6 Frozen Teething Ideas for Puppies (All Dog-Safe)

Puppy teething remedies do not need to be fancy. Cold soothes sore gums, so the best ideas are simple, frozen and made with dog-safe ingredients. Here are six that work in a toy, on a lick mat or as a knotted cloth, plus the rules that keep them safe.

What are the safest puppy teething remedies?

Veterinary dentists have a simple rule: do not let your puppy chew anything that will not bend. Frozen food belongs inside a soft rubber toy or on a lick mat, not served as a hard block. Ice cubes and rocks can crack teeth.

Before you try any idea, follow these rules every time:

• Check every label for xylitol, onion, garlic and salt.
• Introduce one new food at a time, in a small amount. Stop if stools go loose.
• Count treats as part of the day’s food.
• Let frozen items sit for 5 minutes first, so they soften slightly.
• Supervise every session.

Amounts are for a puppy of 11 to 33 lb (5 to 15 kg). Halve them for toy breeds, and ask your vet first if your puppy has a sensitive stomach.

6 frozen teething ideas for puppies

Idea	What goes in	Freeze time
Pumpkin and banana lick mat	Pure pumpkin, ripe banana, water	2 hours
Frozen breakfast toy	Soaked kibble, pumpkin, peanut butter with no xylitol	4+ hours
Knotted washcloth teether	Clean cotton washcloth, plain water	1 hour
Plain chicken broth pops	Homemade unsalted chicken broth	2 to 3 hours
Blueberry and watermelon mat	Seedless watermelon, blueberries	2 hours
Cold carrot chew	One peeled carrot	30 minutes

How does each idea work?

Pumpkin and banana lick mat. Mix 2 tablespoons of pure pumpkin puree (never pie filling) with 1 tablespoon of mashed ripe banana and 1 teaspoon of water. Spread thinly on a lick mat and freeze flat.

Frozen breakfast toy. Soak a quarter of a normal meal of kibble in warm water, drain, mix in 1 tablespoon of pumpkin and pack it into a rubber toy. Seal with 1 teaspoon of xylitol-free peanut butter.

Knotted washcloth teether. Wring a clean cotton washcloth until damp, twist it into a rope, tie one or two firm knots and freeze. Offer for up to 15 minutes and remove it if threads come loose.

Plain chicken broth pops. Simmer a boneless, skinless chicken breast in water with no salt, onion, garlic, stock cubes or herbs. Chill, lift off the fat, and freeze a little broth in a toy or on a mat. Do not use store-bought broth, because most contain onion, garlic or lots of salt.

Blueberry and watermelon mat. Mash 2 tablespoons of seedless watermelon (no rind), spread on a lick mat and press in 6 halved blueberries. It gets messy, so serve outdoors or on a washable floor.

Cold carrot chew. Chill a peeled carrot for 2 hours, or freeze it for 30 minutes so it is cold but still has some give. Hold one end at first, take it away once it is small enough to swallow, and give no more than one carrot a day.

What should you never use?

Never use xylitol (check nut butters), grapes, raisins, onion, garlic, chives, chocolate, coffee, macadamia nuts, raw dough, alcohol, salty stock cubes, cooked bones, or fruit seeds, pits and rinds. Also skip clove oil, human teething gels and human pain medicine.

Will frozen treats stop the biting?

Not on their own. Teething drives chewing on objects, while biting people is mostly play. Cold treats help with sore gums and keep a puppy busy, and the full plan covers what to do when teeth touch skin. See the full guide for the 4-week plan.