Dog Ice Block Treats: 9 DIY Recipes!

Does your furball love frozen treats? Many canines do — especially when the temperatures run high!

But aside from simply putting a smile on your dog’s face, frozen treats — including doggie ice blocks — can also help cool your companion off and keep him from overheating. As a bonus, dog ice block treats are super easy to make.

We’ll share nine totally cool ice block recipes so you can give Fido some frozen fun below! Woo hoo! 

What Are Ice Block Treats, Anyway? Do Dogs Like Them?

Ice block treats are essentially dog-friendly popsicles.

These treats are made by freezing some dog-friendly foods or treats into an ice cube tray or mold. Ice block treats might also be called pupsicles or ice licks, but they are all more or less the same type of treat. 

What Do You Need to Make Dog Ice Block Treats? 

One of the best things about ice block treats is that you don’t need a lot of equipment to craft these doggie delights for your furry friends. 

In terms of gear, you’ll need some freezer-safe molds or a couple of ice cube trays for forming the treats (don’t have molds? You could always try one of our favorite frozen dog treats for the summer – some require molds, and some don’t).

You’ll also need basic kitchen equipment for prepping the cube mixture like a mixing bowl, spatula, cutting board, knife, and food processor for some of the recipes. 

The ingredients for your ice block treats will vary by recipe, but chances are, you probably have some of these pet-friendly foods laying around your pantry or refrigerator. You’ll also want to set aside time to make these treats anticipating a hot day. 

While prepping the mixture won’t take too much time, you’ll have to let the treats freeze for a couple of hours before they are ready to serve. Thankfully, the simple recipes are easy to make ahead of time, so it shouldn’t be too challenging proactively prepping some of these treats for your pooch. 

9 DIY Ice Block Treats

Without further ado, here are nine ice block treat recipes for your canine companion. You’re sure to find the perfect pupsicle recipe below, whether your furry friend prefers savory or sweet flavors. 

1. Hide and Seek Ice Cubes

About: Looking for a simple yet delicious ice block recipe for your deserving doggo? These Hide and Seek ice blocks from the AKC require just two ingredients that you probably have on hand. 

Ingredients:

• Unsalted beef or chicken broth 
• Blueberries or other small, dog-safe fruits

Directions:

1. Fill ice cube trays or mold halfway with broth and freeze.
2. Add a blueberry or small treat on top of the frozen broth. 
3. Fill the tray with the remaining broth and freeze. 
4. Once fully frozen, these treats are ready to be served!

2. Veggie Ice Lick 

About: This fiber-rich ice lick is equal parts nutritious and delicious! If you have a picky pooch, you can use low sodium broth instead of water to add a little more flavor. 

Ingredients:

• Baby carrots
• Spinach
• Peas
• Water

Directions:

1. Chop up baby carrots to create smaller chunks. 
2. Line the bottom of your ice lick mold with spinach and cover about a quarter of the mold with water on top. 
3. Add in peas and chopped carrots. 
4. Fill the remaining space in the mold with water.
5. Freeze until solid and serve! 

3. Peanut Butter and Banana Ice Cubes

About: Is your pooch a peanut butter fan? If so, check out this peanut butter and banana ice block recipe. The simple treats provide your furball with a great source of potassium and protein. 

Ingredients:

• Dog-safe peanut butter
• Banana
• Water

Directions:

1. Chop the banana into small pieces.
2. Add pieces of banana and about a tablespoon of peanut butter to ice-lick mold. 
3. Fill the remaining space with water and freeze.
4. Once frozen solid, these cubes are ready to serve! 

4. Melon Ice Lick

About: What’s more refreshing than some quenching summer melon? This melon ice lick can be made with any chunks of dog-safe melon and berries. You can also swap the water base for a low sodium broth if your pooch prefers a sweet and savory treat. 

Ingredients:

• Honeydew 
• Cantaloupe
• Cranberries

Directions:

1. Chop honeydew and cantaloupe melon into small chunks.
2. Add mixed fruit to ice lick mold and cover with water until full. 
3. Once frozen solid, these fruity licks are ready to serve! 

5. Berry Good Ice Lick

About: This antioxidant-rich berry ice lick from My Brown Newfies is a total pooch pleaser. If you don’t have dog-safe yogurt on hand, you can just use water as the liquid base. 

Ingredients:

• Dog-safe plain Greek yogurt
• Strawberries
• Blueberries 
• Bananas
• Water 

Directions:

1. Create a mixture that’s equal parts yogurt and water. 
2. Chop up berries into small pieces.
3. Place chopped fruit in ice-lick mold and cover with yogurt-water mixture.
4. Freeze until solid and serve. 

6. Savory Broth Surprise

About: Does your dog like a good challenge? This ice lick from Dream a Little Bigger hides your dog’s favorite hard chew toy inside of broth for some summer fun. You might need bigger mold for this recipe, but your dog will love rediscovering toys through this DIY treat! 

Ingredients:

• Unsalted broth
• One of your dog’s favorite toys – something that’s pretty firm, like a silicone chew toy or bone usually works best. 

Directions:

1. Place the toy of choice in a freezer-safe mold.
2. Fill up mold with unsalted broth, making sure to cover up most of the toy. 
3. Freeze until solid and serve. Make sure your dog recognizes that the toy is a toy and not something else to eat! 

