When the weather is scorching, a cold treat can be the difference between an uncomfortable or refreshing afternoon. And while your pup is likely begging for a lick of your ice cream cone, the smart choice is to give your doggo a treat of their own. I’ve sifted through the options and picked out the eight best ice cream treats for dogs.
Best Ice Cream For Dogs
Contents
When choosing the best ice cream for dogs, I considered factors like ingredients, sourcing, price, availability, and customer reviews.
Best Mix-And-Freeze: Puppy Scoops Review
Puppy Scoops by Puppy Cake is an ice cream for dogs made with lactose-free whole milk, cane sugar, gelatin, and salt. The ice cream comes as a dry mix. Puppy Scoops instructs you to combine the ice cream packet with water and freeze for at least five hours. Alternatively, you can create single servings by pouring the liquid into silicone molds before freezing.
Puppy Scoops offers five fun flavors—maple bacon, peanut butter, vanilla, carob, and birthday cake—and reviewers say their dogs can’t get enough. Keep in mind that this ice cream is high in fat, so moderation is key. The serving suggestion is around 1/2 scoop (1 fl. oz.) per 15 pounds of body weight.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Dog-approved flavors | Requires adding water and freezing |
| Small (2.32 oz.) and regular (4.65 oz.) sizes | Some recipes contain artificial flavors |
| Lactose-free | High fat |
| 12-month shelf life unmixed, 6 weeks in freezer | |
| Can be poured into a silicone mold for easy portioning |
Pricing
Best Ready-To-Eat: Dogsters Review
If your dog needs their ice cream fix right away, pick up a box of Dogsters. Dogsters ice cream is ready to enjoy and available in four paws-itively delicious flavors: cheesy bac’n, minte kissably fresh, nutly & cheese, and dairy-free raw-some pumpkin. All of Dogsters’s ice creams are low calorie and low fat. They feature human-grade ingredients and are made without artificial flavors.
Each box of Dogsters comes with four single-serving cups. Dogster recommends popping the frozen treat out of the cup and serving it in your pup’s bowl.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Ready to enjoy | Contain artificial colors |
| Vet approved | |
| Low fat | |
| Dairy-free option | |
| Inexpensive |
Pricing
Best Flavor Selection: Pooch Creamery Review
View on Amazon | View On Chewy
Pooch Creamery uses only five ingredients in its recipes, including lactose-free whole milk, cane sugar, gelatin, and salt. Choose between dog-favorite flavors like peanut butter and maple bacon, as well as unique options like watermelon and birthday cake.
This dog ice cream ships as a powered mix. Enjoying this treat requires a bit of forethought—once you add water, the grain-free ice cream must be frozen for at least eight hours. To avoid tummy troubles, stick to around 1/2 scoop (1 oz.) per 15 pounds.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Lots of flavors | Some reviewers said it caused an upset stomach |
| Only 5 ingredients | Requires adding water and freezing (8+ hours) |
| Made with lactose-free whole milk | |
| Human-grade ingredients | |
| Made in the USA |
Pricing
Best Texture: Purina Frosty Paws Review
As the very first frozen canine treat sold in the United States, Frosty Paws has proven that its product stands the test of time. Doggies love the peanut butter flavor and the ice cream is blended and ready-to-eat in single serving containers.
I do want to note that Purina is a subsidiary of the Swiss multinational conglomerate Nestlé, which has been criticized for its unethical business practices. Still, this option is widely available and is a tasty treat for a texture-picky pooch.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| No added sugar | Only 1 flavor |
| Includes added vitamins and minerals | Owned by Nestle |
| No artificial colors or flavors | |
| Ready to eat |
Pricing
- $4.98 (4 count, 13 oz. total)
Our Personal Experience With Frost Paws
Our dogs have always loved a Frosty Paws frozen ice cream treat, especially in summer. One licks it patiently, and the other gobbles it right up and asks for more!
– Michelle Schenker, Rescue Dog Parent, Licensed Insurance Professional & Canine Journal Co-Founder
Healthiest: Yoghund Yopup Review
While technically fro-yo, this frozen treat is healthy enough for your pet to enjoy on a daily basis. And with dog-licious flavors like pumpkin & bacon, banana & peanut butter, and apple juice & cheddar, your pupper is sure to enjoy.
Yoghund’s frozen yogurt is manufactured in the United States. Each cup has billions of live beneficial bacteria cultures to support your dog’s digestion and immunity. While this product contains dairy, the yogurt’s bacteria break down lactose and produce lactase enzymes, making it much easier to digest than other dairy products.
You can find Yoghund at select stores, including Petco and PetSmart.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Low calorie | Contains dairy |
| Low fat | |
| Whole food ingredients | |
| Contains probiotics and prebiotic fiber | |
| Ready to enjoy |
Pricing
Best For Sensitive Stomachs: Hoggin’ Dogs Review
Hoggin’ Dogs did the seemingly impossible: It made an ice cream for sensitive stomachs and refined palettes alike. Hoggin’ Dogs is by Puppy Cake—the same brand that makes our top mix-and-freeze product, Puppy Scoops. Where Puppy Scoops wins overall, Hoggin’ Dogs is the better choice for pups with sensitive stomachs.
