In case you were ever wondering, dogs like birthday cakes too. I have two pups, one that can eat anything and one that has a very sensitive tummy.
We’ve always struggled to find fun fur baby treats for them. It seemed every option ended up making one of them sick here or there. On a rainy afternoon about a year ago, strolling the aisles of Publix in Key Largo, I noticed dog ice cream in the frozen section. It was a brand that I recall giving my dog years prior from a boutique pet store on vacation. I couldn’t forget a name as unique as “The Bear & The Rat.” I bought a box of four and the rest is history.
The company is owned by a husband and wife duo, Matt and Meg Meyer. They named their brand after their two dogs, one who growled like a bear and the other who was a rat terrier. Thanks to Matt and Meg’s effort to bring quality ingredients, my two dogs now have a daily “ice cream pawty” outside with a little tanning session. Not only has this treat never made them sick but they actually seem healthier eating the ice cream regularly. It’s packed with organic prebiotics, digestive enzymes and a short, easy-to-read ingredients list.
Imagine my excitement when I saw this same brand started making cupcake mixes for dogs. This line of bakeable dog treats, Barley’s Bakes, is under their newest doggy addition to the family, Barley. I didn’t even hesitate to purchase it.
We spent Ziggy’s 8th birthday baking a cake together that he was able to partake in from beginning to end. Another plus is the cake freezes great. I cut half the cake into cubes and popped them into the freezer to disperse as treats. The cake box mixes are available to order on Amazon by typing in “The Bear & The Rat” or directly from their website at cooltreatsfordogs.com.
This ice cream is stocked in all of the local Keys Publix locations. There are other brands of dog-friendly ice cream, but trust me, I’ve done my research. They’re filled with carrageenans, soy and other non-pooch-friendly things like chemicals and random thickening agents. I always get such a curious and enthusiastic response anytime someone around town sees my pups enjoying their ice cream, so I’d thought I’d finally share with you all.
Watch Ziggy & Ziti bake a birthday cake: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CtZVv27NEMm/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
