I remember back in the day when I used to buy Purina's Frosty Paws for my very first dachshund, Ciji, during the summer months. Knowing what I do now about dog nutrition and what is actually in these and dog food in general, I would have made the healthy alternative versions of these cool treats back then too. Here's what they have in them followed by a healthier version you can make at home.
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FROSTY PAWS® Original Frozen Treats for Dogs Nutritional Information
Ingredients: WATER, DRIED WHEY, SOY FLOUR, ANIMAL FAT (PRESERVED WITH BHA AND BHT), DRIED WHEY PRODUCT, DRIED WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, VEGETABLE FAT, SOY LECITHIN, MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE, MONO-DIGLYCERIDES, CARBOXYMETHYLCELLULOSE, POLYSORBATE 80, POLYSORBATE 60, CALCIUM CARBONATE, CHOLINE CHLORIDE, FERROUS SULFATE, ZINC SULFATE, MANGANESE SULFATE, MAGNESIUM OXIDE, SILICON DIOXIDE, VITAMIN A SUPPLEMENT, VITAMIN E SUPPLEMENT, NIACIN SUPPLEMENT, COPPER SULFATE, CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, RIBOFLAVIN SUPPLEMENT, POTASSIUM IODIDE, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, VITAMIN D3 SUPPLEMENT, VITAMIN B12 SUPPLEMENT, AND FOLIC ACID.
FROSTY PAWS® Frozen Treats for Dogs with Peanut Butter Nutritional Information
Ingredients: WATER, DRIED WHEY, SOY FLOUR, ANIMAL FAT (PRESERVED WITH BHA AND BHT), DRIED WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, VEGETABLE FAT, SOY LECITHIN, PEANUT BUTTER SYRUP (PEANUTS, CORN OIL, SALT), MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE, MONO-DIGLYCERIDES, CARBOXYMETHYLCELLULOSE, POLYSORBATE 80, POLYSORBATE 60, CALCIUM CARBONATE, NATURAL FLAVOR, CHOLINE CHLORIDE, FERROUS SULFATE, ZINC SULFATE, MANGANESE SULFATE, MAGNESIUM OXIDE, SILICON DIOXIDE, VITAMIN A SUPPLEMENT, VITAMIN E SUPPLEMENT, NIACIN SUPPLEMENT, COPPER SULFATE, CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, RIBOFLAVIN SUPPLEMENT, POTASSIUM IODIDE, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, VITAMIN D3 SUPPLEMENT, VITAMIN B12 SUPPLEMENT, FOLIC ACID.
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What makes Frosty Paws unhealthy? Well...
1. Animal Fat: since no specific animal was mentioned, these could be any kind of animal including "4D's- dead, diseased, disabled, or dying prior to slaughter"....eww.
2. BHA and BHT: banned from human use in most countries but still permitted in the US, possible human carcinogen, apparently carcinogenic in animal experiments...doesn't sound like something I want to feed my dogs.
3. Corn- anything. Corn is a high allergenic food in dogs. I try not to get anything that contains the word "corn" in the label.
So they are not that bad really, but if you could chose something healthier, wouldn't you?
Here's the recipe....
Ingredients:
32 oz. vanilla yogurt, organic if possible- plain yogurt even better for dogs with a weight issue
1 mashed banana or large jar of banana baby food, good source of fiber and potassium
2 T. peanut butter, organic if possible- low sodium even better
2 T. honey, organic if possible
Directions:
Blend all together and freeze in either 3 ounce paper cups or ice cube trays. Microwave just a few seconds before serving.
Or you could get really lazy like I have done and just stick a regular 6 or 8 oz cup of yogurt in the freezer and let them go town licking it out of the cup after it has been frozen solid.
