August 3rd is National Watermelon Day — a day to celebrate one of the sweetest, yummiest fruits you can share with your dog. Watermelons are full of vitamins and nutrients that are healthy for your pup, and they’re made of over 90 percent water, which makes them an excellent food for staying hydrated in the summer.
While you can certainly cut up a watermelon and serve it directly to your pooch, there are plenty of other ways your dog can enjoy these tasty treats on National Watermelon Day.
It’s important to ask your vet before sharing any human foods with your dog, and you should always choose fruits and veggies that haven’t been exposed to herbicides or pesticides. And never feed your dog artificial flavors, sugary products, or sweeteners.
With watermelons, you must remove the seeds and the rind, as these are difficult to digest and can cause obstructions. Even though watermelons are good for dogs, too much can cause a tummy ache or other problems.
With all of that in mind, here are six healthy ways to treat your dog to some watermelon on National Watermelon Day!
1. Yogurt Watermelon Pup-sicles
Ingredients:
- 2 cups chopped, seedless watermelon
- 1 cup plain, lactose-free yogurt
Directions:
You’ll need an ice cube tray or silicon mold and a blender for this one. Puree the watermelon until it is smooth. Add one tablespoon of yogurt to each individual ice cube or mold section. Fill the rest of the tray or mold with the pureed watermelon.
Freeze it for about four hours or until the treats are solid. Remove from the tray/mold and serve. Wag of the tail to Baking Mischief for this recipe.
2. Watermelon Taffy
Ingredients:
- 1 watermelon, seeds and rind removed
Directions:
You’ll need a dehydrator for this recipe. Keep in mind that even though these treats are healthy and still have vitamins and nutrients, they won’t be as good for keeping your pup hydrated as some of the other treats on the list, but they will be chewy and tasty.
Cut the watermelon into long strips and place on a dehydrator tray that is covered with good quality saran wrap. Dehydrate for several hours until they reach the desired dryness, then serve. Wag of the tail to EntirelyPets for this recipe.
3. Watermelon Sorbet
Ingredients:
- 3 cups frozen watermelon, seeds and rind removed
- 1/4 cup real watermelon juice, nothing artificial (can also use coconut water or plain water)
- 1 squeeze raw honey
Directions:
This recipe requires a blender. Blend the frozen watermelon and honey with a little bit of watermelon juice or coconut water at first, then add more juice/water slowly as you blend. Too much juice or water right away will make the mixture into more of a slushie than a sorbet.
When your blend reaches the desired sorbet texture, scoop and serve. You can also add chopped fruit toppings so long as they are dog-safe. Blueberries, bananas, and strawberries are all good choices. Wag of the tail to Chewy.com for this recipe.
4. Mint Cucumber Watermelon Refresher
Ingredients:
- 3 cups diced watermelon, seeds and rind removed
- 1 cup chopped cucumber
- 2 to 3 chopped mint sprigs
- 1 cup blueberries
- water (enough to top off bowl)
Directions:
For this one, you’ll need a freezer-safe bowl for your dog and a blender, or you can mash the ingredients with a fork if you don’t have a blender. Blend or mash two cups of watermelon until smooth while keeping one cup of watermelon to the side.
Pour the mash into the freezer-safe bowl. Add the remaining watermelon, cucumber, mint, and blueberries. Mix well. Add water to fill the bowl. Cover and freeze, then serve.
If your pup can’t wait, you can also serve it as a cold beverage without freezing. Wag of the tail to Beagles And Bargains for this recipe.
5. Watermelon Slushie
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cubed watermelon, seeds and rind removed
- 1/2 cup strawberries
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1/2 cup coconut water
- 1/2 cup ice
Directions:
Even though there are more ingredients in this recipe, it’s nice and easy to prepare. You’ll need a blender. Just blend all of the ingredients together and serve in a bowl.
You can also pour the mixture into a Kong or other feeder toy and freeze to give your pup a more challenging, mentally stimulating treat. Wag of the tail to DogTipper for this recipe.
6. Watermelon Bone Broth Freezies
Ingredients:
- 1 cup watermelon juice
- 1/2 cup bone broth
- 1 cup coconut milk yogurt alternative
Directions:
If your dog wants something more savory with their sweetness, these treats might be preferable. Make sure you have an ice tray or mold to freeze the treats.
You’ll need to juice and strain one cup of watermelon to start this recipe. Add half a cup of bone broth to the juice. If you buy bone broth from the store, make sure it doesn’t have onions or other added ingredients that may not be safe for your dog. Add the coconut milk yogurt alternative and whisk it all together.
Pour into the ice tray or mold and freeze. Remove the treats from the tray/mold and serve. You can follow along with the video above if you need to. Wag of the tail to Gone to the Snow Dogs on YouTube for this recipe.
Do you have any watermelon dog treat recipes for National Watermelon Day? Does your dog enjoy eating watermelon with you? Let us know in the comments below!
