Carrots for Puppies: 13 Reasons Why You Should Add Them to Your Grocery List

Like any dog owner trying to survive puppyhood, teething with Ezra was a nightmare. I was buying all kinds of treats and bones, and it felt like he was never going to get any better. I was at my wit’s end and felt like I was just spending a ton of money with little to no behavior changes.

A light bulb went off in my brain when I heard my dad recommend to my cousin to give his teething baby frozen carrots. He said it soothes their gums and gives them nutrients. It made me wonder – will frozen carrots have the same effect on puppies?

When Ezra was about three months old, I started peeling and freezing large carrots for him. It was the best treat to have on hand for my teething puppy, and I always recommend it to any new dog owners.

Aside from teething, there are numerous benefits of frozen carrots for dogs of any age. This post will explain all 13 reasons why I recommend them! Keep reading to learn more!

What is the puppyhood phase?

Puppyhood phase of dog ownership begins when you bring your new charge home at eight weeks and lasts until they are sexually mature. Don’t worry, the tough stuff normally dissipates around eight months.

The tough stuff includes teething, house training, crate training, and overcoming some bad behaviors like pulling on a leash or destroying the house. It can be overwhelming to work with your new puppy through all these stages of puppyhood.

Why is surviving puppyhood so hard?

Puppyhood is so hard because these behaviors are not normal for humans to deal with and it’s hard to relate to the puppy. For example, do you remember teething? Did your kids ever bite you when they were teething? Probably not.

When you can’t relate, it becomes harder to communicate. Puppies are like babies – they don’t know what you are saying, they may not understand that you are mad, and they don’t realize what they are doing is wrong. On top of all of this, you probably have a full-time job or other responsibilities beyond dog ownership that make it challenging to allocate the energy and time to work with your puppy to overcome these issues.

This usually results in the Puppy Blues, which is when the dog owner regrets buying their pup and considers giving their dog up. I know I had it, and one of the ways I overcame it was leaning on my support group for help and bouncing ideas off of each other. That’s how I came to give my pup Ezra frozen carrots, and I’m so glad I did. It helped us through teething and separation anxiety, and it’ll help you too.

13 Ways Frozen Carrots Will Help You Survive Puppyhood

Reason 1: Soothes their sore gums

Just like babies, teething is painful for puppies too. Cold items provide relief for their swollen and tender gums. Gnawing on the carrot will feel good and keep them content.

Reason 2: Supports dental health

I always avoid soft treats or foods for my dogs. Hard treats don’t leave behind residue and they clean plaque off dog’s teeth as they chew. In this way, you keep the dog’s teeth strong, clean, and healthy without requiring expensive teeth cleanings at the vet.

Reason 3: Frozen carrots are all natural and clean ingredients

Young puppies begin teething around 2 months old and it lasts until they are about 6 months old. When they are that young, their bodies and organs are still developing. As a result, they may not be able to handle tougher chew toys like bully sticks or deer antlers yet. Carrots, on the other hand, are natural, raw ingredients that are rich in nutrients that are beneficial for growing bodies and developing organs. They are perfect for a growing pup!

Reason 4: Keeps puppies occupied & out of trouble

Generally, teething puppies are so uncomfortable they need something in their mouth at all times. Because they are such busy bodies, it can be tough to watch them at all hours of the day. This is why they may chew furniture, clothes, and even you. As you can imagine, frozen carrots for puppies are great alternatives to all of those. In addition to preventing your puppy from destroying your home, frozen carrots last a long time. When Ezra was a puppy, a frozen carrot would last at least 15-20 minutes. It was a welcome break from my little terror and gave me a chance to focus on other priorities.

Reason 5: Excellent separation anxiety tool

Ezra suffered from separation anxiety and struggled with crate training. Any time I tried to leave him alone in a room or in his crate, he would howl and have accidents. For a while, I was at a loss. Then I got some advice – leave him with a favorite toy or with food. With a frozen carrot, you are giving him both! Because it’s frozen, your puppy won’t be able to wolf it down quickly. If your dog is like Ezra, he’ll paw at it and push it around on the floor before he sits down to eat it. This gave him at least 15 minutes of independent fun and was the first step towards Ezra becoming totally comfortable alone in the house.

Reason 6: Low calorie & low fat dog treat

One medium-sized carrot is equivalent to 25 calories and 0 grams of fat. Baby carrots are even fewer calories, perfect for small or toy breed dogs. Carrots are also filling, long lasting treats for your pup that are also nutrient rich. It’s a good chew toy that will keep your pup lean and not have a negative impact on his bones or joints.

Reason 7: Rich in Vitamin A

Carrots are packed with Vitamin A. Specifically for puppies, Vitamin A is essential because it supports bone growth and a healthy immune system. For all dogs, Vitamin A is important because it supports good vision in dim light, healthy skin, and a healthy coat. While Vitamin A won’t necessary improve vision, it has been found to improve a dog’s vision whose vision is impaired due to injury.

Reason 8: Rich in Beta Carotene

Beta-Carotene is a precursor to Vitamin A. Aside from converting to Vitamin A, Beta-Carotene has other benefits. For example, it increases antibody levels, which helps to fight off diseases or infections.

Reason 9: Good source of fiber

Often forgotten, fiber is a great nutrient for your dog. With 2 grams of fiber per serving, carrots are great for your dog’s digestive tract. It removes bad bacteria and supports healthy functioning of their colon. If your puppy is struggling with constipation, carrots can provide relief.

Reason 10: Good source of Vitamin K

Vitamin K is essential in all mammals because it regulates blood coagulation. Without Vitamin K, a dog’s blood would never be able to clot. This is essential because if a dog even had a minor injury, clotting will prevent him from bleeding out.

Reason 11: Good source of Vitamin C

Vitamin C is vital because it is an antioxidant that scavenges for free radicals in the dog’s body. This is important because it can reduce inflammation and let your dog continue playing like a young puppy long after he grows up.

Reason 12: Good source of potassium

Potassium is important in dogs because it helps regulate the rhythm of their hearts, maintain homeostasis in their bodies, and prevent dehydration. It’s important that dogs don’t have too little or too much potassium. Carrots are a medium level of potassium, so it is safe to give one carrot a day to your pup.

Reason 13: They are inexpensive

Because Ezra is a large breed dog, I would buy the largest size carrots I could find. You can buy a 2 lb. bag of large carrots for under $4 at your local Walmart. If you have a toy breed dog, you can buy a 1 lb. bag of baby carrots at Walmart for under a $1. Because you shouldn’t give a dog more than one carrot a day, that 5 lb. bag of carrots would easily last Ezra several weeks. That’s ~$0.13 per carrot!

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Carrots aren’t just for rabbits. They provide a lot of vitamins and minerals for your dog’s health, and they enjoyable for dogs to eat. Because it is enjoyable, it’s a good treat for crate training and teething too.

I hope that after reading this post, the next time a friend asks you “Are frozen carrots good for teething puppies?” you answer with a resounding Yes! Frozen carrots for teething puppies are a must-have treat in the freezer. Are there other must-have treats dog owners should consider buying for their pup? Comment below with any recommendations!