Frozen Probiotic Dog Treat

Lyn Russell, RYT-500, RCYT, B.Ed., Dip.T., ACOA Dip. (M.Nat.Th) • May 10, 2021

Does your furbaby need probiotics?

Probiotics are microorganisms that live in the digestive system. They are also known as good bacteria and just as in the human body, they have a positive influence over how your dogs body functions and their overall health.

Your dogs digestive system can have a remarkable influence over the health of their body. Not only is the gut responsible for digestion, it is also an important part of the immune system. The gut can form a barrier to invading pathogens as well as aiding immune cells to respond to information in the body as needed.

Does you dog suffer from skin conditions? Our dog, Nala suffers terribly and has all of her life. She was a street dog we rescued in Singapore when she only 1 week old. She was part of a litter of seven puppies that were found abandoned in a shipyard in Tuas, in Singapore's west. She was so cute. She fitted in the palm of our hands and it was like having a baby in the house again, with bottle feeds 24 hours a day. Our life certainly did change from that moment on.

From that young age Nala had digestive issues. In the first few weeks we had her she was at the vet a number of times and needed charcoal to help settle her stomach a couple of times. Her skin issues became evident a few months later. She would literally scratch herself to pieces at times, causing herself to bleed. It is quite a common issue in Singapore for dogs to have skin allergies and issues. We wanted to help Nala and support her body as naturally as was possible. We tried many times to avoid conventional medicine completely, but her issues were so severe that we realised we needed to complement traditional medicine and not replace it. This is not the case for all dogs, but for us sadly it is.

One key component we found to support Nalas digestive and immune systems was probiotics. We have tried a few types of probiotics with Nala and they do seem to assist and support her. Probiotics can provide many health benefits to humans and dogs. They can help fight yeast infections which can cause skin and ear problems. They can also boost immunity and help your dog absorb nutrients.

There are many probiotics available on the market for dogs, but we like to make our own. And Nala loves them! Our recipe is below. We had Nala allergy tested last year which highlighted some foods we should avoid with her, so we are very mindful of what we put into Nala's diet. You can add or change things to suit your dogs need and tastes. Here are just a few tips I'd recommend:

In general, natural yogurt is best and aim for a probiotic yogurt
Xylitol can be dangerous for dogs even in small quantities, so please check the yoghurt label thoroughly
Greek yoghurt provides probiotics and is safe for dogs
If you are unsure if your dog has a dairy intolerance, speak to your vet before offering dairy products
If your dog has an allergy to grains (like Nala), check the yoghurt you are using has no thickeners
Using a plain, no additives yoghurt is best, then add to the yoghurt to enhance the flavour and benefits
Coconut is safe for dogs, however large amounts of this may cause diarrhoea in some dogs, so start low and build up from there if using coconut. If your dog suffers constipation, coconut can be a great help to balance things. if you are unsure, again consult your vet first

Probiotic treats are not only good for your dog, but they are also very refreshing on a hot day. You can add in many different combinations, but there are definitely things you should avoid, such as:

chocolate
grapes
macadamia nuts
onion
alcohol
xylitol
avocado
coffee

Before starting, work out the size of treat you would like to make. You might choose an ice cube tray, or any silicone mold. Depending on the size of your dog you may choose to fill the mold, or only fill half way.

Decide what flavours you'd like to go for. Make sure you use fresh ingredients. Some suggestions are:

raspberry, coconut and peppermint
peanut butter
peanut butter and banana
strawberry
pumpkin and cinnamon
blueberry, chia seeds and peppermint (soak 1 tablespoon chia seeds in 1 cup water for a few hours before adding to the yoghurt)
carrot and parsley
turmeric paste

I like to use essential oils in some of my flavour combinations for the added benefits they can give. Remember though if you are using essential oils, start off with a very small amount, no more than 1 drop, and work up from there. Pure essential oils are highly concentrated and pack a punch, so you don't need much. Remember when using essential oils, more is not better. Use only pure essential oils such as Young Living and only use oils that state on their label they are safe for ingestion.

Frozen Probiotic Dog Treat

Ingredients

Raspberry, Coconut and Peppermint Flavour

1 tub of your chosen yoghurt

1 punnet raspberries, chopped into small pieces

2 tablespoons freshly grated coconut

1 drop Peppermint essential oil (or 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh peppermint)

Pumpkin and Cinnamon

1 tub of your chosen yoghurt

1 cup fresh pumpkin, boiled and mashed (not canned pumpkin)

1 drop Cinnamon essential oil (or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon)

Parsley and Carrot

1 tub of your chosen yoghurt

1 drop Parsley essential oil ( or 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley)

1/3 cup finely grated carrot

Peanut Butter and Banana

1 tub of your chosen yoghurt

1/3 cup smooth peanut butter

1 ripe banana, mashed

Method

1. Choose which flavour combination you would like

2. Add all the ingredients to a medium size bowl and mix to combine

3. Spoon into your chosen ice cube or silicone mold

4. Place into the freezer for several hours or until completely frozen

5. Once frozen transfer to a sealed container or ziplock bag and store in the freezer. Remove and give your dog one treat daily.

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You could also make a few different variations and give your dog a different flavour combination each day.

These flavours are just a starting point. Experiment with flavours your dog loves. If you have a new flavour combination that is a hit with your fur baby, then please share it below, I'd love to hear.

If you found this useful and would like to purchase your essential oils please contact me

If you would like more information on beginning your toxic-free wellness journey click here

For more information on the benefits of specific essential oils, please do a search on PubMed

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