Ensuring our dogs stay cool and hydrated throughout the outrageous summer heat waves is a big concern across Canada. With the warmest month up and coming, here are four tips from East Coast Dog to ensure your dog drinks enough water.
1. Switch up your dog’s bowl!
Feed your dog wet food. If you are a kibble feeder, rotating your dog’s diet onto a wet alternative like raw, gently cooked, or canned is a great way to ensure your dog is getting hydration. These alternatives have higher water content than kibble. Many kibble brands have canned food or tetra packs that are perfect for supplemental feeding without drastically changing your dog’s diet plan.
Product recommendations: GO Tetra Packs, Open Farm Rustic Stews
2. Add to your dog’s bowl!
If changing your dog’s diet isn’t in the cards, you can add liquid meal enhancers or a little warm water to your dog’s food. Doing so will rehydrate the kibble, making a stew-like consistency. You can also drop a few kibbles into the water and have your dog bob for the pieces, like apple bobbing! Not only will it encourage your dog to drink, but it’s also a fun enriching activity to keep them stimulated during those hot days when walking isn’t an option.
Product recommendations: Open Farm Bone Broth, Happy Days Diary Goat Milk, The Honest Kitchen Pour Overs
3. Make water more accessible.
Do you ever need to remember to drink water? I know this happens to me all the time. Ensuring I have a water bottle with me always reminds and encourages me to drink, so let’s do the same for our dogs! Having more than one water bowl in the house will encourage your dog to drink more. Ensuring the water bowl is kept clean and contains fresh water is essential.
Product recommendations: Messy Mutt Non-Slip Bowl
4. Make delicious hydrating treats!
What dog doesn’t enjoy a tasty treat? The summer treats we often crave for ourselves, such as fresh fruit like strawberries and watermelon, are also loved by dogs, and have high water content. You can also make tons of frozen treats for your pup to enjoy! We’ve created something special for you to make with your dog to honour National Blueberry Month.
Blueberry, Peanut Butter & Banana Crunch Pupsicles
Ingredients
One bottle of Happy Days Dairy Kefir Goat Milk Blueberry
A bag HealthyBud Banana Chips
1 cup of dog-friendly peanut butter
Optional: 6 inch Open Range Bully Stick
Equipment
Blender or Food Processor
Silicone Mold ex. Messy Mutt Bake & Freeze Treat Mold
Sheet Tray
Method
Pour the goat’s milk and the peanut butter into a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
Place your mold on a sheet pan, so it is easy to transport into the freezer. Fill the mold 1/4 of the way with the banana chips. Cover with the liquid base.
Allow the prepared pupsicles to stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. This will allow any air bubbles formed from blending to dissipate.
Optional: add a bully stick into the prepared mixture as a pupsicle stick!
Place the mold in the freezer, and allow the pupsicles to freeze overnight.
Pop the pupsicles out and watch your pup enjoy!
Check out our online shop for more tasty treats to keep your dog healthy and hydrated this summer!
If you make this delicious treat, don’t forget to tag us on Facebook or Instagram so we can see @eastcoastdoghfx
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