’ve been inside more than usual. Instead of being bored, Buddy and I have been in the kitchen fixing up some cool treats 🍨 that we want to tell you about.
This all started when Buddy saw a post about watermelon slices for dogs. Then we thought, what if you freeze it – how would that taste on a hot summer day? Let me tell you – it was FANTASTIC!! A little messy to eat in the kitchen, Mom made us take the slices out on the deck so she could hose it down when we were done.
The recipe is super simple: Quarter and slice up a watermelon into 3/4 – 1 inch thick pieces. We picked out the seeds, took off the rind, and threw them away. Those are yucky. Then we put the pieces on wax paper on a cookie sheet and froze it overnight. Juicy goodness and hydrating too!
At one point, we kind-of overdid our taste testing and lost our appetite. So, we thought we’d better get our recipes checked by our doctor-friend before we told you all about it. She told us that fruit is fine for us doggos (not cats) – but eating too much or big pieces might make for an upset stomach or headache. Also, if we ate too many treats, we might not eat our nutritious meal and it could lead to gaining a few pounds. So, take that into consideration please. (Rule of thumb: 10% of your daily calories can come from treats.)
From the Cats n Dogs Store
Mom brought home some super-tasty doggy ice creams. They’re in neat little cups we can lick lick lick.
From the new Cats n Dogs freezers:
- DogO’s ice cream comes in vanilla and peanut butter/banana (my fav)
- Swell gelato comes in a triple berry and peanut butter/banana
- Nuggets yogurt comes in a delicious cherry flavor. Mom divided it up into separate bowls and had some too
She also brought home some Puppy Cakes ice cream so Buddy and I could “make it” in the kitchen. It was easy, we just stirred in some water and froze it. Since we both wanted some, instead of freezing it in the cup it came with, we split it into 2 servings into a muffin tin. When it was frozen, we popped it out and enjoyed it in our supper bowls.
What About Other Fruits
We also tried freezing slices of bananas and they’re great too. No sugar added and no other ingredients! Simple to prepare and they can be stored frozen in a zip-lock bag.
Since the bananas and watermelon were so great, we looked up other fruits which can be eaten frozen or fresh. “…In moderation as they are sugary,” says our doctor. “And once or twice a week is sufficient.”
Apples, Pears, Peaches: yummy and healthy. Just as for people, don’t eat stems, leaves, core, seeds, or pits. A whole apple can be a choking hazard (unless you’re a horse, hee-hee), so slices are better for you.
Bananas, Strawberries, Honeydew, Cantaloupe: Start with a little bit at first to see how it sets with your tummy. Don’t eat the seeds, peel, or rind please.
Blueberries, Cranberries, Peas: these are better for you if fresh, not frozen. The little balls can be a choking hazard. (We added peas here because our new friend Dino loves them)
REMEMBER, these Fruits are bad for us pups
- Grapes or raisins are SO bad for you, that if you eat them, you should call your vet right away
- Any kind of dried or sugared fruit that includes Xylitol or other artificial sugars (SUPER bad for your liver!)
- Tomatoes: not toxic but can cause tummy upset
- Avocado: also not toxic but high in fat. Max says it can cause a pancreatitis or stomach upset, even with just a little bit.
Fruit Treats for Cats
Sunshine Kitty tells us, “Cats should NOT eat fruits – we cats don’t digest many plant food sources. Meat is the most important part of our diet. A small piece of fruit won’t hurt, but there is a pretty small chance a cat will actually eat it.” Aunt Nancy recommends the freeze-dried chicken livers at Cats n Dogs for all us furry friends.
Hey Humans, want to cook up some treats for your favorite furry friend? Here is a great link for Easy Homemade Dog Treat Recipes.
Taylor’s disclaimer: Since my mom has soooo many great treats at the Cats n Dogs store, I haven’t actually tried any of these recipes, so you’re on your own.
Well, that’s it for August. Hope you have a good “Heart of the Summer” month. Stay cool, stay safe! Did you miss our Summer Heat Safety blog last month? Some great tips from lots of our friends!
With a wuf wuf wuf and meeow meeow,
Taylor, Buddy, and Sunshine Kitty
For this month’s joke, here’s a video that’s funnier than two shakes of a dogs tail!!
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