MISSOULA (LEE) -- Dogs don't scream for ice cream, but they'll sit, stay or speak for it and lick, lick, lick.

Canine cones are a new twist on an old favorite, the neighborhood ice cream parlor that attracts human visitors by the pack come summer. Now businesses have figured out that where dogs want to go, so do their humans.

"Dogs are crazy for ice cream," says Charlie Beaton, owner of Big Dipper, at 631 S. Higgins Ave. "Some dogs come here so often that when they escape, they head right here. Their owners call and tell us to let them know when their dog arrives."

At least three local shops Dairy Queen, Goldsmith's and Big Dipper offer free cones for canines. And the pooches pant for the treat.

Goldsmith's posted a sign advertising its free "Doggie Dips" at Missoula's Bark Park, the off-leash playground for dogs between the Clark Fork River and the University of Montana.

"My brother came up with it," said Jordan Goldsmith, co-owner with his brother, Jesse, of the ice cream haven at 809 E. Front St. "The Bark Park is right across the river, so we figured if people went there, they could walk across the bridge for a snack afterward."

Big Dipper saves broken cones, adding a tail-wagging tidbit when hounds arrive.

Dairy Queen's regulars include many humans from nearby streets who love the tradition of walking to the DQ with loved ones spouses, grandkids, kids and, of course, dogs.

"Free cones for babies and dogs," says Jim Auger, co-owner of the Dairy Queen at 1735 S. Higgins Ave. "They all love 'em."

Most dogs will tolerate ice cream, says Missoula veterinarian Ellie Hansen. But some will react to the high protein, high fat of the treat, and the result involves a mop.

Some dogs, like humans, are lactose intolerant, meaning they don't digest milk products.

"Is it going to be life-threatening? Not for most dogs," she said.

To cool dogs on hot days, chunks of ice would be a better choice, Hansen said.

Or consider the cream of doggie frozen treats: Frosty Paws. It's a made-for-dogs ice cream with a soy base sold by Dreyers, the same company that makes high-end human ice cream sold in grocery stores.

Frosty Paws has been around since 1979, when an animal scientist came up with the formula after being challenged by a friend, said Candy Marciano, associate brand manager for Dreyers. Drumstick marketed it first, and now sales go up more than $10 million a year, driven by people who love to indulge their pets.

"It's a healthful treat," Marciano said. "There's no dairy in it. There's nothing in it that humans can't eat, but to us, it'll taste chalky. They like to lick it."

Frosty Paws comes in original flavor or the newest: peanut butter. In Missoula, Go Fetch, downtown at 627 Woody St., sells Frosty Paws in four-packs for $4.45.

"For something with very little marketing support, it does phenomenally well," Marciano said. "It is just word of mouth.

"If dogs are happy, humans are happy," she added.

"Everybody loves to treat man's best friend," agreed Jordan Goldsmith.

Reporter Mea Andrews can be reached at 523-5246 or at mandrews@missoulian.com.