Can Dogs Eat Frozen Yogurts?
Can my dog eat frozen yogurt? Here's what you need to know!
Affiliate Disclosure: cutie.dog is reader-supported, which means we may earn a small commission through products purchased using links on this page.
Who doesn’t love some sweet, cool treats? All dog owners love seeing their pooch devour a great treat out of a dog food treat dispenser, and it’s always a delight to introduce them to a new food, but we have to make sure that our dog’s health will not be in line when trying out these treats. Can dogs eat frozen yogurts? In this blog, we will explore the answer to this question and whether it’s a good idea for your furry friend to eat all kinds of yogurts.
Can Dogs Eat Yogurt?
The answer to this question is yes!
Yogurt has several health benefits for humans and dogs alike, and it is a great source of calcium and protein. The good news is Yogurt contains probiotics; these are active cultures that help restore the balance of good bacteria in a dog’s digestive system. If your dog has a sensitive stomach, probiotics can be helpful. Most dogs can safely eat yogurt without experiencing any adverse side effects, but there are a few things you should consider since there’s a variety of yogurt flavors to choose from. It’s always best to look out for the ingredients list.
Some dogs should not eat yogurt because they are allergic to milk products or milk-based products like cheese and butter (the main ingredients in yogurt). Some pets have an allergy to dairy products caused by a sensitivity to casein protein found in milk products.
Are Dogs Lactose Intolerant? How Can Dogs Digest Yogurt?
Lactase, one of the digestive enzymes, breaks down lactose, the sugar found in milk. When growing, most dogs stop producing lactase, and they lose the ability to break down lactose as a normal process of maturation that happens in all mammals.
Some dogs may have no problems eating yogurt, even though they’re lactose intolerant. If this is the case with your pooch, then feel free to give it to them in moderation. The reason why dogs can eat yogurt well is that yogurt contains less lactose than milk does. The fermentation process used in the making yogurt breaks down most lactose; yogurt auto digests itself, so only small amounts remain in the final product.
What is the Best Kind of Yogurt for Dogs?
A dog is a man’s best friend. We want to know the safest flavor for our resident pupper before introducing it to him. According to Purina Senior Nutritionist Jan Dempsey, “The best kind of yogurt is plain or even non-fat plain. Just be sure it’s yogurt without artificial preservatives or any sweeteners.” Low-fat yogurt, like Greek-style yogurt or non-fat plain yogurt, is a good choice for your dog due to its low-fat content. Check the label to ensure that it’s without artificial sweeteners.
Strawberry yogurt and other fruit-flavored yogurts with natural sugars may be good, but it’s not recommended. Flavored yogurts like this can contain artificial sweeteners that harm your dog’s health.
Can Dogs Eat Frozen Yogurt?
When considering a cool regular ice cream treat for your pup, regular ice cream might not be your safest bet, but frozen yogurt is a better option! Ice cream can cause bloating and weight gain and even lead to a stomach upset in your dog. Frozen yogurt is an excellent alternative if you have the right ingredients.
You can find plain low-fat yogurts made with natural ingredients rather than chemicals and added sweeteners. This makes it much healthier than plain vanilla ice cream. It is also best to buy frozen yogurt at your local pet store and avoid commercial frozen yogurt since they usually contain a lot of sugar.
What Yogurt Ingredients Should be Avoided?
Before you consider giving your pup a cup of yogurt, you should pay close attention to its flavors and make sure they do not contain toxic ingredients to dogs. For example, chocolate yogurt is the wrong type of yogurt and something you should never feed your dog. As most of us are aware, chocolate is poisonous to dogs due to a content that they cannot digest well. Most nuts (such as macadamia nuts), usually served with yogurt, is a terrible choice for a yogurt topper since it is toxic to dogs.
Dangerous ingredients also include Xylitol and Vanilla extract, both common ingredients of vanilla yogurt. Besides yogurt, xylitol is a sugar substitute usually found in peanut butter, too. Xylitol looks and tastes just like sugar, but it can be dangerous for dogs because it prevents their blood from absorbing oxygen. This causes low blood sugar, liver failure, and death. Vanilla extract, on the other hand, contains alcohol. Alcohol is toxic to dogs and can cause severe illness or death if they ingest too much.
How Much Yogurt Should be Given to Dogs?
Yogurt can be a significant part of your dog’s diet, but it should not be used as a substitute for regular dog food. Yogurt contains protein and calcium, which are essential for your dog’s health, and it can be a safe snack instead.
The size of your dog, the dog’s weight, age, metabolism, and underlying health problems are some of the most important factors to consider when feeding your dog yogurt. This is why it is still always best to consult your veterinarian.
Overall, most dogs should not eat more than 10 percent of their daily caloric intake in treats, even those with high metabolisms. Mainly if you will introduce the yogurt to your pup, you can do it by offering it in small amounts. A tablespoon would do, and see if any allergy or adverse reaction happens and if it will be taken well by your dog’s body.
Simple ways to incorporate yogurt into his diet:
1. Make your doggie frozen yogurt
You can freeze a non-fat, unsweetened yogurt or create a frozen yogurt dog treat for your pet. Here is a video of a froyo recipe! Frozen yogurt was made with fresh fruits and peanut butter for flavor! Bookmark this page to save it!
2. Use yogurt as a dog food topper
Try adding a little bit of yogurt on top of his regular meal as a topper. This will give him something extra to look forward to when he eats but won’t make him sick if he overeats at once.
Chobani, Non-fat Greek Yogurt
It is a Non-fat Greek Yogurt without added sugars. This product also has additional live cultures, good for your pet’s tummy.
3. Get some Yogurt dog snacks/treats
Safe and healthy dog treats, with yogurt as the main ingredient. Here are some examples you might want to try:
Fruitables Yogos Dog Treats
Fruitables Yogos Dog Treats are bite-sized treats for your furry friend, made with real yogurt and packed with vitamins and minerals.
Another lovely treat with Yogurt! Enjoy feeding your pet with this healthy snack.
Takeaway: Dogs Can Eat Frozen Yogurts!
A nice frozen yogurt will surely be a delight for your furry friend! It is refreshing and healthy. Dogs can eat yogurts, and it’s a safe treat. But as pet owners, we always need to consider the ingredients before feeding yogurts to our pooch.
The best way to feed your dog yogurt is by using plain regular yogurt or Plain Greek yogurt without any extra sugar or artificial sweeteners. A good option is Chobani, Non-fat Greek Yogurt where additional live cultures are present; it is good for the gut. Safe and healthy yogurt-related dog treats like Fruitables Yogos Dog Treats, and Fruitables Greek Yogurt Dog Treats can be good alternatives to introduce this healthy treat.
The right amount of the right kind of yogurt will result in happy, healthy dogs!
