If your dogs are anything like my dogs they suffer from horrendous breath. Well, I don’t think they actually suffer too much, I think they rather enjoy it. It is we, humans that suffer as they kiss our faces, lick our hands or just plain breathe on us.
I brush my dog’s teeth on a fairly regular basis. I have bought many different types of doggie toothpastes from peanut butter flavor which in my opinion, might clean the tartar off their teeth, but leaves their breath smelling like a combination of PB and poo. I have also tried the chicken and beef flavors but again there is always that underlying, I just ate a load of deer poop, funk. I also have tried the flavorless enzymatic pastes, which, I am sure, do what their intended for plaque and calculus, but have limited effects on breath quality.
I have also tried various dental chews and oral care products with no success in alleviating the stench. Even when my dogs don’t get into something as odiferous as deer or bunny droppings, their breath still isn’t pleasant.
I also want to mention that my dogs see their vet regularly and have no known dental issues. They just have doggie halitosis.
So, our team took to the internet to find a homemade, homeopathic solution and we believe that we have finally discovered something useful and worth sharing.
Our internet excursion took us to a site called Princess Peaky Girl and she shares a recipe called Minty Fresh Dog Pupsicles. Our test kitchen went to work.
The ingredients are simple and not budget breaking.
- Fresh mint
- Honey
- Plain Greek Yogurt (if your dog has a problem with dairy you can use water or unsweetened coconut milk)
- Fresh curly parsley: Do not use spring parsley as it can be toxic to dogs.
- Fresh spinach
- Coconut oil (we used unrefined but you can use either)
You will also need:
- Food processor
- Silicone molds or ice cube trays
Here is the recipe
| PREP TIME | CHILL TIME | TOTAL TIME |
| 5 MINUTES | 6 HOURS HRS | 6 HRS 5 MINS |
1 cup Plain Greek yogurt
¼ cup chopped mint
¼ cup chopped curly parsley
½ cup chopped spinach
¼ cup coconut oil
½ cup honey
INSTRUCTIONS
In a food processor, combine all ingredients. Be sure to pack tight.
Blend ingredients together for about 1 minute or until the mixture is smooth. Add ¼ – ½ cup of water if needed.
When done, spoon mixture out into silicone molds all the way to the top.
When the molds are filled, place inside the freezer to chill for 6 hours or overnight.
Notes:
Store leftovers in a baggie in the freezer.
If you use silicone molds place them on a cookie sheet or a rigid piece of cardboard before putting them in the freezer otherwise you will end up with a mess.
Now comes the true test – presenting them to the Canine Connoisseurs
They rated the treats for: Palatability, Flavor and Tastiness
Our team gave the categories these ratings
Palatability – 5 Butt Wiggles
Flavor – 5 Butt Wiggles
Tastiness – 5 Butt Wiggles
Now it was time for the human’s ratings.
On a scale of 1-5 butt wiggles all three concurred that there was an overall improvement. After the second serving of the pupsicle treat there was a distinct odor of mint. We all ageed that this recipe was a keeper. The dogs loved them and it did freshen their breath considerably. They were easy to make and easy to store. The humans rated the treat with 5 butt wiggles.
