3 Recipes for a Pup-tastically Fun Summer

Author: Amanda Brahlek 

Summer is here and so are the activities that make summer special! From picnics to pool parties, this season is one of the best to let loose and have a fun time with your dog and some friends. But let’s not forget one of the most important parts of summer fun: the food! If you’re planning a special occasion or just want your dog to feel as special and you know they are, these recipes are safe, tasty, and brimming with benefits: 

Recipe 1: Doggy Crostini

These bite-sized hors d'oeuvres are perfect for a sophisticated night in with your four-legged friends and their humans. Not only are these beautiful snacks a fancy way to class up DIY dog treats, but they’re also extremely healthy. (Watch the video). 

Ingredients 

• Natural Farm Beef Gullet Stick Bites 

• 1 Carrot 
• ½ cup Plain, sugar-free Greek yogurt 
• 2 Tbsp pumpkin puree (or all-natural, pure peanut butter) 
• ½ cup raw dog food (or softened dry dog food) 

Recommended tools: Veggie peeler, cookie tray or freezer-friendly plate, bowl, spoons 

Directions 

1. Peel your carrot, then roll the peels into spirals. Place your carrot peels on a plate and freeze for about 5 minutes (or however long it takes for you to complete the next steps). 
2. Lay your Natural Farm Beef Gullet Sticks on a plate or freezer tray.  
3. Spread the raw dog food onto the Gullet Sticks. 
4. Mix together your pumpkin puree and Greek yogurt. Then add a spoonful of this mixture onto the raw dog food. 
5. Remove your carrot peels from the freezer and top each crostini with one. 
6. Freeze or refrigerate. 

Health Benefits of Doggy Crostinis 

Beef Gullet Stick Bites are packed with glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health.  

Carrots are a natural source of fiber, potassium, vitamin A, and other vitamins. 

Greek yogurt is an excellent source of good bacteria for your dog’s gut health. 

Pumpkin is nutritious and delicious for dogs. It is filled with vitamin A and C, antioxidants, fiber, and potassium.

These yummy homemade dog treats are anything but doggy junk food. Doggy Crostinis are elegant, flavorful, and filled with nutritious ingredients. Doggy Crostinis taste great and make for a perfect photo opportunity! 

Recipe 2: Dog-Friendly Ants on a Log 

Do you remember getting home from school and enjoying a plate of ants on a log? These afternoon snacks were a sneaky and delicious way your mom tricked you into eating healthy. This dog-friendly version of a favorite childhood snack does the same for dogs.  

So, if you’re planning a summer picnic or you want to be the most popular pup parent at the dog park, try these unbeatable dog treats. (Watch the video). 

Ingredients 

• Natural Farm Beef Gullet Sticks  
• All-natural peanut butter 
• Goat milk kefir 
• Supplement powder (optional) 

• Flaxseed 
• Chia seed 
• Unsweetened, shredded coconut 

Recommended tools: Cookie tray or freezer-friendly plate, bowls, spoons 

Directions 

1. Mix together your goat milk kefir and peanut butter. If you want to bump up the nutritional benefits of this recipe, this is when you add in your dog’s powdered supplement. This should be spreadable. So, be sure it’s about the consistency of chunky peanut butter. 
2. Combine flaxseed, chia seed, and shredded coconut. 
3. Spread the mixture from step one onto the Beef Gullet Stick. 
4. Sprinkle on the blended loose ingredients from step 2. Press them gently into the tasty paste to ensure they stay put. 
5. Place the ants on a log into the freezer on a plate or tray that’s covered or bagged. 

Health Benefits of Dog-Friendly Ant on a Log 

Beef Gullet Sticks protect your dog’s joints and aid in joint recovery. They’re also a great way to convince your dog to ‘brush’ their teeth. 

Flaxseed is high in fiber and an anti-inflammatory. 

Chia seed boosts your pup’s immune system and supports your dog’s electrolyte balance.  

Goat kefir is a source of probiotics to strengthen the immune system and improve your dog’s gut flora.  

Coconut is high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, including manganese which strengthens bones. 

Peanut butter is rich in protein, vitamins B and E, and healthy fats.  

These ants on a log will get your dog’s tail wagging. They’re a long-lasting treat that is all-natural and all-yummy.  

Recipe 3: Bully Pup-sicles 

There’s no better way to cool down and hydrate after some fun in the sun than with a popsicle. The same is true for our dogs, too. Most dogs love the frozen fun of a pupsicle, especially when they’re made using some of their favorite treats combined with yummy bone broth. Best of all, making homemade bully popsicles is simple. (Watch video). Here’s how:  

Ingredients 

• Your dog’s favorite Natural Farm Bully Sticks, Collagen Sticks, or Gullet Sticks 
• All-natural peanut butter 
• Bone broth 

Recommended tools: A small bowl, butter knife or rubber spatula, baker’s paper or silicone mat, a freezer-friendly tray or plate, foil, popsicle molds 

Directions 

1. Coat the bully sticks with peanut butter. Cover each to the depth of your popsicle molds. 
2. Place the peanut butter-coated bully sticks on a tray and freeze them for about 10 minutes. They should be pretty solid (and not drippy). 
3. Position the bully sticks peanut butter-side down into your popsicle molds.  
4. Pour your bone broth into the mold, filling the remaining space. 
5. Use your foil to keep the bully sticks upright. 
6. Let them freeze. Overnight in the freezer will do the trick. 
7. Remove the popsicles from the molds. If they don’t want to come out easily, dip the mold in a bowl of warm water for a few seconds or run them under the faucet. 
8. Place in a baggie and return them to the freezer. 

Health Benefits of Bully Pup-sicles 

Natural Farm Bully Sticks are an excellent source of mental stimulation, glucosamine and chondroitin for joint support, and an outlet for nervous energy. 

Natural Farm Collagen Sticks are long-lasting to enrich your dog’s life. Collagen aids in cell repair, inflammation reduction, improved mobility, and healthy skin. 

Bone broth improves gut health, skin and coat health, joint health. It’s filled with collagen to mend connective tissues, and it is a natural source of vitamins and minerals. 

These pupsicles will make you the coolest dog owner on the block. They also come with fully digestible sticks, so you don’t have to worry about your dog dealing with splinters. 

Wishing You and Your Dog a Fun Summer! 

If you’re planning a summer event or you just want to spoil your dog with healthy, tasty treats, these recipes cannot be beaten. You don’t have to be a professional chef to create these beautiful recipes. They’re easy, delicious, and nutritious.   

Want to spoil your dog with health and fun? Pick out a Natural Farm dog treat that best fits your best friend’s needs.