We all want to treat our dogs with the utmost respect and love that our four-legged loyal companions deserve. The issue though, is that sometimes our love can be misguided. What we think could be just a few treats during the sweltering summertime, could actually be harmful. I am, of course, talking about ice cream. We often see in movies, a young child sharing their frozen delight with their pet dog but is this really okay?
Can Dogs Have Ice Cream?
The sad truth is that it is best recommended by experts to not share our ice cream with our dogs. But why? The answer is multi-faceted, there are simply too many risks to take into account. Allow me to break it down. Ice cream is filled to the brim with sugar, as you may already know, this can lead to severe weight gain and obesity in your canine.
The amount of sugar added to ice cream is quite high by human standards but that number skyrockets when attributed to the much smaller bodies of dogs. You may be thinking that the easy solution is to simply buy sugarless ice cream but this is not the case. In fact, sugarless ice cream may be even more dangerous for your dog.
This is because sugarless ice cream often lists xylitol as one of its ingredients. Xylitol, while harmless to humans, is extremely toxic to dogs.
Alternative Treats For Your Dog
Fortunately for your pooch, there is good news for them in their battle against the summertime heat. Freezing some fat-free and plain yogurt is a wonderful way to provide your companion with a tasty treat that won’t place their lives in harm’s way. The relationship between an owner and their pet dog is a wonderful thing. Taking care of them is how we can best show our love.