Some people also use broth to make their dog a glass of non-alcoholic dog beer, which is another fun treat for any BBQ or outdoor party with your pup.

7. Coconut and Blueberry Cubes

About: If your dog craves a bit of fruity flavor, these coconut and blueberry blocks from Bird’s Eye Meeple are sure to please. These coconut cubes provide your pooch with a great source of helpful fats, which can help promote a shiny, healthy coat. 

Ingredients:

• Coconut oil
• Blueberries

Directions:

1. Place a single blueberry into each individual mold or ice cube tray and set aside.
2. Heat coconut oil in a saucepan over low heat until it becomes liquid.
3. Allow the oil to cool. Once cool, pour into a mold or tray, filling each section.
4. Freeze the tray and serve individual treats when solid. 

8. Sweet and Savory Treats

About: These apple and chicken ice blocks from AB Crafty are sure to win over your furry friend. With just two ingredients, you’ll have no trouble whipping up these delicious frozen treats. 

Ingredients:

• Unsalted chicken broth
• Unsweetened, plain applesauce

Directions:

1. Combine equal parts chicken broth and applesauce in a bowl and mix thoroughly. 
2. Pour mixture into ice cube trays or freezer-safe molds.
3. Once frozen solid, serve. 

9. Fresh Breath Frozen Treats

About: Does your mutt need a breath mint? These frozen treats from Parsnips and Pastries aren’t just delicious, but they also contain a bit of mint to help freshen your dog’s breath. Note that one variety of mint, English pennyroyal, is toxic to furry friends. However, most mint you come across is perfectly safe for pups so long as it’s served in small quantities. 

Ingredients:

• Dog-safe plain Greek yogurt
• Fresh mint 
• Honey

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients into the food processor or blender and blend until thoroughly mixed.
2. Pour mixture into freezer mold or ice cube tray. 
3. Serve once frozen solid. 

Are Dog Ice Block Treats Safe?

Generally speaking, ice block treats are safe for our canine companions but you’ll still want to keep these safety tips in mind while serving up these frozen doggie delicacies:

• Monitor your mutt. As with any treat, it’s important to keep your eyes on your dog while he’s enjoying his ice block. Make sure your pooch is safely consuming his ice block treats and keep an eye out for any signs of indigestion after trying out a new recipe. 
• Be especially vigilant if your dog is a big chomper. Ice block treats or any hard treat could potentially lead to tooth injury if your furry friend tends to crunch down on anything he can get his paws on. It may be worth breaking up the blocks into smaller pieces or letting them thaw a bit before handing over the ice block treat to Fido. 
• Take these treats outside. This is more for reducing mess than anything else, but you might want to have your dog enjoy these treats outside or on the hardwood floor as opposed to the carpet. When melted, some of these ice blocks can leave behind a sticky residue that can be tricky to clean off of some surfaces.
• Keep treat quantities reasonable. Don’t forget that treats should be calculated into your dog’s daily diet. Make sure your treats are proportionate to your pooch. 
• Watch out for heatstroke. Understand that ice block treats aren’t a treatment for heat stress. You’ll want to keep an eye out for signs of heat stress including labored breathing, collapse, excessive panting, vomiting, discolored gums or lethargy. If you think your dog is suffering from these symptoms, immediately limit sun exposure and head to the veterinarian. Don’t waste time with ice block treats. 

Other Ways to Cool Your Canine in the Summer

Ice block treats are a great way to provide your pooch with some cooling teats, but they shouldn’t be your best buddy’s only way to beat the heat. Here are some other methods for keeping your canine cool while out in the sun: 

• Avoid direct sun exposure. The best way to keep your furry friend cool in the summer is to limit his exposure to direct sunlight. While you’re outside, try to seek out shaded areas, and limit your walks to cooler times of the day (before 10:00 AM and after 5:00 PM). You’ll want to be particularly careful if you have a brachycephalic fur kid or a pooch with a fluffy coat. 
• Provide plenty of water. Make sure your hound has access to plenty of water. You should also bring a portable water bowl or a dog water bottle with you while you’re out on walks. 
• Incorporate other frozen treats. Pupsicles, stuffed frozen KONGs, and batches of dog-friendly ice cream also make excellent summertime treats. 
• Take plenty of breaks. Provide your pooch with plenty of cooldown time while outside. Make sure you’re taking breaks in a shaded area and that you offer your dog water while he’s cooling down. 
• Limit exercise or high-energy activities while outside. Make sure your dog takes it easy while you’re out in the sun. Keep exercise and high-energy activities to a minimum. 
• Find a pooch pool. If your dog loves to swim, hanging out in a dog pool can be a great way to beat the heat. 
• Use a cooling vest. Cooling vests are great for active pups who need something to keep them reasonably cool while out in intense heat. These vests help provide relief to your pooch through evaporative cooling and often feature reflective strips to block out the sun.  

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Ice block treats can be an excellent way to keep your canine cool while out in the summer sun. Thankfully, these treats are super easy to make and your pooch is sure to love these delicious doggie delights!

Does your dog like ice block treats? Which recipe was your favorite? We’d love to hear all about it in the comments below!