Today is Dogust, the unofficial shelter dog birthday. Many people don’t know exactly when their pets were born, which makes it hard to celebrate their birthdays. August 1^st has become the official day to celebrate shelter dog birthdays. Of course, if you were to ask Fido how he wanted to celebrate, he’d probably want some yummy treats. Store-bought options are of course fine, but you can also make your own. A Fort Bragg, NC vet offers some suggestions below.

Frozen Cheeseburger Bits

For this one, you would just cook some hamburger or turkey. Add water or sodium-free broth to thin the mixture out, and then freeze overnight, using an ice cube tray or freezer mold. You can add cheese and/or bacon bits if you like.

Pupsicles

Get some small paper or plastic cups, pour sodium-free broth into them, and pop them into the freezer. When they’ve stiffened up a bit, add a chew stick, and then let them freeze completely. Done!

Meat Treat

Pick up a roll of frozen, pre-cooked lamb, sausage, chicken, or hamburg. You don’t really have to do anything else with it: just (carefully) slice a piece off when you want to give Fido a treat.

Pawesome Cubes

Another way to get that tail going? Freeze some doggy treats or bits of kibble in sodium-free beef or chicken broth, using an ice cube tray. There’s almost no end to the possible flavor options you can create here. Mix canned salmon with spinach and fish broth, or combine canned chicken with chicken broth, peas, and carrots. Fido will happily sample them all!

Doggy Ice Cream

Several companies, including Ben and Jerry’s, now make ice cream just for Man’s Best Friend. You can also make your own. Mix plain, fat-free yogurt with natural peanut butter, pureed pumpkin, ripe banana, or wheat germ. Then, just add some pet-safe fruits. Some good options include bananas, strawberries, seedless watermelon, or blueberries. You can also use kibble, broken dog treats, bacon bits, or shredded cheese.

Tuna Pops

Mix a can of tuna with yogurt and a bit of parsley and freeze in small portions. Canned salmon, crabmeat, turkey, or chicken will also work. This one is also safe for our feline pals.

Please feel free to contact us, your local Fort Bragg, NC pet clinic, with any questions about your pet’s diet or care. We’re here to help!