Summer feels like the ultimate dog season, doesn’t it? Parks are open and ready for exploring, festivals are lined up for every weekend, and almost every restaurant and winery has dog bowls alongside their outdoor seating. It’s a grea time to enjoy life with your four legged best friend. But while you’re sipping a mojito on the porch or slicing up some watermelon for the gang, don’t you think your pup deserves a cold delicious treat too? Here are five health, easy, and inexpensive recipes to keep your pup feeling cool in every way!
Frozen Watermelon Treats, from Roxy at Grrfeisty:
- A watermelon
- A can of coconut milk
- Scoop out about 1/4 of the melon.
- Blend together with the can of coconut milk
- Pour into ice cube tray, freeze, and serve!
Strawberry & Banana Frozen Treats, from Andrea at The Cottage Market:
- 2 cups of Sliced Strawberries or a 16 ounce bag of Frozen Strawberries
- 1½ cups Plain Greek Low Fat Yogurt
- 1 sliced banana (if you have two…use them both)
- ¼ cup of Skim Milk
- 3 tablespoons of Honey
- Blend all ingredients.
- Pour into ice cube tray, freeze, and serve!
Frozen Pumpkin Treats, from Dog Vills
- 1 cup plain non-fat yogurt
- 1 (15 oz) can of pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie mix)
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 ripe banana
- Puree banana and pumpkin in blender.
- Stir together yogurt, honey, and mashed banana/pumpkin in large bowl.
- Spoon into ice cube tray, freeze, and serve!
Frozen PB&J Treats, from Shannon at i heart HGTV
- 1/4 cup strawberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1/4 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1/3 cup natural, unsweetened peanut butter
- Blend strawberries and blueberries until smoothie-like in consistency. (You may need to add a tablespoon or two of water!)
- Spoon the berry mixture into the ice cube tray, filling each cavity about halfway.
- Fill each cavity the rest of the way with peanut butter.
- Freeze and serve!
Summer is a wonderful time. Good food, good drinks, good weather, and good company are some of the best parts of the season. Your pup should be in on the good times, too! And the best part about these recipes? Since they’re made with all natural food grade ingredients, you can sample them yourself!
Canine Influenza – in particular, the H3n2 strain – starts off very similarly to the more common, and less serious, “bordetella”, or kennel cough. 3-4 days after exposure, dogs have symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, lethargy, loss of appetite, and fever. If caught early, your vet can prescribe medications to put your dog on the mend more quickly. However, left untreated, Canine Influenza can lead to potentially fatal pneumonia, so it’s important to get your dog to a vet if they are showing signs of illness.
While this particular strain seems to be largely centered in the dog show circuit in southern states, viruses are extremely contagious and highly unpredictable. So here at No Barks, we are on high alert. We already regularly clean with 256, a disinfectant that kills canine influenza, bordetella, parvo, and over 50 other viruses and pathogens. We’ll continue disinfecting the toys, water bowls, and surfaces daily. We’ll also be keeping a close eye out for any signs of illness in the pups in our care. If we think something is “off”, we’ll be contacting you so you can pick Fido up and take them home to rest. Canine Influenza is an airborne disease, but it can also be spread through direct contact between dogs. This means that it is especially important that you keep your dog home from daycare if you think they may have been exposed or if they are showing any signs of feeling less than their best.
If you’re concerned about the health of your animal, don’t be shy about talking to your vet: they are the number one resource for keeping your dog in tip top shape. There is a vaccination against H3n2, and if your dog frequents dog shows or facilities often used by show dogs (i.e. boarding, agility, etc.), it may be worth considering. Canine Influenza is nothing to sneeze at, but with care and vigilance, we’ll do our best to keep your pet safe and healthy!
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