You take your furry friend on all sorts of adventures. Chances are, you’ve taken him with you on your coffee runs as well. But have you ever bought them their own Puppuccino?

Have you seen the videos on social media showing pups gleefully going to town on their own tasty treat at the coffee shop? If you haven’t, you probably have no idea what we’re talking about.

Check out this great compilation to get caught up on the cuteness!

What’s a Puppuccino?

If you have a quizzical look on your face right now, you aren’t the only one. When people first hear the term “Puppuccino” it isn’t overtly obvious what is being talked about.

After all, people go to coffee shops to get delicious drinks full of caffeine and sugar — neither of which would be good for your dog.

But, not to worry, Puppuccinos don’t have a single drop of coffee so there is no caffeine to turn your already energetic pup into a tornado. Instead, it is simply a small cup of fluffy, delicious whipped cream.

But your pup won’t be complaining about what the Puppuccino lacks — if the viral videos on social media are to be believed. He’ll be too busy delightfully licking his chops and chowing down on his Puppuccino with all the gusto in his puppy body.

The History of the Puppuccino

Once you know what it is, a Puppuccino totally makes sense. But how did the craze get started?

Back in 2008 pet rescue advocate Rocky Kanaka coined the term Puppuccino by combining the words pup and cappuccino. He started serving little cups of whipped cream to the dogs that visited his store.

However, the craze didn’t take off until 2019, when social media got involved. Rocky Kanaka made a video of himself ordering 100 Puppuccinos in a Starbucks drive-thru and giving them to 100 homeless dogs.

You can imagine how something like that would blow up!

Since then numerous people have started publishing Puppuccino videos, mostly of how adorable their pets are when chowing down. In 2021, Starbucks applied to trademark the term and there is even a National Puppuccino Day on September 23!

Now, you can order a Puppuccino at any Starbucks, though it only appears on Starbucks’ Secret Menu. In fact, if your barista isn’t “in the know” they might give you a quizzical look when you ask for one.

Is Starbucks the only place you can get a Puppuccino? Nope! Lots of coffee shops will hand them out as long as they know what you’re talking about. Just ask them for extra whipped cream on the side if they don't.

How to Make a Homemade Puppuccino

What if you enjoy your cups of fancy coffee at home? Your pup doesn’t have to miss out on his treat either!

It’s simple to make a homemade Puppuccino with only one ingredient from your fridge. Just get ½ cup of heavy cream (or slightly less fatty whipping cream). Get it cold from the fridge and you might even chill your bowl for whipping. Cold cream whips up easier and turns out fluffier.

Whipped cream for your pup doesn’t require vanilla and sugar as you would usually use for human treats. However, if you want to add some sweetness, try adding ½  teaspoon of blackstrap molasses. This will safely sweeten it slightly for your pup.

You can even make a dairy-free version with coconut milk for pups with sensitive stomachs. Follow the same procedure by chilling your can of coconut milk overnight before whipping it up with an electric mixer.

And as the seasons change, watch for dog-friendly Puppuccino flavorings that you can add. For example, toppers for dog food work just as great as an add-in for your Puppuccino!

Is it Safe for Dogs to Eat Puppuccinos?

Setting aside for a moment how much dogs love to eat a Puppuccino, is it really a good idea for them to eat it?

For most dogs, it’s not a problem. Puppuccinos are just cups of whipped cream. So as long as your dog can handle dairy, he shouldn’t have a problem with this tasty treat.

However, you should take care not to feed your pup too much. This is particularly important for smaller dogs. Too much dairy can give any dog a case of the runs — which you don’t need happening in your car!

Plus, you shouldn’t order a Puppuccino for your dog every day. However, once in a while as a treat for being especially good boy or girl doesn’t hurt and your pup will love you all the more for it.