I dropped some ice on the floor a couple days ago, and my 3-1/2 mo old GSD, Kodee, went nuts. Since then, I've given him ice cubes to chew on a couple of times. He loves them, and he is definitely not "playing" with them (knocking them around, etc), he's chewing them. Is this ok for the pup's teeth? Is it ok for an adult? Just wanted to check instead of assuming it's ok.

Thanks!

Everytime I get ice from the refrigerator dispenser I let a few cubes fall on the floor. My GSD especially loves them.

They are a good way to help keep a dog cool in the summer without the dog overloading on water. I often fill a bowl with ice cubes and put it outside for the dogs. They pick them out and chew them up. I think it keeps them hydrated and cool in the heat.

Ice cubes are sometimes a reward for my dog...he loves them!

Also, it's a good thing, IMO, if you want an "ice eater dog" to get them started on ice as pups.

Just my lil theory, but I tried and tried to get my previous adult dogs to become ice eaters, and they wouldn't touch it...and when I thought about it, I hadn't given them any as pups...

I have heard that ice chewing is rough on human teeth.

I don’t think it is any worse on dog’s teeth than chewing a raw bone.

Starbuck likes ice cubes in her water. She will fish them out with her paw.

It was so funny when my last shepherd discovered that snow is actually water. She would walk around in the snow and scoop it up in her mouth like she was walking in a stream or pond.

 Quote: keith larson

I have heard that ice chewing is rough on human teeth.

I don’t think it is any worse on dog’s teeth than chewing a raw bone.

My dog just slab fractured one of his upper molars gnawing on a marrow bone. After speaking to the "doggie dentist" (who may, after a physical examination, end up performing a root canal to save the tooth), I was told that the following things are at the TOP of their warning list, in order of most potentially damaging to dog teeth:

1. marrow bones (of the recreational sort, not RMBs)
2. rocks
3. ICE CUBES
4. Nylabones

Marrow bones (I knew I was risking it...) and rocks - DUH! but ice cubes I wouldn't have suspected, nor Nylabones for that matter. This info was directly from someone who mends the broken teeth of dogs all day long, every day, so I'm willing to trust her experience... I personally have no idea if the ice thing is true, and I'm certainly not going to stop feeding raw (even though she wasn't a fan of that) but for the same reason that I'll probably never, ever give another marrow bone (has to do with a dollar sign and 4 digits behind it...), I may never give my dog ice cubes again either...

Just throwing that out there.

~Natalya

Wow - thank you! I won't give ice again, but I hate to take away his Nylabones. He's teething and his little "teething key ring" is his favorite. I might have to make him give it up, though. Thanks for all your input, Everyone!

Starbuck liked frozen carrots and a frozen towel when she was teething.

 Quote: kori bigge

Wow - thank you! I won't give ice again, but I hate to take away his Nylabones. He's teething and his little "teething key ring" is his favorite. I might have to make him give it up, though. Thanks for all your input, Everyone!

Kori,

I could be wrong, but if your pup is still teething, a Nylabone may not be as dangerous - it's not such a big deal if those puppy teeth are chipped (they're going to fall out anyway! ), and I could see how even a really tough teething item could feel good on gums that have new teeth just breaking through...

The danger with all the things on the above list is primarily to adult teeth, because they are irreplaceable. I would take away the Nylabones once your pup's new teeth have really started to appear, then just switch to something a little softer. There are a lot of bones out there that are made of compressed vegetable matter that seem pretty tough, but crumble when really chomped on... I was told to give those instead if I wanted to give "recreational" bones. Frozen carrots and rags are also a great option, as Keith reccommended!

~Natalya

Please take away that nylabone. Just recently there was a thread about a dog who had a blockage caused by a nylabone on the green board. I feel like I see this kind of thing a lot.

 Quote: susan tuck

Please take away that nylabone. Just recently there was a thread about a dog who had a blockage caused by a nylabone on the green board. I feel like I see this kind of thing a lot.

Yikes! I didn't know blockage was an issue, aside from teeth... thanks for the heads up!

~Natalya