It’s National Love Your Pet Day! Everyone who has a beloved furry friend, or fur-baby as I say, knows how special these animals can make your daily life. Leo, my husky puppy, is the first dog that I got on my own. He has been the best thing for me, in so many ways. Not only has be taught me more about myself and responsibility, as cliche as it sounds. But he also has impacted my life in such a huge positive way, and I am so grateful. In honor of Love Your Pet Day, I am sharing my favorite healthy homemade dog treat recipes.
National Love Your Pet Day
Your pet deserves the best for many reasons, and homemade healthy treats are a great place to start showing them how thankful we are for their unconditional love. About the time that I got Leo, my family started to go through some difficult changes. I was struggling with depression and anxiety, as well as in the process of finishing up college and trying to find a full time job. I was extremely stressed, unhappy and unsure of where my life was at. Leo became my escape from daily life. When I was spending time focusing on him (which was most of the time, he was a bit demanding as a baby) I wasn’t thinking about everything else going on.
As a husky puppy, he had and has a lot of energy. To combat this I took him for a lot of long walks, worked on training him and took him in the car whenever I was running errands. He was my little buddy for all adventures! Getting out of my apartment with him was the biggest improvement I made. Instead of sitting inside depressed all the time watching tv, he forced me to go out and into the world. He got my mind off of the negative in my life and gave back unconditional love, and persistently goofy and adorable antics. Obviously as a dog, he has no idea about any of the impact he has made, but I love him more and more each day.
Healthy Frozen Homemade Dog Treats
My puppy is 1 year old now. I can’t wait to get him a friend to entertain him as much as he entertains me someday, but I’ll need more space first. As a little treat for all he does for me, I found a few natural dog ice cream and treat recipes I thought I would try out. This first recipe is for a natural, homemade version of Frosty Paws dog ice cream.
To make, all you need is:
- 1 Banana
- 2 Tablespoons of Greek Yogurt – Unsweetened
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons of Peanut Butter *make sure your PB is not sweetened with Xylitol, a natural sugar alcohol harmful to some dogs
This recipe is super easy, and super interchangeable. You can add more or less of all the ingredients, and can also add pumpkin puree or cooked oats. Simply blend all of the ingredients together, I used my food processer, and put into an ice cube tray and freeze until solid. Pop one out and let your dog enjoy! I give Leo one every few days, or if he’s being super good and cute, which is always.
DIY Frozen Puzzle Treat
Another great treat, and also something to entertain your pup is this DIY puzzle treat. Freeze a Tupperware or bowl with enough of the following ingredients to fill dish.
- Water
- Chicken stock
- Rubber dog toys
- Chopped carrots and green beans
Once frozen solid, let your dog lick until it melts! He’ll be entertained to get the toys and food out, and the chicken stock water will keep him interested and invested. This is great for summer, Leo is always hot when we’re outside and the ice keeps him cool. Just make sure you do this outside, unless you want a water puddle on your floors.
What does your pup mean to you? Leave me your National Love Your Pet Day sentiment in a comment down below. Do you have a favorite healthy homemade dog treat recipe you want to share? Drop the comment! Don’t forget to give your pooch a little extra love today, and head over to my SHOP page for my favorite puppy accessories!
XO,
Tori
P.S. If you like looking at pictures of cute husky puppies all day, follow Leo on Instagram! Click here, or search @leoshuskylife. Leo is also on TikTok, @leothehusky6.
