Summer is coming. It is going to get HOT. We will get lots of questions about keeping our dogs comfortable.
One of those questions is: "Is ice water or ice cubes OK for my dog?"

YES and NO .... Well at least that is a balanced answer... Like many subjects there are always exceptions to everything. So it is with ice water and ice cubes...Search on the internet about giving your dog ice water or ice cubes, you'll find a lot of conflicting information.

 I know plenty of dog owners that do give ice water and ice cubes on hot days. In fact they are given ice cubes all year long. I was surprised by the number of warnings issued about risks. So before the ice melts I want to get that out of the way. So I have decided to give you my opinion...“Ice cubes and cold water are fine for pets all year, as long as it’s done with some common sense,”

First here is what others have commented from various sites just to let you understand some of the conflict...

Disclaimer NOTE: No names are used because I did not contact these persons for their permission to use their names. These came from several different websites. These comments are from 2007 to summer 2014. The are used to demonstrate the confusion and conflicts that are still out going on. 

Anonymous 1 said...This in another Internet myth! If you do enough research, you will find that ALL the info on NOT giving dogs ice/ice water, all stem from that single story of the dog owner at the dog show. No other information other than that story will back up those claims. It is fine to give your dog ice :)

Anonymous 2 said...Just in case, right or wrong, myth or fact. Regular water, shade and cool towels in the groin, are good enough for me and my dog. I don't want to be in the position where I have to say, WHY DID I DO IT? You guys fight it out. I will make a simple change, no big deal.

Anonymous 3 said...Largely depends and I am not an expert heat/ humidity, vs temp of the dog. But I will say, the average vet isn't used to these problems coming to and fro their door. But to Anonymous with Noah, you are on a good track! There is no worse thing than playing it blindsided. Play it safe within reason, love and watch your dog: you'll be fine. My clues: never leave your dog outside if it is above 90 or below 30.

Anonymous 4 said..I have an idea. Stop trying to be a vet and stop giving people faulty information. People, if you are really concerned about what temperature water is best for your dog. ASK YOUR VET. As RESPONSIBLE dog owners you should have a VET from whom you get medical advice and care and should not simply rely on false chain emails and "animal lover" blogs. Sure, it's nice to have commonplace people to talk to about your pets and get advice from, but when in doubt ask a VET. And stop spreading hearsay because you think you're and animal activist, unless that hearsay has more backing than a chain email that describes ONE incident and most likely isn't true to begin with. (In reference to a blog that started this confusion.)

Anonymous 5 said...Re: Beware giving ice water or feeding ice cubes! I totally agree. There are many benign things which could induce bloat in a particular dog, but would not be harmful to most dogs. I can't see the comparison of falling in ice cold water vs drinking ice water or eating ice cubes. If the Dr wanted to make a comparison it would be to humans drinking ice cold water and eating ice cubes, of which I know happens probably daily without issues.
A dog being plunged in cold water would be more comparable to a person falling in ice cold water. Of course some dogs fair better in cold water then others and of course then people.

Anonymous 6 said...Our vet says its OK to give the dog ice cubes to mess with. In the wild don't animals drink out of ice cold streams / lakes, eat snow, etc for water ? People drink ice cold drinks after running around. Working dogs will regularly jump into very cold water, which I realize is external, but still ....

Anonymous 7 said...I'm sort of confused. How do you define ice water? Room temperature water with ice cubes in it? Water cold enough to start developing ice crystals? Or water that's been refrigerated? I ask this because Basil won't touch ice or water with ice in it, but I give him water from our filtered water pitcher, which is refrigerated.
Anonymous 8 said...I have a 17 year old Irish Setter; 18 in March. He has had ice water every minute of every day, summer or winter. He’s almost 18! There’s something other than ice water that’s causing these things to happen. What do “animals” do in the winter? They drink ice water, eat snow…there’s something else going on…I Lived on a farm and all the other animals had ice water all year round, or right out of a very cold pond/lake fed by ice cold springs…and my dog eats raw beef, and occasionally raw fish, and always we share a can of Salmon the first of every month…he’s close to 18 years old. Something else is happening…

Anonymous 9 said... But like a lot of things there are some risks you should be aware of. The main risk besides the obvious one of chocking that is written about is a Bloat.  But after reading up on this  I think that this statement from Dr.  Tina Wismer, medical director at the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center, in an interview with ABC News  "Dogs do not bloat from drinking ice water on hot days."

We ask any of our friends that are Veterinarians or vet techs to weight in and help clarify this subject.

(Factors that may contribute to an increased risk of bloat include "feeding only one meal a day, familial history of bloat, rapid eating, moistening dry foods, elevated feeders, restricting water before and after a meal, dry diet with animal fat in first four ingredients" and sometimes age.)

