When it comes to summer, we do everything we can to make sure the dogs are comfortable and cool. They’ve got a raised bed with a canopy, cooling mats, cooling vests and even an unpoppable paddling pool. But their favourite way to keep refreshed is always with a pet-friendly ice cream.
Phoebe and Frank will often beg for the last lick of my Magnum or Twister lolly, so I like to make sure my freezer is well stocked with canine-suitable options to ensure they get an iced treat of their own.
Over the past few months we’ve been making our way through some new brands of dog ice cream, and discovered Cool Dog Ice Cream. The iced treat comes from the team behind the award-winning human ice cream Granny Gothards, sold at Waitrose.
Cool Dog Ice Cream said: “We all want to be able to treat our loved ones, including our dogs. Seeing their enjoyment increases our own (and most dogs love ice-cream!).”
Available in a blueberry and banana flavour, the ice cream is lactose-free, making it better for dogs, who are mostly lactose intolerant, helping prevent digestive problems. It’s made with 54 per cent banana, which are high in potassium, vitamins and fibre, as well as more than five per cent fresh blueberries – a superfood rich in antioxidants.
The treat is Food Standards Agency approved, and contains 100 per cent natural ingredients that are completely vegan. The recipe also contains calcium and vitamin D for strong teeth, protein to support energy and zinc for a healthy coat.
The ice cream is a vibrant purple colour thanks to the blueberries, and also contains a small spoon scoop in the lid to feed your pooch with. Phoebe and Frank are pretty competent at licking their ice cream pots, so there was no need to use the scoop, but the pots are fully compostable when finished with.
Each pot contains 125ml of ice cream, and costs around £2.50 a tub. It’s a great little portion size for one each for our large dogs, and features two of their favourite fruits, which offer added health benefits as well as cooling properties.
After licking the pot clean, Phoebe and Frank are visibly cooler, panting less and a little less lethargic from the heat. The licking motion helps calm them down and, as Cool Dog said, it also gives us as owners a great deal of joy to see them enjoying themselves, thus strengthening the bond between human and hound.
You can get your paws on some Cool Dog Ice Cream via Not In The Doghouse, costing £30 for a multipack of 12.
