Mango and Kefir Dog Popsicles
Dog popsicles with pitted, peeled mango and plain unsweetened kefir, with a carrot stick instead of a wooden one. Ten minutes, then into the freezer.
- Time
- 15 min + 5 h resting
- Makes
- 20 pieces
- Type
- Treat
- Difficulty
- Easy
- 42 % mango, pitted and peeled
- 42 % plain unsweetened kefir
- 17 % carrot
Follows THE RULE. All 3 ingredients are on our safe list: nothing that could harm your dog.
These dog popsicles are ripe mango blended with plain kefir and, instead of a stick, an edible carrot stick. They are a summer frozen treat with no added sugar, a lovely orange color and a flavor almost every dog goes crazy for.
Kefir gives them a tangy, creamy touch, similar to yogurt, and it usually agrees with dogs better than milk because it has less lactose. The carrot stick has a purpose: you hold the popsicle by it while your dog licks, and when they're done, the carrot can be eaten. No wooden or plastic sticks.
Why it works
Mango provides the sweetness, fiber and vitamins A and C; when it's properly ripe, you don't need to add anything else. Kefir adds protein, calcium and live cultures, and its creaminess keeps the popsicle from becoming a hard block of ice. The raw carrot gives the stick its structure and, along the way, a crunchy finish with very few calories.
Step by step
Peel the mango
Peel the mango, cut away the flesh around the pit and throw the pit and skin straight into the trash, out of your dog's reach.
Blend
Blend the mango with the kefir until you have a smooth, thick shake with no stringy bits.
Cut the carrot sticks
Peel the carrot and cut it into sticks about 2 1/2 inches (6 cm) long and 3/8 inch (1 cm) thick, one per popsicle.
Fill and freeze for an hour
Fill the mold cavities almost to the rim and put it in the freezer for an hour, until the surface is half set.
Add the sticks and finish freezing
Push a carrot stick into the center of each popsicle, leaving half of it sticking out: once half-set, it stays upright. Freeze for at least 4 more hours.
Unmold
Leave the mold out for a couple of minutes or run the bottom under the tap, and pull the popsicles out gently by the stick.
How many a day?
As a treat, keeping under 10% of what they eat each day.
— pieces a day at most
| Weight | 3 kg | 5 kg | 10 kg | 15 kg | 20 kg | 30 kg | 40 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pieces/day | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
Puppy, senior, very active or on a diet? Calculate the exact portion.
- Energy
- 16.4 kcal/piece
- Protein
- 10 % dry matter
- Fat
- 8 % dry matter
Values estimated from the ingredients (BEDCA/USDA data). A treat: keep treats under 10% of what they eat each day.
Storage
Freezer: up to 2 months. Once solid, store them in a bag or container so they don't pick up odors or frost. If they melt, don't refreeze them. The unfrozen mix keeps for 1 day covered in the fridge.
If you don't have…
- You can't find ripe mango
- Melon with seeds and rind removed, in the same amount
- Dairy doesn't agree with your dog
- Replace the kefir with 200 g of water: the popsicle is icier and less creamy
- You don't have kefir
- Plain unsweetened yogurt in the same amount
Cooking tips
- The 10% rule: treats shouldn't make up more than 10% of your dog's daily calories. The table in the recipe tells you how many popsicles fit their weight; for a small dog, one is plenty.
- If you don't have a popsicle mold, use a large ice cube tray or silicone muffin molds: the carrot stick goes in the same way.
- Give it to them on the patio or on a surface you can mop: mango stains.
Safety
- The mango pit is large and hard: if a dog swallows it, it can get stuck in the stomach or intestine and cause a blockage. Throw it straight into a bin with a lid.
- Never use wooden or plastic sticks: dogs chew them and can swallow splinters or pieces. The carrot stick is the only stick in this recipe.
- Stay with your dog while they eat it and hold the popsicle by the stick yourself. For small dogs or dogs that gulp, remove the stick and give them the popsicle in pieces and the carrot in thin rounds: a whole 2 1/2-inch (6 cm) stick can make them choke.
- If it's their first time having kefir, start with half a popsicle: dairy gives some dogs gas or loose stools.
Frequently asked questions
Can dogs eat mango?
Yes, ripe mango without the skin or pit is safe for dogs and provides fiber and vitamins A and C. It's fairly high in natural sugar, so it's a treat and not an everyday food: a few cubes for a small dog and half a cup for a large one. Never the pit, because it can cause an intestinal blockage.
Can dogs have kefir?
Yes, plain kefir with no sugar or flavors is suitable for most dogs in small amounts. Because it's fermented it has less lactose than milk and usually agrees with them better. Start with one or two tablespoons and check their stool the next day. Avoid flavored kefirs, which contain sugar or sweeteners.
How do you make dog popsicles without a stick?
The simplest way is to freeze the mix in an ice cube tray or silicone molds and give them as cubes. If you want a stick to hold it by, use a raw carrot stick or a firm piece of cucumber: both can be eaten. What you should never use is wooden or plastic sticks, which splinter or break.
What's in it, in detail
If they liked it, try
The fridge list
The foods your dog can eat, can have in moderation and must never eat, on a single printable page.