Okay with all of that out of the way would you like some great ideas on what to put into those ice cubes?

From our BTN article files...

Watermelon good for my dog?

Watermelon Yogurt Ice Cube Treats

This recipe for dog treats also makes a nice smoothie drink. Serve as is for a hydrating treat, or to secretly add liquid dog vitamins and supplements to your dogs daily diet.



Ingredients:

4 cups plain yogurt, low or fat free

• 1 ripe banana
• 1 cup of blueberries
• 3 tbsp peanut butter, natural and salt free is preferred
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

Stir all of the ingredients together into a medium bowl.

1. Pour into a blender, and puree until smooth.
2. Pour the smoothie into ice cube trays and freeze.

Storing - This recipe for dog treats, if frozen into smoothie pops, will last for 6 months or more in the freezer. You can keep the smoothie in it's liquid form, but keep it refrigerated for about a week.
Yield - Using a 1/2 inch ice cube tray, you will make 32 PB & J Smoothie dog treats.Tips & Techniques

• Peanut Butter - If you use natural peanut butter, as the recipe calls for, it will be cold from the refrigerator. You will need to warm it up first, before adding it to the smoothie. Let the jar sit on the counter while you measure the other ingredients. Or, measure the amount and warm it in the microwave for 5 seconds.
• Berries - Substitute other berries, like strawberry, raspberry or a mixed variety. Or, if fresh berries are not in season, you can use frozen berries.
• Ice Cube Trays - You can find an endless variety of seasonal ice cube trays. Pictured above I used a heart shaped tray for my lovey-dovey taste testers. Match the tray to the season, or to the theme of your next dog party.
• For Humans - Your two-legged family members may want a taste. These homemade dog treats are quite tart, so most humans may not care for it. Add sugar, honey, or other natural sweetener to taste, and you can enjoy these Peanut Butter and Jelly smoothie pops, too!

You will want to make this recipe for dog treats if your dog needs liquid dog vitamins and supplements, since they will not easily be detected. Or, make this recipe for a refreshing treat when it's hot, or just for a change of pace from the normal dog biscuit recipe. You'll love the ease of preparation, and your dog will love the taste.

source and more recipes:.dogtreatkitchen.com

Do you have a frozen ice cube treat you would like to share with us?

Cats? Dogs? How about both? Before the Introduction
You will have better chance of success if your dog is a puppy. A puppy who grows up with a cat is likely to see the cat as part of the pack.
 You will have less chance of success if:

• Your dog has an aggressive or predatory nature. An aggressive dog can seriously injure or kill a cat.
• Your cat is a small kitten, or is declawed, handicapped, or elderly. A kitten can be injured by an overly playful dog. Declawed, older, or handicapped cats are less equipped to defend themselves.

Best Friends photos for this article provided by our friends on Face Book

The Introduction

• Beforehand, exercise your dog and feed him a nice meal; put him in a relaxed mood. Put your dog on a short leash or in his crate.
• Put your cat in her carrier if she's a scaredy-cat by nature; otherwise let her walk around. Be armed with lots of treats for good behavior.
• Let dog and cat check each other out at a distance. Pet and talk to your dog soothingly. It's not time for dog to approach cat just yet. Give your dog and cat some treats and praise as rewards.
• If your dog bolts toward your cat, correct him with the leash. If he shows any signs of excessive excitability, calm him. If this doesn't do the trick, cut the visit short and try again later.

Although there are many techniques to introducing a new dog the one that seems to work the safest with less stress for your established dog as well and your new foster or adopted dog is for the introduction to be slow…..

It is hard sometimes not to rush things, It is very important to both dogs and for you. “It takes longer to undo something done wrong than to do it right the first time.
Successful dog training is not only about getting your dog to understand you—it’s about how much you understanding your dog. Dog training will improve the relationship and interaction between you and the dog, once your dog was well trained, you will have fun with the dog.

“We are fostering a troubled Boston through a rescue group but please let me say.. phew!! what hard work. “

“Having a second, very well behaved, older dog to show the new little trouble-doggie what is up is Key. This has been an adventure”. 

  Many dogs and cats get along very well. Dogs who are gentle and friendly and aren’t squirrel-chasing, predatory types can be great housemates with cats. Even dogs who do chase small prey outdoors can often learn not to chase or harm cats indoors once they’ve grown accustomed to their household cats as family members.

 Although you should carefully prepare and supervise your new dog, you should have little trouble integrating him into your household if he’s lived peacefully with a cat before or if your cat has lived with a dog. But keep in mind that dogs and cats, like people, need time to get to know each other. If they’ve never seen each other before, they probably won’t be instant friends.

