Frosty Paws facts for kids
Frosty Paws is a special frozen treat made just for dogs. It used to be called Pet79 and Fido Freeze. This yummy dog treat is made by Nestlé, a big company known for many food products. It's part of their Purina brand, which focuses on pet food.
Contents
The Story of Frosty Paws
How Frosty Paws Began
Frosty Paws first came out as vanilla-flavored cups. These frozen cups were invented in the 1970s by Dr. William Tyznik. He was a professor who studied animal science at The Ohio State University.
A spokeswoman for Nestlé, Diane McIntyre, shared the story. Dr. Tyznik often saw two older ladies giving ice cream to their dogs at an ice cream shop. He told them that regular ice cream wasn't the best food for dogs. The ladies then challenged him to create a better, dog-friendly treat.
Dr. Tyznik tried many different recipes with his own dogs. Finally, in 1979, he launched the vanilla Frosty Paws ice cream cups. He had help from two friends, Peter DeMarco and Dale Cook. The product was first called Pet79. It was the very first frozen treat for dogs sold in the United States. Dr. Tyznik later created other animal products, like TizWhiz horse feed. By 1981, the brand's name changed to Fido Freeze.
Frosty Paws Joins Nestlé
In 1985, the Drumstick Ice Cream Company bought Frosty Paws. Drumstick owned the brand for six years. Then, in 1991, Nestlé bought Drumstick, and Frosty Paws became part of Nestlé too.
Nestlé added a new flavor, Peanut Butter, to Frosty Paws ice cream cups in 2005. They did this after their Purina PetCare Company division studied what flavors dogs liked best. On August 19, 2011, Nestlé introduced Frosty Paws Bites. These are small, bite-sized treats made for dogs. They are special because they are milk-free. This is important because many dogs cannot easily digest dairy products like regular ice cream. Frosty Paws Bites have vitamins and minerals. They come in Vanilla or Peanut Butter flavors, just like the cups. Unlike the cups, the Bites are covered in vanilla yogurt.
What Are Frosty Paws?
Frosty Paws makes two main types of products for dogs.
The first type is Frosty Paws Ice Cream Cups. This was the very first product the company made. It was first sold as Pet79 Ice Cream Cups, then Fido Freeze Ice Cream Cups. When it first started, Frosty Paws contained ingredients like powdered milk and corn oil. It also had many vitamins and minerals. The first flavor was vanilla.
Dr. Tyznik explained his idea:
I didn't want something like candy for kids, but more like fruit for kids. For dogs. ... No, they don't need it more than we need ice cream, cookies, or anything else, but we have them because we like them. But, we like dogs too. And, if you're going to treat a dog, why not give them something nutritionally adequate?
Today, Frosty Paws products do not contain lactose. This is because dogs are often lactose intolerant, meaning they have trouble digesting lactose. So, Frosty Paws products are called "frozen treats" instead of "ice cream." The cups come in original (vanilla) and peanut butter flavors. They are sold in packs of four cups. You can also find larger packs at warehouse stores. The peanut butter flavor was added in 2005.
The second type of product is Frosty Paws Bites. These were introduced in 2011. Frosty Paws Bites also come in peanut butter and original (vanilla) flavors. They are covered in vanilla yogurt. Like the cups, Frosty Paws Bites are completely lactose-free and milk-free. Frosty Paws Bites look similar to other bite-sized frozen treats. Each bite is about 2 inches (5 cm) square. They are sold in packs of 50 individual bites. You can also find them in larger club packs at warehouse stores.
Frosty Paws treats are made specifically for the nutritional needs of dogs. This means they are not meant for other pets, like cats. Nestlé also makes a similar frozen treat for cats called Cool Claws. Cool Claws focuses on the nutritional needs of cats.
Where to Find Frosty Paws
Currently, Frosty Paws products are mainly made in North America. You can easily find them across the United States and Canada. Some special pet stores in the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, and Asia also sell them.
See also
