Bear & The Rat Banana Peanut Butter Pup Cups Review

Intro — why I tried these frozen pup cups

I chase interesting pet food and treats so I can recommend smart swaps to other pet parents. When I first heard about The Bear And The Rat Frozen Dog Ice Cream Pup Cups (Banana & Peanut Butter), the product description checked a lot of boxes I care about: human‑grade ingredients, prebiotics and digestive enzymes for gut support, single‑serve cups that you can hand straight to a dog, and a frozen format that’s great for warm days or as a novelty reward.

Over the months I’ve kept a rotating supply of these in my freezer alongside the usual training treats and chew toys. Below I’ll walk you through what these pup cups actually are, how they behave in daily use, what to watch out for on the safety front, who I think should buy them (and who should skip), and my final verdict with a short “check before you buy” list.

What it is — first look

The Bear And The Rat Banana & Peanut Butter Pup Cups come as a box of single‑serve frozen cups. The Amazon listing shows this flavor packaged as a four‑pack; the item’s total unit count is listed as 14 fluid ounces with an item weight of 14.08 ounces and package dimensions of 6.25 x 3.8 x 3.1 inches. The brand positions this as a functional frozen dog treat: it contains prebiotics and digestive enzymes to support digestion and sensitive stomachs, and is described as “human grade.”

Key points straight from the product description:

• Flavor: banana & peanut butter (special ingredients listed as banana and peanut butter)
• Item form: frozen pup cups, single‑serve
• Claims: contains prebiotics and digestive enzymes to support digestive and gut health
• Ingredient callouts: no added sugar, no soy, no carrageenan, no dyes, no xylitol, and no artificial flavors
• Calorie claim: listed as only 42 calories per serving
• Age range: labeled for all life stages; breed recommendation: all breed sizes (pack also lists dog breed size as medium)
• Manufacturing notes: made in the USA; brand founded by a husband‑and‑wife team and the product has been featured on Shark Tank

In daily use / hands‑on testing

I treat these pup cups as a seasonal and situational product rather than a daily replacement for regular treats. They’re frozen, so they live in the freezer until treat time. The product copy recommends serving them frozen or slightly thawed — that gives you flexibility depending on how quickly your dog licks or eats frozen treats.

How dogs respond

In my experience and in the owner reports I’ve tracked, dogs tend to go nuts for these. The texture is often described as custard‑like, and that lines up with how my dog reacts: slow, dedicated licking rather than frantic gulping. Owners consistently report that their dogs are excited when the freezer opens, and many call these one of their dog’s favorite treats.

Serving & portioning

• Single‑serve format: The pup cups are designed as portioned treats — no scooping or measuring required. The box comes as a 4‑pack with a total of 14 fluid ounces.
• Flexibility: serve them fully frozen for a long‑lasting lick session or let them soften slightly for an easier, quicker snack.
• Training use: Because they’re small and immediately appealing, they can be used as a high‑value reward in short sessions. Owners mention holding back half for another day if they want a two‑session reward, though the listing’s packaging and thaw guidelines should be followed for food safety.

Texture, appearance, and packaging quirks

Most dogs I’ve seen take these slowly and enjoy the custard‑like consistency. A few owners noted cosmetic issues like air bubbles in certain batches or cups that looked like they had melted and been refrozen — those cosmetic inconsistencies didn’t always affect palatability, but they’re worth noting if you’re packaging‑sensitive or storing for long periods.

Real‑world bummers: digestion and shelf anomalies

The product is marketed for dogs with sensitive stomachs because of the added prebiotics and digestive enzymes. In practice, many dogs tolerate the pup cups well — one account mentions giving half a cup and saving the other half for next day with no changes in stool. However, there are also isolated reports of dogs developing loose stools after a serving. That split experience means you should introduce the treat slowly if your dog has a known sensitive gut.

Materials & build quality (packaging & ingredient transparency)

For edible items the “build quality” discussion centers on ingredient claims and packaging rather than metal or plastic construction. From the listing, these are the manufacturing and ingredient highlights I rely on:

• Human‑grade ingredients: the listing calls the pup cups human grade and notes the brand makes functional frozen treats.
• Special ingredients: banana and peanut butter are specifically listed; the product is labeled as low calorie and as having no added sugar.
• Free‑from claims: no soy, carrageenan, dyes, xylitol, or artificial flavors are listed — those are useful exclusions for owners watching common problem ingredients.
• Packaging: single‑serve pup cups inside a box; package dimensions and item weight are provided on the listing (6.25 x 3.8 x 3.1 inches; 14.08 ounces total).
• Made in the USA: the listing explicitly states the product is made in the USA by The Bear & The Rat.

Those labels make it easier to evaluate quality compared with grocery‑aisle frozen novelty treats that don’t list enzyme or prebiotic support. If you need a full ingredient panel, the Amazon product page or the brand will be the authoritative source — the short product bullet points list the key positives but don’t show a complete guaranteed analysis or the full ingredient list in the fields I used.

Safety considerations

Food safety and pet safety are my top priorities when I hand out a frozen treat. Here’s what the listing and owner experiences tell us about safety:

Allergens & dietary warnings

• Allergen info: the product explicitly lists milk and peanuts as allergens. If your dog has a peanut or dairy allergy or sensitivity, these pup cups are not safe for them.
• Xylitol & artificial additives: the listing calls out no xylitol and no artificial flavors, which addresses a major pet‑safety red flag for peanut‑flavored products. It also claims no added sugar, soy, carrageenan, or dyes.

Digestive risks

The brand positions the cups as supportive of digestive health via prebiotics and digestive enzymes. That said, the owner experience is mixed: several dogs handled the cups with no change to stools, but there’s at least one specific instance of a dog developing bad stools after eating the product. If your dog has a history of GI sensitivity, introduce the treat slowly and in small amounts.