Since cats take awhile to accept new cats, your cat might not accept a new dog as quickly as you’d like. It might take years for a trusting, mutually agreeable relationship to develop between a cat and dog who live together. The younger, more energetic and more tolerant your cat is and the smaller, calmer and more obedient your new dog is, the more likely it is that your cat will accept living with a canine companion.       

Want to read more? How about this article Written by Christy Heaton     

Cats? Dogs? …… How about both! Why can’t we be friends?

Want to see more?  How about this video produced by Carly Reichert Blake

How Cats and Dogs Live in Harmony

Photos from our friends on Social media.

Sniff, Sniff, Gulp, Gulp, Done. "Okay Mom, I made room in my bowl. I am ready for seconds." Or that's what Polly's eyes seem to say to me as she stands there hovering over her now empty food bowl. Do your dogs eat so fast? Or do you have a dog that must have water at the same time or she won't eat?
Is your Boston one of those who grabs a bite, scurries to a favorite spot to eat it, returning back to the food bowl for a second mouthful to take to her "eating " spot?
 It is a good feeling when whatever you put in your dogs bowl is eaten. Dog food can coast as much as human food. And you have to admit there is some satisfaction to watch them "lick the plater clean".

Question: Why should we care if our dogs eat fast. So what?

Answer:       Eating too quickly can be a choking hazard for your dog, and some dogs tend to vomit after eating so quickly.  Additionally, dogs that eat very quickly tend to swallow more air which may lead to bloat. "Also, because this type of eating behavior often is associated with greedy behavior, it can lead to aggressive behavior if another pet or person comes close while the animal is eating.There are also underlying medical conditions that can lead to this behavior. Your pet may be infected with parasites that are affecting the body’s ability to absorb the nutrients in the food. Another possibility to consider is that the food is simply nutritionally inadequate for the animal’s needs and is leaving the animal feeling hungrier than it should as a result."¹  ..."Slower eating prevents acid reflux, digestive problems, excessive overeating, erratic eating, as well as nausea in dogs. After getting sick from eating too quickly, most dogs, like children, will purge and then eat again once their appetites recover."² Eating too quickly is a bigger problem than just eating too much: Wolfing can lead to excessive gassiness and may contribute to a life-threatening emergency commonly known as bloat. In that scenario, a dog's stomach enlarges with air. If the stomach then twists, a fast surgical response is required for survival.

   Question:   Would you like to try these hints to slow down your dog?

                      * If the dog knows he is being fed frequently, he may become comfortable with eating at a slower pace.  

               *  A regular eating schedule will give the dog the stability he needs to refrain from gulping his food. 

               *  Use a Kong ball & put some of his dinner inside, as well. He has to push the ball around to get all the kibble out a bit at a time.

               * Offer the dog the food. with your hand, but only allow him to have it if he takes it patiently without gulping.

               * If you have multiple dogs, make sure that each dog has his own food and water available.

               * It is the animal instinct to devour food in order to prevent others from taking from him. The dogs must know they each have their own food and are not competing for a share of the same food.

               * Try a cookie sheet so she can't just gulp huge mouthfuls or there are specially made dishes with a raised part in the center which requires the dog to eat around the center, thereby slowing them down.

               * Separate this dog from the others, when he gets fed so the competition is not there. This problem CAN escalate to her becoming food and resource aggressive, which can be a source of fighting among the other dogs.

               * Take a piece of food and put it in your hand, put your hand in a fist, Have some of the food hanging out from the side of your hand. Say "easy" and if the dogs tries to snatch at your hand, say "easy" and until the dog can get to take the good easily, feed it to him.

               * A Trainer was mentioned who remarked "Who says dogs need to eat out or bowls? He recommended buying several original Kong toys (enough to hold an entire feeding), put the dog's food into them, add water, freeze them, and give them to the dog at meal time.²

               * There are also food-based toys such as the Buster Cube which dispense food slowly as your dog plays with them.

               * Place a small bowl upside down in a larger bowl, pour the food into the space around the small bowl.

               *One last easy solution? Scatter your dog's meal in the grass or on the vinyl flooring and let him "graze."³  

                          * For those who like high tech or work a lot, we noticed several new electric food dispenser models that could be programed to let out a little food at a time. Probably there are models out there that you can program with your phones and have cameras too.

 If you use any of these ideas would you please share with us winch ones worked for you? Or if you have something to suggest that we may have missed?  

 Sources:

 ¹ petMD

 ² dogster.com

 3  Dr. Marty Becker at Vetstreet