HOW TO KEEP YOUR DOG BUSY – 10 Awesome DIY Boredom Busters for Puppies and Dogs

At some point on our journey as puppy raisers, we have all faced the challenge of how to keep your puppy busy, and your dog mentally stimulated, entertained and content.

This might just safeguard your beautiful lawn, keep your irrigation system intact, and preserve your couches pristine and unscathed 😉

This can be exceptionally challenging if your dog is kept in a small yard, or during puppy training or required rest, in a dog crate. But fear not!  Without spending a fortune, you can turn your pup into a furry mastermind and change your Dennis the Menace into a well-behaved, happy boy.

Explore these mentally stimulating and fun DIY delights, which will captivate your adventurous Wild at Heart One for hours on end.

How to Keep Your Puppy Busy This Summer

1.      Muffin Tin Mischief

Serve your Einstein’s meal between the bumps of an upside-down muffin tin, or hide his treats under tennis balls in muffin cups.

2.      Tennis Ball Hide and Seek for Puppies

Cut an X or flap in your pup’s tennis ball, stuff it with kibbles or treats, and watch the magic as tennis balls transform into secret treasure troves! If you are longing for just a tiny moment to savour a good glass of wine after a hectic day, hide these treasures in and around the house for a delightful canine scavenger hunt.

3.      Recyclables

Turn your garbage into Frikkie’s treasure! Poke holes in water or cool drink bottles, remove the caps, fill them with kibble, and observe your pup enjoy some ‘safe’ plastic crunching.

4.      Box-o-Mania

Save all your cereal and food boxes and put some treats in them to create box inception—treasures within treasures!

5.      Blanket Goldmine

Scatter kibble under a towel or blanket and watch your dog transform into a sniffing detective on a wild mission.

6.      Egg Carton Surprise

Fill each cup of an empty egg carton with treats or kibble, close the lid, and let your pup figure out how to crack it open for the prize.

7.      Scented Toilet Roll Adventure

Hide treats in toilet rolls, fold the edges, scatter them, and let your dog’s nose take the lead in a thrilling hunt.

8.      DIY Snuffle Mat Saga

Craft a mat from scrap linen with hidden treat pockets for an immersive snuffling experience.

9.      Iced Delights

Add some banana and xylitol-free natural peanut butter, sliced fruit, or doggy treats to plain yoghurt or goats milk, and freeze into large ice cubes or serve as an ice cream treat!

10.  Frozen Treasure Quest

Freeze treats or toys in a giant ice block and let your pup play archaeologist as they excavate the treasures as the ice melts.

Remember, some pups have the talent to turn EVERYTHING into an edible mystery, so keep an eye out for potential choking hazards and do not hide their treats near poisonous plants or hazardous obstacles!

Here’s an Easy DIY Bonus TIP For Busy Puppies

In the adventure of keeping your puppy entertained, even throughout training, natural calming aids for dogs become a caring and valuable way to keep them both engaged and content. Pet calming aids, in the form of pheromones, herbal sprays and diffusers, calming collars, and specialised calming supplements for dogs, can significantly help ease hyperexcitability, anxiety, and boredom. When your puppy is calm, they are more engaged during play and training, ensuring they are happier, more confident, and ready to indulge in the fun!

Order Untamed CALM (Pets) to assist you in the pursuit of keeping your puppy calm, and content, or read up a bit more about it here.