Summer is right around the corner, and Milo and I are looking forward to some delicious BBQ foods – from ribs to pupsicles! But Milo tries to eat everything, even the dirt in my garden. I have to keep a close eye on him to make sure he’s eating foods that are not harmful to him. So I came up with some healthy and safe summer BBQ foods for dogs that we can enjoy together!
Plus, don’t forget to check out the BBQ safety tips for dogs, and some foods that you should not feed your fur-baby at the end of this post!
Safe Summer BBQ Foods For Dogs:
- Grilled Veggies
- Doggie hamburgers
- Fruit Salad
- Frozen Fruit Treats
- Plain Deviled Eggs
- Doggie Banana Smoothie
- Plain Potato Wedges
- Mashed Potatoes
- Frozen Beef or Chicken Broth Cubes
- Chicken Strips
- Grilled Salmon
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1) GRILLED VEGGIES
Grilled veggies are safe for your pooch and add nutritional value to your pup’s diet.
Plus, they are delicious!
Veggies such as broccoli, zucchini, and sweet potatoes are great summer BBQ foods for dogs that you can share with your pup.
To grill up some veggies for your dog, chop up the veggies and place them onto skewers without any spices.When they are ready, remove the skewers, and put them in your pup’s bowl.
Just remember that they will probably be hot so make sure you wait a few minutes before giving it to your pup!
Also, as good and healthy as veggies are for your pooch, moderation is key as too much of certain veggies can upset your fur baby’s digestive system.
2) DOGGIE HAMBURGERS
Dogs love beef, as you probably know by now.
And doggie hamburgers are a great way to let him partake in the BBQ fun!
So while you’re making your normal hamburgers for your BBQ, set aside some ground beef to make dome doggie hamburgers for your pooch.
Just make sure to skip the added spices and oil and only include the ground beef.
Lean burger patties have a much lower fat content, which makes them safe and healthy for your four-legged bestie. Plus, they won’t know the difference between yours and theirs.
Avoid adding BBQ sauces and other garnishes to the patties, though, as they may upset your pooch’s stomach, or cause other adverse reactions.
And if you want to add a bun, you can place your doggie burger in between two slices of grilled sweet potato!
Grill them up next to yours and your fur-baby will think he’s getting a treat!
3) FRUIT SALAD
Summers can be hot – especially here in Florida.
Sometimes it gets over 100 degrees and anything to cool yourself down is welcome!
So after those grilled summer BBQ foods, what better way to cool down than a fruit salad?
My go to is bananas, strawberries, and blueberries – the perfect mix of sweet and tart.
Plus, berries like blueberries are high in antioxidants and vitamin C, both of which are important for dogs!
Other fruits that you can include in your dog friendly fruit salad are watermelon, apples (without seeds), oranges, and pineapples.
However, fruits such as avocado, grapes, and stone fruits should be avoided since they can be harmful to your pup.
4) FROZEN FRUIT TREATS
Summer is the hottest season of the year and just like you need something frozen to cool you off, your pup would benefit from a frozen treat too!
Plus, making healthy, frozen treats that he can enjoy is an awesome way of including him in the summer fun and is super easy to do!
You can freeze fruits such as watermelon by cutting them into cubes and freezing them. Or you can make mixes of fruits by blending multiple fruit types into a juice and freezing them into cute doggie shapes!
I like to use these molds since they just look so cute!
Plus, your fur baby will have a healthy frozen treat to keep him busy, cool, and most importantly, hydrated.
And if you have extra, feel free to freeze some of those fruit blends into popsicles for you and the kids – after all, they’re just fruit snacks!
5) PLAIN DEVILED EGGS
Dogs love eggs: and they should. Eggs contain healthy nutrients that keep your dog’s coat healthy and shiny!
I often boil eggs for Milo and include them in his dinner – but for a summer BBQ I like to step it up a notch!
Normal deviled eggs are heavy on the mayo and even have mustard in them – which are both a no-go for our furry friends!
So substitute the mayo for plain greek yogurt and skip the extra condiments – your pup won’t know the difference!
And just like with every other food that’s high in protein, moderation is key. Eggs can cause your dog to add weight and cause an upset stomach if given in high quantities.
6) DOGGIE BANANA SMOOTHIE
Banana smoothies are a pawfect treat for your four-legged bestie at a BBQ!
Not only are they healthy, but they taste great and will cool you off in the afternoon heat.
Just blend together ice, milk, bananas (frozen banana chunks work really well), and even add in some peanut butter or other fruits!
Plus, you can make extra for yourself and your guests!
I don’t know about you, but after a bunch of grilled BBQ foods, a nice cool drink is a welcome treat.
Plus, a nice smoothie can control your fur baby’s appetite if you’re not planning on giving them a full meal.
And don’t even get me started on the health benefits your dog gets from all natural fruit smoothies – like the high fiber content that helps your fur baby’s upset stomach to magnesium that makes their bones strong and healthy.
Even when a BBQ is not at your home, you can pack your fur baby’s banana smoothie and other cold treats in an icebox cooler and be on your way – your pup will appreciate the care you give them and will be begging for more to keep them cool!
Oh, and if you want to make the human version extra special, adding in some fruity liquor goes a long way!
Just make sure you keep yours separate from the doggie version!
7) PLAIN POTATO WEDGES
Potato wedges are a great BBQ side dish – and one that will leave your canine companion is salivating as they watch you plate them up!
So while raw potatoes should never be fed to dogs since they contain a chemical called solanine that is toxic to dogs, plain cooked potatoes (like potato wedges) are a great nutrient-packed treat!
