All Things Dog Blog

Showing posts with label frozen dog treats. Show all posts

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Winter is Furlicious with Freezy Pups!
Frozen Dog Treat Review and Giveaway

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

As I told the folks at Freezy Pups recently, we're the go to blog for cooler weather reviews of frozen dog treats. Florida Winters are remarkably mild and make for year round enjoyment of water activities like Tanner's daily swims and even frozen treats. Today we also discovered a new game: Bobbing for Freezy Pups. Tanner quickly retrieved and devoured 6 Freezy Pups for our SafeMade Pet silicone, paw-shaped bowl. You've got to try this with your water-loving dog. It is a new way to experience water fun.

Ready?

My biggest question in this review was " How can a treat made with water actually taste good?" Much to my surprise the answer was clear. Freezy Pups uses USDA Organic ingredients to create and then dehydrate the treats. Our job is simply to re-hydrate them with water, followed by freezing for a unique, cooling snack.

Of course Freezy Pups don't have to be served frozen. The melted consistency is surprisingly creamy and rich, making a wonderful topping for a bowl of dry kibble. Special occasions may call for a few Freezy Pups melted atop our Organix kibble--maybe Thanksgiving!

Tanner and Oliver enjoyed, even eagerly pursued this photo shoot, waiting patiently for the reward they knew was coming. I enjoyed watching them lick and savor the flavor of their new-found favorite frozen treats. This was much faster than our usual pupsicle recipe that requires mashing and blending up foods to then pour into an ice cube tray. Preparation of Pupsicles is one simple step: Mix with water. Once you've poured the mixture into the ice cube tray and frozen it, you're in business with a batch of yummy, delicious and nutritious treats for your fidos.

I was first introduced to Freezy Pups earlier this year when I ventured to Global Pet Expo, . Their booth was swamped with interested shopkeepers and ~~nosy~~ curious bloggers like me. After their product was awarded the coveted 2011 Best in Show, I was assured a very slow opportunity to review this product. Thank goodness I finally got my samples.

As tough as it was to make contact with the very busy Freezy Pups gang, I couldn't give up. Organic is what we do here at All Things Dog Blog, so this was not a product I could miss out on. I became a woman possessed. Fortunately I was on their waiting list for product--a very long one.

Now that Tanner and Oliver have approved, my job is not done. I plan to try stuffing Kongs with these frozen yummies next. Doesn't that sound like a wonderful afternoon treat? And the flavors; they're home runs! Imagine White Cheddar Cheese, Chicken Soup, Juicy Apple, and Sweet Potato 'n Maple.

So how do YOU get your Freezy Pups? Start at their store locator here, and of course you can order from their website. For more information, you may want to follow them on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with updates on retail locations.

Before I fill you in on the giveaway I have to share one quote from the Freezy Pups' site:

Head of the Pack is proud to offer healthy and environmentally friendly dog treats. We use only organic ingredients. Our Freezy Pups Tray is reusable and made from long lasting, durable recyclable material. We use packaging that has been certified from the Forest Stewardship Council to have been produced from socially and environmentally responsible forestry.
Organic farming is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems and people. Organic products are grown without pesticides, herbicides, fumigants, or artificial fertilizers. In other words, no yucky stuff added. This means organic farming helps protect our water, air, land and food supply from toxic chemicals and other pollutants.
Make your dog and the earth happy. Go Green!

Bravo! Let's give away one complete assortment of their products. One winner will get a supply of packages to make 24 trays of treats valued at $56: This amounts to a Freezy Pups freezing tray with sample paks included, and a full box of each of their four flavors. WOW!

The Rafflecopter entry form should appear below. If you don't see it immediately, simply click on the post title to refresh and will will magically reappear right here:

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Fetching Fun with Tanner at K9Kamp!

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

This week's K9Kamp challenge, proferred by Kol's Notes and Peggy's Pet Place, asked participants to play fetch with their pups. Tanner heard the F word and was off to the French door, looking for a Fetch toy to get started right away!

We're home without family for several days, so you get to enjoy pictures of Tanner playing fetch alone, instead of me running along side. That's all well and good. I don't run right now since an injury on a New Year's vacation put a damper on my romping. Biking, fortunately, is still working for me. Yay!

