This Simple DIY Hack Keeps Your Dog Cool and Happy

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Dog dehydration and heat stroke can have some serious ramifications. It happens more often than one might think, especially in dogs with short muzzles (think pugs and bulldogs), and obese dogs. One of our favorite—and most fun!—ways to keep dogs cool is with a good ol’ fashioned ice lick.

It’s quite simple. Read on!

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Ice lick ingredients

A bowl, bucket, bundt pan, etc. to freeze the concoction in—it should be large enough that it doesn’t melt immediately once it hits that summer air, but not so large that it won’t fit in your freezer
Chew toys
Favorite snacks such as biscuits, bones, fruit, cheese and/or meat
Water, and something to make it extra tasty—try chicken broth for a savory spin, or peanut butter for more protein.
- Avoid peanut butter sweetened with xylitol! It’s dangerous for dogs.
- Avoid salty commercial broths, as their high sodium content is no good for dogs (and they often contain onion, another food dogs should not eat.)

Assembly instructions

Place a few chew toys and snacks in the bottom of your bowl
Add the water and chicken broth or peanut butter combination, then freeze for 30 minutes
Remove, then add another layer and repeat
Freeze for two hours, then let melt for a few minutes for easy removal
Let your dog (or cat—we see you, tuna water) lick away

But wait, can my dog have ice?

You may have heard that ice cubes are dangerous for dogs because they lead to bloat. Turns out, however, that this is a myth.

The real danger lies in your dog drinking water or ingesting ice too quickly, which is a risk factor for bloat.

“Dogs are given ice or iced water to drink when they are hot and thirsty, for example after heavy exercise,” veterinarian Dr. Audrey Harvey writes. “Under these circumstances, they are very likely to drink a lot of water very quickly, and this is a known risk factor for bloat.”

So by all means, give your dog some ice. Just don’t let him go overboard and take it in too fast.