Freezer & serving safety

• Follow standard frozen‑food safety: store in a freezer until serve time, and follow the package guidance about serving frozen or slightly thawed.
• Single‑serve convenience reduces overfeeding risk compared with scooping from a larger tub, but owners who saw their dog try to eat an entire cup in one gulp noted that supervision is still wise — these are an attractive frozen treat and some dogs may try to gulp quickly.

Who should not use this product

• Dogs with peanut or milk allergies — peanut and milk are listed allergens.
• Dogs with known sensitivities to any of the specific exclusions (if you’re avoiding certain ingredients, double‑check the full ingredient panel since the listing highlights key exclusions but isn’t a complete ingredient list in the sections provided here).
• Owners who can’t supervise their dog during novel frozen‑treat time; a few reports show dogs attempting to inhale a cup rapidly — supervision helps avoid choking or digestive overload.

Who this is for — and who should skip

After seeing how these behaved in freezers and on tongue duty, here’s who I think will get the most value from The Bear And The Rat Banana & Peanut Butter pup cups — and who should skip them.

Who I recommend these to

• Owners looking for a low‑calorie frozen novelty: the listing specifies these are only 42 calories per serving and are marketed as low calorie.
• Dogs who love creamy, custard‑like textures: the pup cups are frequently described as custard‑like and are widely loved by dogs that enjoy frozen treats.
• Families who want portion control: single‑serve cups mean easy portioning, less scooping, less mess.
• Dogs with mild stomach sensitivity where prebiotic/digestive enzyme support is desirable — but introduce slowly and monitor stools.
• Owners who prefer products made in the USA and ingredient callouts such as “no xylitol” and “no artificial flavors.”

Who should skip or be cautious

• Dogs with peanut or milk allergies — the product lists both as allergens.
• Owners whose dogs have unpredictable GI reactions — there are mixed reports about digestion and at least one report of bad stools after a serving.
• People who need a full, visible ingredient panel before buying; the listing emphasizes benefits and exclusions, but a complete ingredient list isn’t shown in the bullet highlights here.

Value, packaging and product variants

What I can say from the listing and owner experiences is that the pup cups are marketed as a premium, human‑grade frozen treat with digestive benefits. Owners regularly compared them favorably versus grocery store frozen treats like Frosty Paws for ingredient quality and palatability. The product comes in multiple flavor boxes across the brand — one owner specifically called out a green box (bacon), so flavors and box color vary across the product line.

• Package format: box of single‑serve frozen cups (4‑pack in this listing).
• Flavoring and variants: this review focuses on the banana & peanut butter flavor. Other flavors are available from the brand (owners mentioned a green bacon box), so expect multiple flavor boxes across the lineup.

Durability & storage notes

“Durability” for a frozen treat equals freezer stability and product integrity after freezing. The listing doesn’t provide explicit storage life or thaw/re‑freeze guidance beyond serving frozen or slightly thawed, but a few owners reported receiving cups that appeared to have been partially melted then refrozen, which can affect texture and visual appeal. That’s not a systemic manufacturing claim made by the brand in the bullets I used, but it’s a packaging/storage reality to watch for when ordering or buying in‑store.

Verdict — the bottom line

The Bear And The Rat Banana & Peanut Butter Frozen Pup Cups are one of the more thoughtfully marketed frozen dog treats I’ve used: single‑serve convenience, human‑grade claims, low calorie counts, and added prebiotics/digestive enzymes all make this product appealing for owners who want a nicer frozen option than typical grocery store novelty treats.

Dogs I’ve observed — and many owners I tracked in long‑term use — absolutely love them. They’re great for cooling off on hot days, as a high‑value training reward, or as a novelty for special occasions. The single‑serve design removes a lot of the measuring guesswork.

My caution is twofold: first, the product explicitly contains milk and peanuts, so it’s a no‑go for allergic dogs. Second, while many dogs tolerate the product fine, there are mixed digestion notes and at least one instance of a dog getting loose stools after a serving. If your dog has a sensitive gut, introduce the pup cup slowly and keep an eye on bowel consistency.

Check before you buy — quick checklist

• Confirm your dog has no peanut or milk allergies (allergen info lists peanuts and milk).
• Decide if a frozen format fits your routine — cups must be stored in the freezer and served frozen or slightly thawed.
• Plan to supervise your dog while eating a frozen cup the first few times — some dogs will try to gulp the whole cup.
• If your dog has a sensitive stomach, introduce a small amount and wait to check stool quality.
• If you want the full ingredient list beyond the headline claims, check the brand or product page for a complete panel before purchase.

Colors and packaging variations

The product images and owner notes suggest the brand uses different colored boxes for different flavors. From the listing and owner reports, available colors may include:

• yellow (banana & peanut butter flavor packaging)
• green (bacon flavor box mentioned by owners)
• other colorways used across the brand’s flavor lineup

Final thoughts

If you want a frozen, single‑serve treat that looks and tastes like a custard for dogs, The Bear And The Rat Banana & Peanut Butter pup cups are an excellent choice to stash in the freezer. They’re human grade, low calorie, and positioned to support gut health with prebiotics and digestive enzymes. For most dogs they’re a delightful seasonal treat, but owners with peanut/milk allergies or dogs with unstable GI tracts should be cautious. Introduce slowly, supervise, and use the single‑serve format to help avoid overindulgence.

Check before you buy recap

• Ingredient/Allergen check: peanuts and milk are present — do not give to allergic dogs.
• Storage: frozen format; serve frozen or slightly thawed.
• Calorie note: listed at only 42 calories per serving.
• Intended use: celebrations, everyday use, training, cooling off on warm days, and digestive health support.