One of the most frequent questions I receive from new puppy owners is, “What can I freeze for my teething puppy?”
To which I answer: frozen treats, of course!
Frozen treats are one of the best and easiest ways to ease painful puppy mouths.
Simply freeze your vegetable or fruit of choice for a few hours and give them to your puppy to chew on.
You can also make your own homemade frozen treats with some fruit, yogurt, and peanut butter!
Carrots
Carrots are my go-to solution for teething puppies.
They're cheap, readily available, low in calories, and high in beta-carotene.
Plus, the crunch they provide not only alleviates teething discomfort but also slows down an aggressive chewer!
Carrots are among the healthiest vegetables you can give a dog.
Alongside beta-carotene which helps improve a dog's eyesight, carrots are a reliable source of vitamin A.
They're also low in calories, with one medium carrot containing only about 25 calories.
This makes them a great snack for dogs who need to lose a bit of weight.
For teething puppies, cut a carrot into two and place the halves in the fridge for several hours.
If your puppy is a teacup breed, cut the carrot into tiny pieces.
Avoid baby carrots as they can be a choking hazard.
Don't give your pup more than one whole carrot a day because carrots have a high fiber content.
One carrot a day = one happy teething puppy!
Helpful Dog Training Resource:
For help with training your dog, you should take a look at The Online Dog Trainer by Doggy Dan. Doggy Dan is an expert Dog Trainer based in New Zealand. His online resource contains Hundreds of Excellent Dog Training Videos that will take you step-by-step through the process of developing a healthy, happy well-behaved dog.
Zucchini
Zucchini is another healthy and cheap teething solution for puppies!
Like carrots, zucchini is packed with antioxidants and nutrients.
Zucchini is rich in vitamins A, B6, C, and K, which are beneficial for your pup's skin, coat, bone, metabolism, and vision.
It also contains lots of soluble and insoluble fiber, which not only helps your dog's digestion but also maintains steady blood sugar levels.
To serve zucchini for a teething puppy, cut one raw zucchini into thick spears and freeze the slices in a ziplock bag.
Once the slices are nice and cold, give them to your pup to chew.
Make sure the stem is removed before serving it to your teething puppy.
One zucchini a day is more than enough, so don't overdo it!
Fruit
Kill two birds with one stone by giving your pup delicious frozen fruit to chew on. It'll work as both a snack and a teething solution.
It can get a bit messy, though, so use some discretion!
Don't let your puppy chew the treats while he's on the furniture (bed, couch, etc.) or on the rug.
The best fruits to freeze for teething purposes are strawberries, bananas, seedless watermelon, peaches (without the pit), and apples.
Chop the fruit into bite-sized pieces, put them in a ziplock bag, and freeze them for a few hours.
Feed your pup no more than three slices of fruit a day.
Dog Toys
If you're one to spoil your puppy, you probably have a Kong or two lying around.
For the uninitiated, Kong toys are dishwasher-safe rubber toys with a hollow center that can be stuffed with food. They're great toys for keeping your pup entertained.
Since Kongs are made of rubber, they can help soothe inflamed gums.
Stick the toy in the freezer for a few hours and give it to your pup to chew and play with.
To make the experience even more entertaining for your dog, try smearing the inside of the toy with some cream cheese, sugar-free peanut butter, or plain yogurt.
While you’re at it, stick in some frozen fruit like banana, watermelon, or strawberries.
Put the fruit-stuffed toy in the freezer and give it to your dog to play with once the treats inside are completely frozen.
Helpful Dog Health Resource:
Note: Our Health is #1 Priority. It should be no different for your dog. But you need to help him. The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health is the answer. This handy guide will help you recognize the symptoms of the health problems above. Get the knowledge to stay ahead of these terrible issues that can rob your lovely dog from vigor and life. Help your friend make it to 14 yrs+ without pain and suffering.
Homemade Frozen Treats
Nothing gives me more pleasure than giving my pup healthy, homemade treats!
Making your own frozen dog treats not only saves you money but also helps soothe your pup's teething woes. Plus, it'll keep him entertained!
Here are some great homemade frozen treats to make for your pup:
Frozen Banana Treats
Ingredients
- 4 cups plain, whole milk yogurt
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 3 bananas, ripe
Instructions
- Peel and mash the bananas.
- Blend all the ingredients in a food processor.
- Pour the banana purée into 4-ounce plastic cups and freeze until firm. You can also use ice trays.
- Remove the frozen treat from the cup and watch your dog enjoy his treat!
Give your pup no more than two treats per day. This recipe makes approximately 16 treats.
Fruit Cubes
Ingredients
- 2 cups dairy-free, low-fat coconut milk or fruit juice
- Fruit of your choice (blueberries, strawberries, mango, watermelon, etc.)
- 1 cup plain, whole milk yogurt
Instructions
- Blend the yogurt and coconut milk with your fruit of choice. If you don't have coconut milk, replace it with regular dog-safe fruit juice.
- Pour the mixture into ice cubes and pop it in the freezer.
- Remove the cube from the tray and serve to your pup one at a time.
This recipe yields about 24 fruit cubes. Feed your pup a maximum of three cubes per day.
Washcloth or Old T-Shirt
If you have an old washcloth, tea towel, or t-shirt, use it to make a homemade chew toy. If you have a teacup dog breed, search for something smaller than a tea towel.
Here’s how to make a homemade washcloth teether for pups:
- Tie a large knot in the middle and on both ends of the towel.
- Soak the towel in water for about five minutes.
- Take the towel out and wring out the excess water. The towel must be damp but not soaking wet.
- Freeze for a couple of hours.
- Give the frozen towel to your pup to chew on!
Under supervision, this DIY teething towel makes for a great teething toy to chew on!
It's soft but has some give, making it a suitable solution for aggressive chewers.
Once the towel has thawed, take it away so your pup doesn't rip it apart. Wash the cloth and freeze it again for next time.
If you want to take it a step further, soak the towel in chicken broth to make it a tastier and more enjoyable chewing session.
However, stay by your puppy's side while he’s chewing to prevent him from ingesting the “tasty” towel.
Paul has been creating content for the dog niche for many years. The information he shares comes his first hand experience growing up in dog lovers household and then owning multiple dog breeds of his own as an adult. Paul enjoys doing the hard research to collect, analyze and present our dogtemperament.com readers with the best answers to their questions.