5 Ways to Keep Your Puppy Entertained and Busy, with Little Effort by You

Raising a puppy is an energy and time sucking endeavor.  As any new puppy parent will admit, the constant supervision of a curious and energetic puppy can leave you feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, and plain old dog-tired.  And while I love the treat-stuffed toys, I’m afraid my dog will get a little too plump if I give him treats all day long.  (Seriously, how much peanut butter can one dog eat?) Here are some new ideas to keep your puppy occupied, so you can take a break.   

1.  Frozen Washcloth.  This is a cheap, quick way to create a dog toy at home. It keeps puppy entertained for 10-15 minutes.  Take an old washcloth that you wouldn’t mind getting a little torn up, and run it under water to soak and wring out.  The cloth should be damp but not dripping.  Roll it up like a burrito, and pop it into the freezer for a few hours.  The result is a stiff but soft treat, perfect for soothing teething puppies. And because there is no food involved, you can do this several times a day.
2. Kong Wobbler.  The Kong Wobbler is a toy and dog bowl in one. So instead of fattening up your puppy on treats, or watching him scarf his dinner in 2.4 seconds flat, pull out your Kong Wobbler and watch the magic happen.  This gadget entertained my ten week old pup for a full 30 minutes, which is an amazingly long time to keep a puppy occupied.  We fill the wobbler with his evening scoop of kibble, screw on the lid, and place it on the floor. Each time he knocks it over a few bits of kibble fall out to reward him. We both love it!
3. Battery Ball with Tail. This toy works for pets and children alike.  It is a small plastic ball that is battery operated to roll about the floor.  Often there is a furry tail attached, but my puppy removed that in about 5 minutes.  That ball however, keeps him entertained for 15-20 minutes sessions as he chases it around the living room.  Because it’s not made for puppies, it’s not 100% indestructible, but mine seems to have held up pretty well to being picked up & dropped repeatedly.
4. Bully Stick. The bully stick is similar in concept to a rawhide chew, but it is safer and longer lasting.  As with any edible toy, you do need to watch for loose pieces that your puppy could swallow.  However, of all the options available, I think this is the best edible option for puppies, because the durable quality takes much longer to be torn apart or worn down.  My pup has had his bully stick for over a month, and it’s been worn down less than an inch. Warning- it will be very stinky, so you may want to make this an outside toy!
5. Puppy Play Date.  This one can be tricky to setup, but is wonderful if you can make it happen.  Entertainment time can be several hours if everyone gets along. Not only will a play date drain puppy’s energy, it will also provide a good socialization experience for you both.  Invite neighbors and friends who have puppies or well adjusted dogs over to your yard for a few hours.  Or try forming a group using Craigslist or Google Groups; just make sure to meet in a safe public place and request vaccinations records.

Week 7 - The Potty Equation

Garth in his winter sweater playing outside.

Potty training a new puppy can be one messy undertaking, according to the horror stories I’d read online.  There are a plethora of contraptions to assist pet parents in this endeavor- piddle pads, fake grass, scented rocks, door bells… After doing a little research, I decided to use the crate training method.

All puppy parents should understand one point above all: a young puppy’s biology limits the amount of time he can “hold it”.  So no matter how hard you try, your puppy’s bladder can only do so much.   Do not lose your temper when his genetics do not coincide with your schedule.  This fact of life can actually work to your advantage, because you can predict your puppy’s potty schedule using this equation:

(Time in between potty breaks) = 

(Puppy’s age in weeks) x (15 minutes) 

*Valid up to 4 months of age

So for my 7 week old puppy, the time in between potty breaks could be no more than 7 x 15 minutes, or 1 hour and 45 minutes.  That meant that someone needed to take Garth outside every hour and 45 minutes to avoid any accidents.  This is where crate training comes into play; dogs will try very hard to avoid going potty in their crate.  It’s a natural instinct that humans can use to potty train.  The trick is to make sure your puppy is in his crate right before potty time, so that you can take him from his crate and straight outside. 

TIP: Schedule naptime so that your puppy is in his crate right before potty time.  This way you can take him straight outside after his nap, and he will most likely have to potty immediately.

We did have a few accidents, but they mostly occurred inside the back door while I was putting my shoes on.  I learned fast that when my puppy woke up from his nap, he had to go immediately.  This behavior improved with time, but for the first few weeks I’d suggest having your shoes on before you open the crate.

Because I stuck to a very strict schedule, which updated every week, we had very few potty accidents.  I also gave Garth little treats outside every time he did a potty, which is good to do in the first month or so of potty training.  For me, letting the puppy’s potty schedule control my life for a few weeks was much better than constantly cleaning up accidents and struggling with the dog for months.  I highly recommend using crate training along with the potty equation.