Freezable Dog Toys: Cool Treats for Hot Summer Days!

Okay, so I've been seeing these "freezable dog toys" all over the place, and my golden retriever, Max, is a serious chewer. I figured, why not give it a shot? Worst case, he destroys it in five minutes like everything else, right?

The Hunt for the Perfect Toy

First, I had to find some. I checked a couple of the big pet stores, and they had a few options. Some were just solid rubbery things, others had like, little fabric bits. I wanted something that would last, but also be interesting for Max. I ended up grabbing two different kinds:

• One was this bone-shaped thing, kinda looked like a Nylabone, but it said "freezable" on the package.
• The other was more like a ball, with little nubs all over it. It had a hole in the middle, which I figured I could stuff with something.

The "Stuffing" Experiment

The ball-shaped one seemed like it needed something inside to make it really fun. So, I got creative. I tried a few different things:

• First attempt: Plain water. Figured it would just be a big ice cube. Froze it overnight.
• Second attempt: Peanut butter! Max loves peanut butter. I smeared a thin layer inside the hole and froze that.
• Third attempt: Chicken broth. I had some leftover from making soup, so I poured a little in, and yup, froze it.

The bone, I just froze that as is.

Max's Verdict

Okay, time for the real test. I gave Max the water-filled ball first. He was...unimpressed. Licked it a few times, then looked at me like, "Seriously, Mom?"

Next up, the peanut butter one. NOW we're talking! He went nuts for that. Kept him busy for a good 20 minutes, licking and chewing. It started to melt pretty fast though, so it got a little messy.

The chicken broth one was also a hit! He loved the flavor, and it lasted a bit longer than the peanut butter since it was more solid ice.

Finally, the frozen bone. He chewed on it for a while, but it didn't seem to hold his interest as much as the ones with something inside. I think it was just too...plain.

Final Thoughts

So, based on my highly scientific experiment (ha!), the freezable toys with something tasty inside are the clear winners. The plain frozen bone? Meh. The peanut butter was good, but messy. The chicken broth was probably the best overall – tasty, long-lasting, and less mess. I'll definitely be freezing more of those! I feel pretty good about discovering a new way of keeping my dog busy!