As long as the potatoes are fully cooked, they are safe for dogs. Just make sure to skip the spices and add them later for the human version!
And you can even make these out of sweet potatoes if you’d like for an even healthier option!
8) MASHED POTATOES
Another way to serve up potatoes for a dog friendly BBQ food is mashed potatoes.
And Milo loves them!
But while the normal version of my mashed potatoes has butter, milk, spices, and an egg, it’s best to skip the butter and spices for your pup.
I like to just set some aside before I add everything in and just do his doggie mashed potatoes separately.
They do look pretty much the same, though, so make sure you keep track of which is which!
Oh, and you can definitely substitute in sweet potatoes for this one too!
Just remember to let them cook before putting them in your dog’s bowl – since hot mashed potatoes stuck to the roof of your pup’s mouth will not make for a great afternoon!
9) FROZEN BEEF OR CHICKEN BROTH CUBES
Besides dogs loving chicken broth, it is also good for dehydration and also helps with diarrhea!
More than that, they make tasty frozen treats for your dog.
So whether you want to treat your pooch for good behavior or just want to keep them hydrated in the summer heat, you can’t go wrong with these nutritious treats!
You can use regular ice cubes to freeze unsalted broth into cubes, or use my favorite bone and paw shaped trays which are a cute addition to your pup’s bowl.
And if you want to kick it up a notch, you can make pupsicles with added toppings – like blueberries, sweet potato, or banana!
Treating your pooch to a summer pupsicle during a BBQ keeps them busy while you hang out at the grill and will ensure they don’t get dehydrated, giving you more peace of mind!
10) CHICKEN STRIPS
Chicken is a common ingredient in most dog foods – and for good reason!
Chicken breast is a well-balanced food for your fur baby because it contains 80% protein and 20% fat – a good ration since too much fat is not good for your pup’s health.
So when you put chicken on the grill for your BBQ, save some chicken breasts for your pup and cut them into strips for a summer BBQ food your dog will love!
Make sure to keep it plain though – no added spices or oils since those may upset your pup’s stomach.
An important thing to remember also is to never give your dog cooked chicken bones. Cooked bones can splinter and get stuck in your dog’s throat or intestines.
So skip the drumsticks, and stick to grilled chicken breast for your pup!
11) GRILLED SALMON
Salmon is a great addition to any BBQ – I mean have you ever grilled salmon?
So delicious.
And besides being great for BBQs, salmon is highly nutritious and super-rich in omega-3 fatty acids that are great for both you and your dog!
Some simple salt and pepper, combined with those flames make a great summer BBQ entrée that your guests will be impressed with – not to mention that your pup will be following you around begging for more!
SAFETY BBQ TIPS FOR DOGS
Just like with kids, dogs get very excited during summer BBQs. Tons of friends around, lots of yummy foods, and more attention than they know what to do with.
So keeping your pup safe should take priority with everything else going on!
Here are some BBQ safety tips to keep your dog safe during your dog friendly BBQ this summer!
- Keep the dog away from BBQ pits and grills. BBQ pits can be hazardous to your dog when left unattended since they get extremely hot and your dog may not know to stay away. To ensure the safety of your dog, keep the pits and grill away until they’re cool, which can take several hours. But even after they are cooled down, don’t let your dog stick their head in since the ashes are not good for them to lick or breath in!
- Keep the lighter fluid and matches away from your dog. This may seem like a no-brainer, but when dogs are playing, they have the tendency to run into things by accident. The last thing you need is a fire accident because your dog knocked over the lighter fluid or was tossing around the matches!
- Cover your trash cans. We all know that dogs are curious animals. They sniff anything and if they find something to put in their mouth, they don’t hesitate. Unfortunately, dogs are sensitive to many things and may inadvertently eat something that can cause them harm. So just keep your trash bins covered and you should be fine!
- Carry enough water for your dog. Summer heat can get extreme. Having enough water keeps your fur baby hydrated and cool, which prevents heat stroke.
- Keep the BBQ utensils away from your dog. Keeping grill tools such as skewers, shredder claws, prongs, etc prevents your pooch from running into them, which can cause painful lacerations or severe pierces. It is also important to keep aluminum foils away to prevent choking.
FOODS YOU SHOULD NOT GIVE TO YOUR DOGS
Dogs eat a lot of things, but there are many more foods that can have adverse effects on them. It is important to know what not to feed your pooch to prevent the risk of poisoning.
Below is a list of foods that you should not feed your dogs.
- Fatty foods such as high fat beef, chocolate, and butter, among others can cause pancreatitis to your four-legged companion.
- Cooked bones. Cooked bones splinter and may hurt your dog’s mouth or get stuck in your pooch’s throat causing them to choke. This is the absolute last thing you want!
- Fruits such as grapes and raisins are toxic to dogs and should avoid being left out unattended. Avocados cause diarrhea and seeds from fruits such as plums, apples, and cherries contain cyanide, which can be fatal to your dog.
- Alcohol is a no-no for your dog. And while some people may think it’s funny to pour out some beer for dogs to lick up, booze is toxic to dogs and should be avoided at all costs. Keep glasses of wine and other alcoholic beverages out of reach of your fur baby. And if you suspect any alcohol toxicity, take your pup to the vet immediately!
- Onions and garlic are common ingredients for BBQ foods, but can destroy blood cells and cause anemia in your canine bestie. Keep them away from any BBQ foods you plan on giving to your pooch!
With summer approaching, BBQs are inevitable and they’re also a great way to spend some quality time with your fur-baby! Use this list of creative summer BBQ foods for dogs to have a great dog-friendly BBQ and keep your dog safe and healthy!
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