Frosty Paws are sold in the ice cream freezer, not the pet aisle, at Target, Walmart, and supermarket chains such as H-E-B, Stop & Shop, Giant, Food Lion, and Hannaford. That one fact explains most of the trouble shoppers have finding them. Purina’s frozen dog treats move through grocery frozen-novelty distribution, so availability swings with the season and the store format. Below: which chains list them, which online routes deliver cold instead of melted, what the current four-pack costs, and what to blend at home when every freezer near you is picked clean.
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What You Are Buying: Recipe, Maker, and Formats
Frosty Paws is a single-serve frozen dog treat formulated for dogs rather than adapted from human ice cream. Dr. William Tyznik, an Ohio State University animal science professor, developed the original vanilla recipe in 1979 and sold it as Pet79 before it was renamed. The Drumstick Ice Cream Company bought the brand in 1985, Nestlé acquired Drumstick in 1991, and the cups now carry the Purina name. In the United States they are produced by Froneri, the ice cream company Nestlé formed with PAI Partners, and the brand page lives on icecream.com, a Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream site. That is the real reason the box sits beside frozen novelties instead of next to the kibble.
The buyer is a pet owner who wants a hot-weather snack for a dog without the sugar and cream in a scoop of dairy dessert. Do not assume it is dairy free, though. The current label lists water, whey, soy flour, maltodextrin, coconut oil, added minerals and vitamins, guar gum, and natural flavor, and whey is a milk ingredient. The brand claims no added sugar and no artificial colors or flavors. Treat it as a special snack for a canine companion, not a meal. The American Veterinary Medical Association advises introducing any new treat gradually and watching for digestive changes over the next day or two.
Buying Criteria: What Separates Good Frozen Dog Treats From Bad
Judge a frozen dog treat on four things: the ingredient panel, the portion size, the base (whey and oil versus real yogurt), and the condition of the box in the freezer case.
Ingredient panel. Scan for xylitol, chocolate, raisins, and macadamia before anything else. The Purina label is clear of all four. Competing brands are not always, and the FDA’s warning on xylitol is worth two minutes if you buy any low-sugar product.
Portion and format. Standard boxes hold four portions totaling 13 fluid ounces, about 3.25 ounces each. Nestlé launched Frosty Paws Bites, a yogurt-coated bite-size format, in 2011, but the current brand page lists only the vanilla and peanut butter cups, so treat Bites as a lucky find rather than something to plan around.
Base ingredient. The grocery-freezer version is whey, soy flour, and coconut oil, with a guaranteed analysis of at least 6% crude protein and 6.5% crude fat and up to 66% moisture. Premium competitors build on a real yogurt base, often Greek yogurt, which costs more per serving and still contains milk, so it is not automatically easier on a sensitive stomach.
Box condition. Heavy ice crystals on the lid or a loose film mean the box probably thawed and refroze somewhere in the cold chain. Texture goes grainy. Put it back.
| Version | Where it shows up | Recent price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original, sold as Vanilla Flavor | H-E-B, Stop & Shop, Food Lion, Hannaford | Varies by store; check the app | A first try, preferences unknown |
| Peanut Butter Flavor | Target, Lowes Foods, Stop & Shop, Giant | 5.89 USD per four-pack at Target (October 2026) | Dogs that sniff the vanilla cup and walk away |
| Frosty Paws Bites | Launched 2011, not on the current brand page | Not verified | Small dogs and portion control, if you find them |
What Dog Owners Actually Say
Owner feedback splits along one clean line: most dogs love the product, and a minority get an upset stomach from it.
On Walmart’s review page for the peanut butter four-pack, the recurring praise is pure enthusiasm, dogs recognizing the sound of the lid peeling back and treating the cup as the standard reward after a hot walk.
Complaints cluster in two spots. Some owners describe vomiting or loose stool in sensitive dogs and blame the whey, which is why the gradual introduction above is not boilerplate. Others flag the paper cup itself, because an impatient dog can chew and swallow pieces of it. Spoon the treat into a bowl for fast eaters and that risk disappears.
The long-running r/dogs thread on whether these are healthy runs the same way: enthusiastic owners on one side, and people who would rather blend their own on the other.
Where to Buy Frosty Paws Online
Grocery delivery beats parcel shipping here every time. A frozen cup sent by mail arrives as a puddle unless the seller packs dry ice and insulated liners, and few sellers will ship frozen pet treats direct.
Walmart and Target pickup or delivery
The smoothest route. Add the box to a normal grocery cart and it travels with your other frozen items, and both sites show store-level stock before you check out. Target listed the peanut butter four-pack at 5.89 USD in October 2026; prices vary by store. Store pickup avoids delivery fees.
Amazon
Amazon carries the Purina line mainly through third-party sellers, and frozen listings appear and vanish. Cold packaging carries a real shipping premium, so treat the Amazon listing as a backup rather than a primary source.
Instacart, DoorDash, and Uber Eats
These apps pull inventory from local grocery partners, so they are worth a look when a retailer’s own site shows nothing. Expect a markup plus service and delivery fees. If you are ordering a frozen dessert for yourself anyway, one cart splits the fee.
Buying Frosty Paws Locally: Store by Store
Check the frozen novelty case first, beside the ice cream sandwiches. Most shoppers miss on the first try because they look in the pet food aisle. Allocation also runs heaviest in spring and summer, so a January trip is a harder trip.
Walmart
Walmart, the largest grocery retailer in the United States, is the broadest single source nationwide. Stores with a full grocery department are the ones to try, and their site search shows aisle location at many stores.
