Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream for Dogs? Why yes!

Have you heard? Now you can enjoy your favorite treat with your pooch! Ben & Jerry’s ice cream announced this week that they have launched a delectable new flavor…for your dog.

The new treats come in mini cups as well as multipacks. With two – we’re assuming delicious flavors – your dogs have the option choosing from two flavors – named after its employees’ pets – Pontch’s Mix and Rosie’s Batch. Each flavor appears to have minimal ingredients from peanut butter and pretzel swirls to pumpkin and mini cookies, respectfully. Ben & Jerry’s, owned by Unilever, and pet-friendly company boasts non-GMO sourced ingredients in their ice cream.

The company will also carry pet accessories on its website, such as an ice cream cone plush toy and Ben & Jerry’s swag for dogs, including a tie-dye leash.

Are these alternative treats good for dogs? In this post, we’ll provide the answer plus other great snacks for your pup to enjoy.

2020 pandemic pet boom

If you visit Ben & Jerry’s website, you’ll find a page dedicated to their “K9-5ers”, a collection of adorable profiles of their staff’s dogs. Their team enjoys dog-friendly offices and the photos are proof that their four-legged friends enjoy it almost as much their humans (if not more!).

The ice cream giant began developing the dog-friendly treats in early 2020, but the pandemic has expanded their customer base as more Americans adopt and foster pets. This trend inspired the launch of new pet products.

The pandemic pet boom has increased trends that started before the worldwide health crisis, too. As some delayed having kids or treated their dogs more like family members, people were already upgrading to higher-end pet purchases, such as fresh and organic food.

An appetite for indulgence among two- and four-legged customers was inspired by the global health crisis, as everyone spends more time at home and tries to find joy in the middle of repetitive routines. In the third quarter, in-home ice cream sales grew 16 percent at Unilever, led by Ben & Jerry’s and one of its other brands, Magnum.

Is ice cream good for dogs?

In the general sense, no. Normal ice cream consumed by humans contains dairy which is a big no-no for your furry companion. Milk and milk-based products can cause diarrhea and other digestive problems for your pup. They can also trigger food allergies, which can cause them to itch.

According to dog experts, most dogs can tolerate dairy only in very small amounts, and they may get upset bellies if they have too much.

The bodies of dogs are not designed, like puppies, to digest milk after they are weaned. Because ice cream is made with milk, feeding your dog ice cream can lead to gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, or vomiting. Ice cream is also loaded with sugar and feeding sugar food to your dog can lead to weight gain, which can lead to other health problems. Even if the ice cream says it is sugarless, you need to be careful to read the label to make sure that no xylitol is used, as this sweetener is extremely toxic to dogs.

Frozen treat alternatives for dogs

If you want to give your dog a chilly treat, stick to snacks that are made for dogs like Ben & Jerry’s frosty treats made with sunflower butter, which is dog-safe (and dog-delicious).

Frozen yogurt can also be substituted for dairy and might be a better choice. Because yogurt is fermented, it contains less lactose, so it is easier for dogs to digest. Don’t feed your dog a commercial frozen yogurt, since it will be loaded with sugar. Instead, buy a plain, unsweetened yogurt, and put it in your freezer at home. Use caution when giving it to your dog. Although yogurt is easier for dogs to digest, not all canines can tolerate it.

Other frozen treats can be all-natural, like frozen broth cubes, peanut butter popsicles and frozen baby food. Check out the multitude of dog-inspired recipes online.

Sharing treats makes us smile

We all love our pups and want to give them everything we also desire – like yummy treats. Just be careful what you’re letting your pup-friends consume. Companies like Ben & Jerry’s are now providing safe alternatives to share with our fur babies and we’re sure more companies will follow suit.

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