Tanner and I decided that an hour of Fetch is simply not enough. He expects a good 20 minute Fetch game EVERY afternoon, so we're easily over the 3 hour mark already. I managed to pull off a few fetch games where I raced Tanner in our pool. That was a fun game for sure. I had the advantage of taking a nice long racing dive and swimming under water, so he was surprised to see me surface next to the prize and snatch it before he got there. Hehehe! A few rounds of that game had both of us ready for an afternoon dog nap, in which Oliver and Patches, our cat, all joined in. Is this the Napping House of children's book fame?

At the dog park, Tanner enjoyed a rocking Fetch game, with Oliver chasing after him. They got a great exercise session there, despite my inability to join them in the run. My arm did get a workout though, and I'll admit it was feeling the after effects the next day, even when using a launcher.

Between you and me, without the launcher, I'd be out of business. Even Tanner knows that I throw like a girl. I can hardly get it 30 feet and that's just not much of a sprint for a big guy like my Tanner. Friends at the dog park sometimes say he runs like he has Greyhound in him.

All in all, K9Kamp was a success here this week. We had fun, got some exercise, and refocused our efforts to eat more fruit. With Summer nearly over, fruit will be drying up soon, so I need to get ahead of the game. Berries are a favorite here with the boys too. It's time to go get a snack now. Fruity Yogurt Chillers anyone? See you at next week's K9 Kamp update.

Friday, April 15, 2011

Pupsicles are Back for Warmer Weather: Fruity Yogurt Chillers Recipe

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Ever since I made Paris Permenter's cheese and chicken treats, I've been up nights thinking of doggie recipes. Crazy huh? Today's idea sprung merely from a kitchen of over-ripe fruit and a container of yogurt nearing its expiration date. That's the perfect time to concoct something yummy for pups that love to experiment with new taste sensations.

There will be no more wasted food around here. It's all going to be turned into doggie delights! Want to try today's special?

Fruity Yogurt Chillers

Ingredients:

1 16 oz. container of plain organic yogurt
2 very ripe bananas
1 very ripe apple, peeled and cut up
3/4 Cup blueberries

Blend until evenly creamy and pour into ice cube trays. Freeze and them remove to an airtight container for periodic frozen snacks. These are great on a hot day, but be sure to serve on an outdoor patio or in a newspaper lined crate. They are a bit messy and would definitely stain flooring or carpet.

I have to admit after allowing Tanner and Oliver to lick my fingers, I decided to turn a bit of this recipe into a smoothie for me. After adding some ice and whirring it in the Cuisinart a bit longer, it became a delicious afternoon snack for all 3 of us. The boys didn't mind lapping theirs up from small bowls; who needs to wait for frozen? Something tells me these won't last long in the freezer.

On another note, I hope to see you all at my Easter Rabbit Adoptathon Blog Hop today. We'll be highlighting rabbits all over the country, just in time for the big bunny day. Need more info? Try my Help Desk.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Yogurt Pupsicles: Dog Treats to Celebrate the End of Summer

by Carrie Boyko

You like frozen yogurt, right? So do dogs. Let's whip up a frozen treat for them to nibble on while we enjoy our last official long, summer weekend:

Frozen Yogurt Pupsicles

Add a container of plain, organic yogurt to your blender or food processor. Now comes the fun part. Choose from your refrigerator’s available supply to save money and use up leftovers:

small fruit bites (absolutely no grapes or raisins!) and a drop of honey. My dogs like bananas and berries best. Melons are often a big hit with dogs.
grated cheese, preferably low fat
a couple of tablespoons of organic peanut butter and a bit of honey
You can even try a veggie pop by tossing in broccoli or other vegetables. My dogs love veggies.

Mix briefly and pour into an ice cube tray, removing to a sealed container when frozen, to retain flavor.

Serve these yummies as an occasional treat, one or two, depending on your dog's size. Keep in mind, that they may be messy. I recommend serving them outdoors on a patio or in a newspaper lined crate. What better reason to spend a little crate time, than with a fun new frozen treat. For those pups that generally avoid the crate, you may find this is just the thing to turn it into their favorite place to laze around.

What was your pup's favorite? Leave me a comment or drop me an email at LetsAdoptaDogPark@gmail.com. Have some ideas of your own to submit for our site's cookbook? I'm busy putting together a prize package for recipes, photos, and even a cookbook name.

Send them in with your pup's name and photo. He has to get credit for all his hard work as your taste-tester, right?!!