Each recipe contains only a few ingredients, including lactose-free whole milk, gelatin, salt, and natural flavor. Choose between five flavors: peanut, bacon, pumpkin, prime rib, and cheese.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Lactose-free | High fat |
| No added sugar | Requires adding water and freezing |
| Small (2.32 oz.) and regular (4.65 oz.) sizes | |
| 12-month shelf life unmixed, 6 weeks in freezer |
Pricing
Our Personal Experience With Hoggin’ Dogs
Our Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was gifted Hoggin’ Dogs, and he loved all four flavors. I love how easy it is to use. You just add water and freeze. He can stick his little snout inside the paper cup, or we sometimes dump the powder into a larger bowl and mix it with water, then pour it into frozen ice cube molds for little bite-sized treats. They last a long time, and he usually licks it for at least 20-30 minutes before it fully melts. It can be a bit messy at times, but if you put down something like a blanket while he’s eating so it doesn’t slide around, that helps. We love that Hoggin’ Dogs uses only natural ingredients, so we know it’s healthy for Georgie, too.
– Sadie Cornelius, Dog Mom to a picky eater Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Marketing for Canine Journal
Best Sourcing: Ben & Jerry’s Doggie Desserts Review
Ben & Jerry’s Doggie Desserts come in two delicious flavors. Pontch’s Mix blends peanut butter and pretzel swirls, and Rosie’s Batch mixes pumpkin with mini cookies. It’s the Ben & Jerry’s you love—just for dogs.
The brand also gets major points for its commitment to responsible sourcing. The company supports farmers who practice regenerative agriculture and animal welfare. It works with organizations like Fairtrade International to ensure decent working conditions and fair wages for farmers. The brand also works with other B Corp-certified businesses to ensure their suppliers meet certain social, economic, and environmental standards.
Doggie Desserts are found at various big-box stores, including Petco, PetSmart, and Target.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Available as single mini cups or multi-pack | High calorie |
| Fairtrade, Non-GMO, and responsibly sourced packaging | Contains dairy |
| No artificial colors or flavors |
Pricing
- Starting at $2.99 (4 oz.)
Best Subscription: Ollie Dog Ice Cream Review
Dog food subscription service Ollie has partnered with artisanal ice cream brand Van Leeuwen to create a limited edition peanut butter and banana ice cream pint for dogs. You can pick up a pint in person at select Petco locations and all Van Leeuwen scoop shops and ice cream trucks. Or, add this pet ice cream to your cart when ordering with your Ollie subscription. Ollie gives first-time purchasers 60% off their first box and a free pint of Van Leeuwen ice cream.
The Ollie x Van Leeuwen team crafted its cream using real food ingredients, like peanut butter, bananas, and coconut cream. The non-dairy ice cream is free of artificial flavors and colors; it uses natural flavors and turmeric extract for color. The salty-sweet taste is sure to get your pup’s bark of approval.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Human-grade ingredients | Limited time available |
| Free of artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, and by-products | Only 1 flavor |
| Dairy-free | |
| Ready to eat | |
| Made in the USA |
Price
Our Personal Experience With Ollie Ice Cream
We picked up some Ollie Ice cream at the local Van Leeuwen store. Our dog and his buddy loved it, and it looked (and smelled) good enough for me to eat, too! The texture was identical to that of human ice cream, and the ingredients were fresh and creamy. It was quite a treat on a hot Summer day. We let them eat it from the container and then scooped some into a bowl. It lasted for days and was a perfect way to keep them cool (and entertained with the licking).
– Sadie Cornelius, Dog Mom to a picky eater Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Marketing for Canine Journal
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions our readers often ask about dog ice cream. Don’t see yours? Ask us in the comments.
What Is Doggy Ice Cream Made Of?
Dog ice cream ingredients vary by brand. Often, they feature lactose-free milk since many canines are lactose intolerant and have trouble drinking milk. Some companies use dairy alternatives, such as coconut cream.
Other ingredients typically seen in dog ice cream are thickening and/or emulsifying ingredients (e.g., carrageenan, gelatin, guar gum, lecithin, and locust bean gum) for texture and to prevent natural separation. Finally, brands will add dog-safe ingredients for flavor, like peanuts. Common choices include banana puree, coconut oil, peanut butter, pumpkin puree, salt, and sugar.
What Makes Dog Ice Cream Different?
Traditional ice cream is made from milk, whey powder, or cream that is then flavored with sugar and other additives. Sometimes, it features additional thickeners and stabilizers. Dog ice cream is different in that it features lactose-free or dairy-free ingredients as to not upset your pet’s stomach. It also won’t have dangerous-to-dog additives like chocolate.
Make Your Own Frozen Treat For Dogs
While there are many dog ice cream cups on the market, you can also make frozen treats for your dog at home using only a few ingredients. View our seven favorite frozen dog treat recipes.
Why Trust Canine Journal?
Tara is part of the Canine Journal team, which has over a decade of experience researching, testing, and writing about anything and everything dog-related. She also has 8+ years of experience in the wellness industry, with experience in pet nutrition and supplementation. For this article, Tara used her experience in health and nutrition to pick the best dog ice cream. As a reminder, dog ice cream should not be used as a meal and should always be fed in moderation.