Puppy Life Hacks

Teething, mouthy pup on your hands? Try this

“Kibble hydrated with water in a Kong with peanut butter on top and freeze. Great to keep puppies entertained and helps use their brain to drain some energy.”—Gayle and Neil O’Hare

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Keep your pup on a short leash—literally

“A drag line (short leash that is on all the time). If you’re home to supervise, keeping a drag line on your pup helps get them outside quickly for potty breaks so you aren’t fumbling around for a leash. Also helps you direct them gently away or off of things.”—Christy Ann Coppola

Your dog is an individual. Learn what makes them tick

“Really get to know your dog! My Saint Bernard mix was very sensitive to voice and tone and aimed to please her owner.”—Janet Sturgess

Short & simple

“Keep it short, simple, use high value rewards. Keep it fun so less stressful for both of you. If they cannot do it, they don’t know it. Go back to a simple, known command then reward, and always finish on a positive note. Repetition and rewards for a few minutes several times daily!—@IncredibleKratu

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Work for Those Rewards, Plus a Simple Summer Treat

Instead of using Kong brand treats to stuff rubber Kongs with, I use odd-shaped or too large biscuits. (Favorite: Blue Buffalo’s Health Bars—not the apple flavour because they crumble!) With a little maneuvering, I’m able to get them wedged into the toy and it can keep my puppy busy for 30 to 60 minutes. And he’s usually tired after he’s been trying to dig his cookies out.

I also make frozen treats (they’re really just ice cubes) with water and pumpkin powder. They’re great for digestion, fun for the dogs to eat, and usually there’s no clean up.—Laurel Iamundo

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In Case of Emergency

Create a pet evacuation kit in case of emergencies. It’s good to have it on hand, just in case.—Raechel Tupman

This article originally appeared in the award-winning Modern Dog magazine. Subscribe today!