Doggy Popsicles for the Dog Days of Summer

Chilly Pups: Frozen Dog Treats

Don’t leave your best friend out when enjoying cool frozen treats in hot weather. Those last few weeks before the autumn cool-down can really be scorchers. Known as the dog days of summer, they run from the first of July to the second week in August in the Northern Hemisphere. If you live “down under,” your dog days are from the New Year until around Valentine’s Day.

Try one or all of these doggy Popsicles and help your dog beat the heat this summer with healthy frozen treats for dogs. You can make them in Popsicle molds or small paper cups. Insert Popsicle sticks halfway between freezing, then freeze them overnight.

Healthy Doggy Popsicles

Just like humans, dogs are what they eat. With these frozen dog treats, you’ll know what Fido is eating. They are made with healthy ingredients such as beef and chicken broth, bananas, peanut butter, sweet potatoes, and green beans.

Chicken Chilly Pups

Here’s how to make chicken chilly pups.

1. Parboil half of a sweet potato first.
2. Mix a cup of chicken broth with two tablespoons of chicken puree (baby food).
3. Toss in a handful of chopped sweet potato.
4. Pour into a Popsicle mold and freeze overnight. 

   

   Beef Chili Pups

   This doggy Popsicle recipe uses beef broth instead of chicken broth and beef puree or baby food.

   1. Parboil 1/2 cup diced carrots and 1/2 cup cut green beans.
   2. Add vegetables to 1 cup of beef broth.
   3. Add two tablespoons of beef baby food.
   4. Pour into a Popsicle mold.
   5. Freeze overnight.

      

       

      Peanut Butter Chili Pups

      These are made with banana and peanut butter for a taste dogs love.

      1. Mash 1 very ripe banana.
      2. Mix with 1/2 cup of peanut butter.
      3. Add 1/4 cup of water.
      4. Blend ingredients in a blender.
      5. Pour into a Popsicle mold and freeze overnight.

         

          

         What Are the Dog Days of Summer?

         The term “dog days of summer” is so named because of the ancient Romans. During that time, Sirius, the Dog Star, was the brightest in the constellation Canis Major (Large Dog). (Canis Major was Orion the Hunter’s hunting dogs.) In ancient Rome, Sirius would rise each morning with the sun and shine alongside it for a while. The Romans attributed the especially hot days to this phenomenon. It is thought that they even sacrificed a dog to appease the gods!

         Today we know that’s not true. In fact, the phenomenon doesn’t occur anymore. The Earth’s polar shift changed all that. But we do know that it is still the hottest part of the year, and often it’s just as hot well into September in many places.