5 Refreshing & Healthy Smoothie Recipes for Dogs

 

When the summer sun is shining down and the heat is going up, nothing beats a delicious smoothie to help you keep your cool. But enjoying a tasty smoothie isn’t just for humans. Dogs love to indulge in the refreshing snack, too, but you need to make sure the smoothie is pup-friendly.

These smoothie recipes are great for dogs, and the ingredients make them a perfect fit for you, too. So mix up some refreshing summer treats and enjoy them with your pup.

Before You Make a Smoothie for Dogs

You’re excited. You’re ready to whip out the blender and start mixing up a fabulous gourmet smoothie that is worthy of your commendable canine. However, before you press the blend button, it’s imperative to ensure you’re only using foods your dog can eat.

Also, be careful to remove all stems, leaves, seeds, cores, peels, etc. from fruits and vegetables. Wash fruits and vegetables, and cut or slice them into small chunks. Avoid using sugar-free ingredients that can potentially contain Xylitol, which is toxic to dogs. Likewise, no chocolate smoothies for your pup, unless you use carob as a chocolate alternative.

It’s also wise to keep a mindful eye on the portion sizes. Even if a particular food is safe for your pup, it doesn’t mean their stomach can handle a whole bowl full of it. Serve a moderate portion and limit your pup to an occasional smoothie instead of making them every day.

If you’re not sure about your smoothie recipe, check with your vet first. Consulting with your vet is always a great go-to move when making homemade dog food or treats. They know your dog’s specific needs and can advise you on portion sizes and recipe tweaks that would be a better match for your precious pooch. For example, many dogs can enjoy a small amount of plain yogurt, but what if your dog is lactose-intolerant? Therefore, always consider your dog’s unique needs and discuss things with your vet before proceeding.

Five Refreshing Dog-Friendly Smoothies to Try This Summer

Here are five delicious smoothie recipes for you and your pup to enjoy this summer. There’s also a convenient grocery list included at the end if you decide you want to try all of these recipes to find your dog’s favorites.

In addition to the ingredients, you’ll need a good quality blender or something like the Magic Bullet to create a perfectly smooth shake. All of these recipes are super simple to make, basically, add everything into a blender and blend until smooth. Therefore, you can expect each one to take only a couple of minutes.

Note: Any recipe that uses bananas, calls for frozen bananas. So as soon as you get home from your grocery run, peel the bananas, place them in a freezer-safe tray, and put them in the freezer.

1. Classic Strawberry Banana Smoothie 

(Adapted from Gone to the Snow Dogs)

Ingredients

• 1 cup of fresh strawberries
• 1 cup of peeled frozen bananas
• ⅔ cup water
• 1 single-serving container of plain Greek yogurt (make sure it does not contain any artificial sweeteners)

How To Make

Wash the strawberries and cut them in half. Then, slice the frozen bananas.  Place all of your ingredients into your blender and start blending. Serve in your container of choice (we give some suggestions towards the end of this article).

2. Green Smoothie for Dogs

(Adapted from Proud Dog Mom)

Ingredients

• ¼ cup of cold water
• 2 ice cubes
• 1 tablespoon of peanut butter
• ⅓ cup chunked fresh pineapple
• ¼ teaspoon ground chia seeds
• Handful of broccoli

How To Make

Soak the chia seeds in water. While they soak, peel and cut the pineapple into chunks. Add all of the ingredients into a blender and blend at high speed until smooth. Serve immediately.

3. Blueberry Smoothie

(Adapted from Hemppy Dog)

Ingredients

• 1 peeled frozen banana
• ½ cup of plain Greek yogurt
• ½ cup of frozen blueberries
• 1 tablespoon of honey or peanut butter (optional)
• 1 cup of water

How To Make

Slice the banana and add to a blender with the blueberries and the rest of the ingredients. Blend everything until the mixture is smooth, then pour into the serving container of your choice.

You can use this same recipe but substitute various fruits or vegetables for the blueberries. Try strawberries, pineapple, apples, or kiwi.

4. Pumpkin Pup Smoothie

(Adapted from Sweet Simple Vegan)

Many pumpkin smoothies for dogs contain cinnamon, which, although non-toxic for dogs, isn’t always the best choice. This recipe avoids using cinnamon but still delivers a tasty pumpkin-flavored snack for your dog.

Ingredients

• 1 can of pumpkin puree
• ½ cup of crushed ice
• ¾ cup of water
• 3 tablespoons of coconut meat
• 1 tablespoon of peanut butter
• ¼ cup of frozen blueberries

How To Make

Blend all ingredients in a blender on high speed until smooth, then pour into bowls.

5. Carob Creation 

(Adapted from Long Haul Trekkers)

Ingredients

• 2 frozen bananas
• 1 can full-fat coconut milk
• 1/4 cup of carob powder
• 3 tablespoons of peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon honey

How To Make

Slice bananas, then blend all ingredients together until smooth. Serve immediately in the container of your choice.

Dog Smoothie Grocery List

If you know you want to make every smoothie on this list, here’s what you’ll need to grab at the grocery store.

• 1 cup of fresh strawberries
• 1 large bag of frozen blueberries
• Jar of peanut butter
• 1 can of pumpkin puree
• 4 to 5 bananas
• 1 fresh coconut
• 1 can of coconut milk
• 1 fresh pineapple
• Small container of honey
• ¼ cup of carob powder
• Small container of chia seeds
• Bag of fresh broccoli florets
• Plain Greek yogurt, either two single-serve containers or one large tub

Fun Ways to Serve a Smoothie for Dogs

Your dog will likely be perfectly satisfied if you put your homemade concoction in their regular food bowl. But, why not go a step further and really make things special?

• Garnish your pup’s smoothie with their favorite treat. 
• Put your pup’s smoothie in a Polar Bowl to keep it nice and cool for your four-legged pal.
• Another excellent option is to spread the smoothie onto the Neat-Lik treat mat. Place the mat in the freezer, then serve the frozen treat to a very excited pup. 

(Check out more tasty treat suggestions for the Neat-Lik treat mat.)

These Smoothies Are Going to the Dogs

There’s no doubt your dog will love these smoothies, and since they’re easy to make, you can whip them up any time. If you have leftovers, pour them into an ice cube tray and freeze them to make “pupscicles” for another day.

For more ideas on how to make the most of summertime with your dog, check out the rest of the Neater Pets blog. You’ll also find helpful tips on caring for your dog and answers to many of your pressing pet questions. Ready to start mixing? Tag us in pictures of your smoothie creations on Instagram!