There is nothing better than a refreshing ice pop on a warm day. Not only is it a tasty treat but it helps to keep you cool when the sun’s rays are beating down on you.
When it is warm it is not only us humans that get affected by the sun, our four-legged friends can quickly become hot and bothered too.
Naturally, precautions should be taken when a dog is out in the sun and it is important to allow your dog to have a cool place to lie down and access fresh water at all times.
You may be wondering whether or not your dog can have an ice pop. After all, your dog is a part of the family. If everyone else is enjoying a refreshing ice pop, surely the dog should be able to too?
In this article, we will be discussing in further detail whether or not dogs can eat ice pops. We will be talking about the ingredients you should avoid, and the ingredients that are safe for dogs to consume.
Can Dogs Eat Ice Pops?
For all intents and purposes, dogs can eat ice pops. This is great because it allows them to have a tasty and refreshing treat while it is warm. Much like us humans, dogs will be grateful for the chilly snack.
If it is a particularly warm day, you can place ice cubes or an ice pop into your dog’s bowl to help keep them cool. They can eat and digest ice with no issues as it only contains frozen water.
However, even though a dog can eat ice pops you have to be very careful of the ingredients that the ice pop contains. As with any animal, certain ingredients are extremely harmful to your dog.
If you are planning to give your dog an ice pop, we would recommend homemade ice pops over store-bought ones. This is because you can easily keep track of the ingredients added.
Alternatively, several different dog brands produce dog-friendly ice pops too.
What Ingredients Should You Avoid?
There are a handful of ingredients that you should never give to a dog, even if you are tempted to.
While some ingredients are acceptable in small doses, others can be completely toxic to a dog.
Here are some of the ingredients that you will need to look out for and avoid:
Artificial Colors and Sweeteners
Artificial colors and sweeteners are a big no-no when it comes to ingredients your dog should have.
There is one sweetener, in particular, that is extremely toxic to your dog, which is xylitol.
This sweetener is most commonly found in sugar-free ice pops. While these ice pops may be great for humans looking to control their sugar intake, they are not safe for your dog to consume in any way.
Excess Sugars
Sugar in general is not unsafe for dogs to consume. However, their sugar intake should be significantly limited.
If your dog has too much sugar regularly, this can lead to problems with their weight, teeth, and can cause diabetes.
Much in the same way as us humans, it is not healthy for a dog to ingest too much sugar, especially when it is refined.
Chocolate And Dairy
The majority of ice pops do not contain chocolate or dairy products, but this is something you should keep in mind.
Much like xylitol, chocolate is extremely toxic to dogs and should not be given to a dog under any circumstances.
While dairy is not toxic to dogs, they cannot digest it in the same way that we can. Many dogs are lactose intolerant and digesting dairy products can cause them to have stomach and digestive issues.
When looking at dairy products, plain, natural yogurt is usually the safest for dogs to consume. However, even this should only be consumed in small doses and by dogs that are not lactose intolerant.
As you can see, there are a few ingredients that you need to keep a close eye out for on the ingredients list.
It is not worth the risk of your dog ingesting these ingredients. They all have the potential to make your dog ill in some form.
This is why we recommend limited ingredient ice pops and ones that are dog friendly instead.
What Ingredients Are Safe for Dogs To Eat?
Although there are a handful of ingredients that you should actively avoid feeding to your dog, there are many ingredients that are completely safe for your dog to digest.
Instead of purchasing store-bought ice pops, why not try making ice pops for your dog instead?
Making ice pops is such a simple thing to do and just requires popping all of the ingredients into the mold and allowing it to set in the freezer overnight!
Here is a list of some of the ingredients that are safe for dogs to consume in ice pops:
- Chicken broth
- Banana
- Greek Yoghurt (in small doses and only if your dog is not lactose intolerant)
- Peanut butter (ensure that is is palm oil-free and dog friendly)
- Blueberry
- Pumpkin puree
- Strawberries
- Sweet potato
- Melon
- Carrot
- Coconut milk
As you can see, you can get creative with the ingredients you use in the ice pops. This is not an extensive list and many other ingredients are completely dog-friendly too.
It only takes a few minutes to blend a handful of ingredients and pour them into a mold.
Given this, we would recommend homemade ice pops over store-bought ones - keep the store-bought treats for yourself to enjoy instead!
Summary
Dogs can eat ice pops as long as the ingredients they contain are safe for their consumption. We would recommend always checking the packaging of an ice pop before giving it to your dog.
While there are dog-friendly ice pops available to purchase, alternatively, you can make your own. They are quick and simple to do.
You will also know that all of the ingredients are safe for your dog this way too!