The Heat Safe Dog

Watermelon Mint Pupsicles

This is the easy one, barely a recipe, honestly. Watermelon's already mostly water, so these do double duty on a hot day: a treat and a little extra hydration in one. Good for dogs who need to watch their weight too, since there's nothing rich going into these at all.

Prep time: 5 minutes Freeze time: 4 hours Yield: About 8 small pupsicles

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Double-check the watermelon is seedless. The rind and seeds are both a choking and digestion hazard, so cube only the flesh.
  2. Blend the watermelon and water until smooth.
  3. Stir in the mint, if using.
  4. Pour into small popsicle molds or an ice cube tray.
  5. Freeze for at least 4 hours.
On the mint: a small amount of fresh mint is fine for most dogs, but it's easy to overdo it. A couple of leaves per batch is plenty, and this isn't an ingredient to get generous with. Skip it entirely if your dog's never had it before.

These melt fast, so they're best served outside or over a bowl. Great for high-energy dogs right after a play session, too, since they cool and rehydrate at the same time.

Don't feel like blending anything? A plain slice works too. Here's why plain watermelon is worth keeping around all summer.