Are Popsicles Safe To Share With Your Dog?

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We have all been there, it is hot outside, and we are looking for a way to cool ourselves. Many of us will reach for ice-cold popsicles to get refreshments. But what about our dogs? They will also need something to cool themselves. Can you share popsicles with your dog to help him cool off?

Generally speaking, yes, popsicles will help cool your dog, but since many commercial popsicles come with some ingredients that can potentially harm your dog, it may not be a good idea. Let's take a look if dogs can eat popsicles.

Can dogs eat popsicles?

The shortest answer would be – yes; dogs can eat popsicles. However, you will have to consider some things first if you want to preserve your pet's health. Although popsicles will provide much-needed refreshment during hot summer days for your dog, commercial popsicles contain a few ingredients that can harm dogs.

The safest and healthiest option is to make homemade popsicles for your dog. That way, you can be sure there are no ingredients that could harm your dog, but your dog will still get all the benefits from eating them.

RELATED: Is Ice Cream Bad for Your Dog?

Can popsicles be bad for my dog?

Depending on the manufacturer of the popsicles, some of them could contain ice cream and yogurt, and although some dogs could eat this food in small amounts, most of them will have a reaction followed by some symptoms.

In this case, your dog could experience

• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Bloat

Ice cream and yogurt are packed with sugars, and consuming too much sugar can quickly lead to obesity.

The more serious problem connected with commercial popsicles are artificial sweeteners. Many popsicles contain artificial sweeteners, which are extremely toxic for dogs. Even if your dog ingests only a small amount, he could experience toxicity.

Sometimes, popsicles can contain toxic ingredients for dogs, such as chocolate and raisins. Before you decide to share your commercial popsicle with your dog, you must be sure that there are no "bad" ingredients that could potentially harm your dog. Keeping your pet safe should be your main concern.

RELATED: Can Dogs Eat Ice? Is It Safe For Them?

How to safely feed dog popsicles?

When you decide to share your popsicle with your dog, start slowly. After you check that there are no harmful ingredients for your dog, give him only a few licks and watch for his reaction.

If there are no reactions, that will indicate that your dog can safely eat popsicles.

As with any food you plan to give your dog, moderation should be the key. Dogs need a healthy diet with well-balanced dog food, and if you overfeed them with treats, they could develop some health problems, including obesity.

You should follow the 90-10 rule, meaning that treats should take no more of your dog's 10% daily food intake. The rest, 90%, should be well-balanced dog food.

Homemade popsicles for dogs

If you want to ensure that your dog will not experience any health-related issues with popsicles, you can make them yourself. That way, you will be in control of all the ingredients that are put into the mix, and your dog could get even more benefits.

With homemade popsicles for dogs, your pooch will get healthy nutrients while still providing an excellent way of cooling down during hot weather. These popsicles can even use as special dog treats for training.

RELATED: How to Keep Your Dog Cool

Benefits of homemade popsicles for dogs

You are the chef, and when you decide to make homemade popsicles for dogs, you can use many different ingredients that can add value to your dog's nutrition and boost their immune system.

Some of the food you can use to enrich your dog's diet include

• Blueberries
• Bananas
• Pumpkin
• Peanut butter
• Carrots
• Peas
• Bone broth

Homemade popsicles for dogs are a much safer option because they will not have added sugar. Sugar is one of the main ingredients that can cause obesity in dogs.

RELATED: Heat Stroke in Dogs - Signs, Treatment & Prevention

Homemade popsicles for dogs recipes

To make your job easier, we made a few homemade popsicles for our dogs, and they absolutely loved them. Below you will find 4 recipes you can try to make for your pooch. We assure you he will go crazy about them.

1. Banana & peanut butter dog popsicles

This was the absolute winner when it came to dog popsicles. Our dogs went crazy about bananas and peanut butter, and we are sure your dog will go crazy about them too.

Ingredients

1. Peanut butter that is safe for dogs (with no artificial sweeteners)
2. Bananas
3. Greek yogurt

How to make – step by step

1. Cut bananas into smaller pieces
2. Mix all the ingredients in the blender until you get the smooth mixture
3. Pour the mix into the mold and let it freeze for at least 4 hours
4. Take dog popsicles from the mold and serve them to your dog

2. Watermelon popsicles

This will be an excellent choice for dogs, and if your dog is sensitive to dairy, you can easily remove Greek yogurt from the mix. These popsicles will provide much-needed refreshment for your dog and are easy to make.

Ingredients

1. Watermelon
2. Greek yogurt

How to make – step by step

1. Cut watermelon into smaller pieces
2. Mix watermelon and Greek yogurt in the blender until you get the smooth mixture
3. Pour the mix into the mold and let it freeze for at least 4 hours
4. Take dog popsicles from the mold and serve them to your dog

Note: You can do this recipe with any fruit that is safe for dogs to consume

3. Watermelon & carrots dog popsicles

Watermelon and carrots might not seem such a good mix for us, but our dogs love it, and who are we to tell them any different? We would advise you to try this recipe because it will be a little different flavor for the dog since there are fruit and vegetable in the mix.

Ingredients

1. Watermelon
2. Carrots

How to make – step by step

1. Cut watermelon and carrots into smaller pieces
2. Mix them in the blender until you get the smooth mixture
3. Pour the mix into the mold and let it freeze for at least 4 hours
4. Take dog popsicles from the mold and serve them to your dog

4. Banana & strawberry dog popsicles

Another winner, banana and strawberry, are also one of the best dog popsicles you can make. Make sure to wash the strawberries before and remove the stem. Now you can continue making dog popsicles for your dogs.

Ingredients

1. Bananas
2. Strawberry
3. Greek yogurt

How to make – step by step

1. Cut fruit into smaller pieces
2. Mix all the ingredients in the blender until you get the smooth mixture
3. Pour the mix into the mold and let it freeze for at least 4 hours
4. Take dog popsicles from the mold and serve them to your dog

World Dog Finder team