It’s hard to tell from the gloomy grey skies outside, but theoretically, it’s the height of summer. That means grilling corn, runny popsicles, and coming up with ways to help the fur-bearing house dwellers beat the heat.
Linda over at the 7MSN Ranch sent me a link to her blog post detailing a way to make a homemade version of Frosty Paws, which I have shamelessly replicated here. Even if you don’t want to make Frosty Paws, you should go check her blog out. It is awesome. It has a lot more types of animals than we do here, including but not limited to pigs, coyotes, and chickens. It kind of makes me want to go to New Mexico, like, right now.
Anyway- Frosty Paws! Have you ever tried these “ice cream” cups for dogs? The dogs sure love them, but I personally think they’re kind of gross. Yes, I tried them once. Not so great.
You can make a much yummier version yourself at home, and it’ll be cheaper too.
Here’s the ingredients:
Yogurt, peanut butter, a banana, something to put them in. (For the exact proportions, check out the link at the 7MSN ranch.)
Put in blender. Blend.
Put in cups. Stick in freezer. Doesn’t get much easier than that, huh? This is my kind of recipe.
In retrospect, I wish I had purchased cooler Dixie Cups instead of these ones that look like they belong in a dentist’s office bathroom. Oh well. I didn’t realize at the time I bought them that they would be photographed and featured prominently in a blog post.
If you also suffer from ugly Dixie cups, you could add a festive berry for garnish.
The resulting peanut butter banana smoothie is kid-tested and dog approved.
It is difficult to explain to a dog why they have to wait for something yummy to freeze.
When they are ready, and you are ready, just make sure you head outside. It can get messy.
I actually have video of the dogs going for the treats, but I had to put the camera down since Brody did the Tootsie Roll treatment: 2 licks, then grab the whole cup and inhale it like a cork straight into the back of his throat.
So yes, they liked them- but next time I need a bigger, and sturdier, cup.
I make these for my Wally and just the mere mention of them gets him excited, AND drooling! Much better then Frosty Paws and a whole lot cheaper!
Yum! My boys love these, too. I make them in ramekins – I got a set of 6 for $5 at Target – so I can wash and reuse them, and there’s no chance that they’ll devour them!
That’s a good idea. I definitely have some ramekins somewhere in the pantry.
Oh, Dr. V, you say the nicest things. Thanks for the plug.
I think Maggie has the right idea with the ramekins – will definitely go that route next time.
I hoped you wouldn’t mind me basically redoing your post. It was just too good not to share!
Clyde would LOVE those! And I love the simple recipe. I have to admit that I’ve made my own frozen treats for him just by freezing the small containers of baby food bananas. Gerber has a 2nd foods version that is banana yogurt, and he seems to really like that one. The peanut butter in this recipe would make it even more tasty, I’m sure!
I wasn’t impressed with the taste of Frosty Paws either although Blade and Cookie never complained. One summer I got hooked on making them frozen pops (I want to say banana and some sort of dog friendly juice). I may have to start making them again and make these PB ones too because Cookie loooooooves PB. 🙂
I will try these , I used to buy Frosty Paws but I am going to make these now. Thanks Dr V for sharing ,Would u please kiss the 4 legged cooks for me LOL and tell them patience is a virtue LOLOL
No patience. They take after me. 🙂
PS I now have the yogurt song stuck in my head LOLOL
I’ve made frosty paws and use small mise en place bowls or ramekins instead of paper cups. A bit more durable/eco-conscious & less snarfable.
I think I will try that this weekend. Good idea.
Try to find ramekins that come with lids, highly recommend those. Can make a large batch of frosty paws and have them on hand all the time. Also good are silicone ice cube trays. I’ve frozen them into little shapes (hearts, starts, etc.) which make a quick cooling treat; they also freeze faster this way which will help with those impatient pups! 🙂
Great idea – and all the ingredients are things we have in the Winnebago! I think I might use a Denta-stick for a handle. Ty and Buster are going to love you for this one!!
I LOVE the handle idea!
You could also easily remove said pops from the dixie cups by holding them in a bowl of hot water for a few seconds to loosen them, then serve on a plate (or the patio 🙂
Clever, clever people on this blog! Mine is a picky, non-food motivated, sensitive-tummy girl. Turned her nose straight up and pirouetted away from Frosties Paws…HOWever, I let her “steal” wayward icecubes because (1) they make her so happy, (2) she thinks ice cubes are the treasure of the century, and (3) I think anything “forbidden” tastes all the better for it. She’ll lick them until her tongue goes numb and then she runs around the house for 10 minutes with her tongue flapping. (little tiny mouth). I betcha she’d love home made “smoothy-cubes”. And I too love the idea of the handle.
Oh you KNOW she is going to be on the blog in August. 😀
Anything you can substitute for the peanutbutter? Chase hates the stuff. There was an incident with a kong when he was a puppy…I know, I have the only dog that hates peanutbutter.
Maybe just different fruits?
Just a few suggestions in place of the cups. You can use ice cube trays of any fun (or not) shape — the smaller, the more they can get or if you want a little control factor, try popsicle molds. You can hold it while they lick.
I usually do the ice cube trays for our pupsicles.
Thanks for the recipe and great tips in the comments too. Kelly sends a big woof!
Wowza, you have a Blendtec blender!! Please tell me you’ve seen the Blendtec company’s “Will it blend” videos on youtube… Here’s one of my personal favorites, the iPhone: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg1ckCkm8YI
I am SO happy I’m not the only one that nerded out at the site of the Blendtec! The Vuvuzela “will it blend” is definitely my favorite 😀
No way! A vuvuzela? I have to go see that.
That’s what sold me on the thing! I love it, too!
What a great idea! We dont have anything like ‘Frosty Paws’ here in NZ so i will make these for my partners dads dogs in summer!
The only way I’d get Pru to eat these would be to add some sort of meat. I’ve tried the frozen yogurty, peanut butter treats, but alas, she’s a food snot and would not eat them. I do believe this deserves some experimentation with homemade chicken stock.
I think we all need to collaborate on a Frozen Treat Cookbook for charity!
I recommend Kongsicles to my dog training clients all the time as a great way to channel that need to chew as well as a nice way for the doggies to cool off in the summer. This would be great in a Kong, thrown in the freezer to harden!
I think that would definitely solve multiple issues. I like that a lot.
l madethese and thought it would be good to taste one before giving them to the dogs. Uh oh…they are delicious! Luckily the dogs are good about letting me have my own frozen pb/yogurt cup.
They are way too good. The dogs were glaring at me, saying, AHEM! Those are OURS!
I ran straight to the store after work to pick up all the ingredients. No more buying Frosty Paws in our house. These got Madison’s approval right away. I also threw in a jar of fruit baby food that I had left over in my panty so maybe that could be used instead of peanut butter as another idea. Thanks for sharing!!
Henry LOVES Frosty Paws (and small amounts of soft serve vanilla ice cream) so we’ll have to try these!