Target
Target lists the peanut butter four-pack, but stocking is regional. Stores with full grocery departments are the reliable ones, so run their store search before you drive.
Supermarket chains with online listings
Regional grocers typically shelve the brand in the freezer aisle with frozen desserts. Product pages for the vanilla or peanut butter box turn up at H-E-B, Lowes Foods, Weis, and the Albertsons banners Acme and Haggen, plus the Ahold Delhaize group: Stop & Shop, Giant, Food Lion, and Hannaford. Kroger, Publix, Safeway, and Meijer shoppers should run the store app before assuming either way. Most of these list per-store availability online, which is more current than a phone call. The official brand site is where to start if none of those are near you, and the brand posts seasonal notes on Instagram and Facebook.
Petco and PetSmart
Pet superstores are a poor bet for the Purina cups. PetSmart’s frozen treat category runs to Pup Cup, Ben & Jerry’s Doggie Desserts, Paw Pops, and YoPup yogurt cups instead. That makes it a good alternatives shelf. Call ahead, since freezer assortments vary by location.
Red Flags in the Freezer Aisle
The costliest mistake is reaching for the human dessert in the same case because the dog treats sold out.
Substituting a human dessert. Even a small serving can cause lactose-related upset, and anything sweetened with xylitol is toxic to dogs and needs an emergency vet call, not a wait-and-see.
Grabbing the box at the back. Stock rotates slowly outside peak summer, so the box wedged behind the popsicles may be past its quality window. Check the best-by date every time.
Serving a full cup to a very small dog. One 3.25-ounce portion is a lot of food for a Chihuahua or a Yorkie. Split it across two sessions and reseal the rest in the freezer.
Trusting a wholesome-looking label. Bacon and cheese flavored frozen treats sound fun, but novelty flavoring is not a quality signal. Read the panel, not the front of the box.
Best Frozen Dog Treats Right Now
These four picks were chosen on ingredient panel quality, how widely each is stocked, and what each one solves. Start with whichever flavor your pup already leans toward.
Best overall: Purina Frosty Paws Original. The vanilla flavor cup, fortified with vitamins and minerals, with the widest distribution of anything here. Prices vary by chain, so compare in the store app. Check current pricing on Amazon
Best for picky dogs: Purina Frosty Paws Peanut Butter. Peanut butter syrup is added to the same base, with no xylitol and no added sugar. This is what dogs go for when they sniff the vanilla version and walk away. It adds peanut to the allergen list, so skip it for a dog with a peanut allergy. See listings on Amazon
Best premium alternative: The Bear and The Rat Frozen Yogurt. A yogurt-based cup in flavors like banana and peanut butter or peanut butter and bacon, sold through independent pet stores and, per the brand’s own announcement, Whole Foods Market. A good pick when you want a yogurt base rather than a whey base. Compare on Amazon
Best grocery alternative: Dogsters Ice Cream Style Treats. Stocked in many of the same Walmart and grocery freezers in 3.5-ounce cups, four to a box. Flavors include Cheesy Bac’n, Nutly & Cheese, and a Dairy Free Pumpkin cup, which is the one to try for a dog the whey-based cups upset. Check availability on Amazon
If the freezer case is empty: blend a homemade batch
A homemade version costs less per serving and uses ingredients you can read on the label yourself.
- Blend 32 ounces of plain full-fat yogurt (Greek yogurt works well, with no xylitol and no added sugar), one ripe mashed banana, and two tablespoons of natural peanut butter whose label you have read.
- Add a handful of blueberries, or a quarter cup of pure canned pumpkin for an autumn batch. Never pumpkin pie filling, which carries spices and sugar.
- Pour the blend into silicone muffin molds or small paper cups. Each mold holds roughly one retail portion.
- Freeze until solid, then move the portions to a sealed bag so the surface does not pick up freezer odors.
- Let one stand a few minutes before serving, on a washable surface.
Open the Walmart or Target app before you drive anywhere and check store-level stock for Frosty Paws there first. If both show zero, go straight to Instacart rather than touring three stores. Between May and September, buy two boxes when you find them. New puppy in the house? Check the portion notes above first, then see our guides to everyday dog food and grain-inclusive and grain-free formulas for the rest of the list.
Questions Owners Ask Before Buying
What are Frosty Paws made of?
The base is water, whey, soy flour, maltodextrin, and coconut oil, plus monoglycerides, guar gum, a mineral and vitamin premix, and natural flavor. The label claims no added sugar and lists no chocolate or xylitol. The peanut butter recipe adds peanut butter syrup made from peanuts, corn oil, and salt.
How often can I give my dog Frosty Paws?
Occasionally, not daily. Treats should stay a small share of a dog’s total daily intake, and you portion by body weight rather than by container, which is why one 3.25-ounce cup can be a full day of treats for a toy breed. Ask your veterinarian for a specific allowance if your dog is on a weight-management diet or has pancreatitis.
Can I give my dog regular ice cream instead?
No, and the difference is not marketing. Human ice cream is built on whole milk and cream, so it carries the lactose many adult dogs no longer digest well, plus far more sugar per serving. Some low-sugar and light varieties also use xylitol, which is toxic to dogs even in small amounts. The frozen dog treats in the same case are formulated around that problem.
Sources and Review Notes
Updated October 2026. Ingredients, guaranteed analysis, and the price shown were checked against Target’s product listing; brand claims against the brand page on icecream.com; and feeding guidance against the American Veterinary Medical Association. Our other dog buying guides cover the rest of the list for a new canine companion.