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A smiling elderly woman in a green cardigan holds an ice cream cone while a red-gold Golden Retriever licks it. 9 / 36

Grandma Odessa Held Up a Single Scoop. Copper Had Already Done the Math.

AI imagegolden retrieverice creamliving room

Grandma Odessa holds up a single-scoop cone with a look of pure delight, and Copper has already moved in for a taste. Her short silver curls glow in the lamplight, her green cardigan is soft against a gray shirt, and she is smiling down at him instead of at her treat. Copper stretches his long red-gold muzzle toward the cone, tongue just reaching the vanilla, his brown collar and thick feathery fur catching the warm light. A cozy sofa with knitted throws, a lamp and a houseplant fill the room behind them.

A lick of vanilla is a classic dog fantasy, but ice cream is not an ideal treat. Many dogs have trouble digesting milk, and sugar and fat can upset their stomachs. Some flavors are risky, especially chocolate, coffee, macadamia nuts and anything with the sweetener xylitol, which is toxic to dogs. If you want to share a cool treat on a hot day, there are better choices, like a few frozen blueberries, a plain frozen dog treat or a spoonful of plain, unsweetened yogurt, if your vet agrees it suits your dog. Keep portions tiny, and remember treats should only be a small part of a day's food. If your dog gets into something unsafe, call your vet.

Copper's face says he would happily accept the whole cone. Grandma Odessa looks like she might be considering it, just a little.

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