Surfing on the net we can see a lot of adorable images like this one where dogs taste their owners’
ice creams. According to the veterinary, ice cream is a really threat for their health. Is that opinion
confirmed by science or does ice cream cause only a more major stomachache?
Now, let’s figure out how the reality is…
Why Dogs Cannot Eat Ice Cream
The first problem is that dogs, like many human beings, are unable to process milk after they are
weaned, as puppies. As ice creams are made mainly with milk, give them ice creams could provoke
serious complications like gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea and vomiting.
The second issue concerns the presence of sugar in the ice creams; indeed feeding your dog with
sugary foods can lead to weight gain, correlated to other pathologies.
Even whereby ice cream is said to be sugarless, you need to keep attention to the label because of the presence of xylitol, a sweetener often use as sugar-substitute extremely toxic for pets.
Finally make you sure to avoid flavors potentially dangerous for your puppy. Chocolate, for instance, can be very toxic for dogs because their bodies cannot efficiently digest a chemical compound of the chocolate: theobromine.
Even if sharing ice creams with our dog could look as innocent and funny friendly gesture, actually
is a harmful behavior to avoid especially for dogs with obesity, diabetes, allergies or dairy
intolerance. If you really want to refresh your dog with a cold dish there are many more options
that are not likely to cause digestive problems.
Alternatives to ice creams
It is summer and you are in the park with your Bobby: there aren't drinking fountains. What
should you do? Go to the first ice cream shop to buy…a frozen yogurt!
Yogurts indeed are a better choice because are fermented and contain less lactose, so they
are easy to digest for their little stomachs. Don't feed them with commercial frozen yogurts,
since they are too sweet and full of sugar. On the other hand, buy a plain, unsweetened yogurt, and put it in your freezer at home.
Another tidbit alternative for dogs can be “nice creams,” a vegan ice creams made with frozen bananas. You only need a food processor and they are very easy to do. Safe for dogs to eat, they also provide some nutritional value. Moreover, it could be a
tasty dish for all the family members!
How to make it?
1. First step: Take 2/3 ripe bananas and make sure they’re ripe; not-overripe bananas will have something of an earthy taste, as opposed to the more sweet, caramelized flavor they develop as they turn brown. Then peel the bananas, cut into pieces, and freeze them.
2. Once bananas will be fully frozen, blend
them into a food processor until you achieve a
consistency that resembles a soft cream.
If your blending machine is having troubles in processing, you can add up to 1/4 cup of sugar free yogurt choice or another liquid healthy for your puppy When the soft-serve texture is reached, share it with your dog immediately or scoop it into a container and freeze an additional 30 minutes.
Nice cream is served!
Hugo’s: the first ice cream for dogs
Hugo’s Ice Creamery is a small company based in Brisbane which produce ice cream expressly developed for our 4-legged friends. It offers a wide range of dog friendly ice creams to enjoy under the table at your local café, at home, the park or after a visit to the vet.
Made only with natural ingredients, Hugo’s ice cream not only is delicious and tasty for doggies
but also healthy for their hairy bodies. Indeed, Hugo’s makes ice creams only with coconut milk to
avoid lactose and it substituted sugar with the healthier organic agave nectar.
Finally, it uses ingredients very appreciated by dogs, like peanut butter and bacon, and flavors not
dangerous for their digestion.
Available in just three flavors, Hugo’s provide ice creams made with: peanut butter and bacon,
strawberry and carob.
Approved by many veterinaries and nutritionist such Clare Kearney, Holistic Animal Nutritionist
from HUNDE, Hugo’s is at the moment available in the best dog-friendly cafes and bars, pet stores,
health food stores, groomers and vets of Australia. To find the list of all the stockists, click here:
http://hugosicecreamery.com.au/where-to-buy
