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It’s summer and with it comes the heat and my favorite fruit, watermelon! And, if dogs could talk, mine would say watermelon is their favorite fruit, too. Furthermore, Bella and Edward would let you know that the summer heat in Texas is brutal. Therefore, I created watermelon dog treats for them to cool down on hot, summer days.
These watermelon dog treats only have two ingredients and are super easy to make. I have named them Summer Watermelon Pupsicles, since they are frozen. In addition, the best part about these watermelon dog treats is that you can eat them too!
Both of my dogs know as soon as I cut into a red, juicy, seedless watermelon! They begin the “melly” dance with some vocal harmonizing and as a result, they get a bite. Thankfully watermelon is a human food that is safe for dogs to consume. Plus, the benefits are amazing!
What Are the Benefits of Watermelon for Dogs?
Watermelon is full of beneficial nutrients that are healthy for your dog. These nutrients include potassium and vitamins A, B6, and C. In addition, it is high in fiber, which is great for digestion.
And speaking of fiber, the high content insulates the natural sugar found in watermelon. To clarify, the fiber insulation prevents the sugar from being released too quickly into the bloodstream.
Furthermore, watermelon is a great source of lycopene. This antioxidant may help prevent cancer. Plus, watermelon is low in calories, containing around 50 calories per cup.
In addition to being low in calories, watermelon is low in sodium. It is also fat free and cholesterol free. These four benefits make watermelon a healthier choice than many of the store-bought treats.
To top it off, watermelon is approximately 92% water, which makes it a great source of hydration. Plus, it’s a refreshing treat on a hot, summer day.
Can Your Dog Have Coconut Milk?
I would suggest not actually letting your dog drink coconut milk. However, this would definitely be something to discuss with your veterinarian. In fact, a conversation with the vet is good any time before introducing new food to your dog.
Now, coconut milk is not toxic to dogs. It even offers a few health benefits, which include:
- helping fight viruses
- improving breath
- adding shine to the coat
- improving the immune system
So, the reason for my suggestion is that often coconut milk is overly processed. These additives are probably something your dog doesn’t need.
However, you can give in moderation by baking unsweetened coconut milk into dog treats. Furthermore, you can make ice cubes like we’ve done here with watermelon dog treats.
Consequently, your dog might get more benefit from coconut products such as natural coconut water and coconut oil. The water is rich in electrolytes and nutrients, while the oil is full of healthy fats.
Hmmm….so, next time I make these watermelon dog treats, I’m going to try them with coconut water. If you switch out the coconut milk for coconut water, let us know in the comments about it.
Let’s Get to Making Watermelon Dog Treats
You can whip these up quick for a summer picnic or a 4th of July celebration. Humans and dogs alike will love staying cool with these all natural treats.
Ingredients for Summer Watermelon Pupsicles
- seedless watermelon
- unsweetened coconut milk
Making Summer Watermelon Pupsicles
Firstly, you will want to purchase a seedless watermelon. Now, of course you can purchase one with seeds. However, you must remove every single seed to prevent your dog from having an intestinal blockage. Furthermore, it’s a pain to get rid of the seeds.
Secondly, scoop out two cups of seedless watermelon into a blender. You can use the measuring indications on the blender.
Thirdly, add one cup of coconut milk to the blender with the watermelon.
Then, purée the watermelon and the coconut milk together in the blender. The consistency should be liquidy like juice.
Next, pour the liquid into silicone or original plastic ice cube trays. I chose to use silicone trays, because there are so many cute shapes.
After that, place the ice cube trays into the freezer. Be sure to put the silicone trays on a small cookie sheet before placing in the freezer.
Now, wait about two hours for the treats to completely freeze.
Then, pop them out of the ice cube trays and share one with your eagerly waiting doggy.
Next, put the remaining in a freezer baggie or a small Tupperware container and place back in the freezer.
Finally, these treats can be stored in the freezer for up to 30 days.
In Conclusion
Surprise the 2-legged and 4-legged kids at your 4th of July picnic with watermelon dog treats. You just might start a new family tradition. Speaking of traditions, did you know that you can carve watermelon rinds in the same manner as pumpkins?
You could start another new family tradition for the 4th of July this year. There are many patterns, from dinosaurs and sharks to Spiderman, and designs are limited only by your imagination.
Have you ever fed your dog watermelon? Do you have any recipes for watermelon dog treats? Let us know in the comments below!
Have you ever carved a watermelon? Do you have any fun patterns for carving watermelons? Let us know in the comments below!
Check out these other healthy recipes for dog treats in our Dog Chef section of our blog:
Also, check out the other fruits and veggies that dogs can eat, here!
If you want to save this post with the recipe to your Pinterest account, you can use the following images.
Summer Watermelon Pupsicles
Ingredients
- 2 cups seedless watermelon
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
Instructions
- Scoop out 2 cups of seedless watermelon into a blender. You can use the measuring indications on the blender.
- Add 1 cup of coconut milk to the blender with the watermelon.
- Purée the watermelon and the coconut milk together in the blender. The consistency should be liquidy like juice.
- Pour the liquid into silicone or original plastic ice cube trays. I chose to use silicone trays, because there are so many cute shapes.
- Place the ice cube trays into the freezer. Be sure to put the silicone trays on a small cookie sheet before placing in the freezer.
- Wait for the treats to completely freeze about two hours.
- Pop them out of the ice cube trays, and share one with your eagerly waiting doggy.
- Put the remaining in a freezer baggie or a small Tupperware container, and place back in the freezer.
- These treats can be stored in the freezer for up to 30 days.
