09/14/2026
Listen, puppy raising is no joke especially if you have an energetic or high drive breed. Here are 6 things you can start doing today to make life easier on everyone!
1. Play with intention.
Genuine, structured play with rules and boundaries. Play is so much more than wearing your puppy out. It’s an opportunity to build your relationship, teach cooperation, and give your dog an appropriate outlet.
2. Create a predictable schedule.
Without being too rigid your puppy should have some idea of what to expect throughout the day. Set consistent times for eating, playing, sleeping, and resting. Predictability helps puppies learn what comes next and to settle into their life with you.
3. Teach decompression.
Rest, relaxation, and doing nothing have to be taught and practiced. If your puppy is constantly looking for the next thing to do, start incorporating intentional rest into the day. Tethering can help you teach this.
4. Use mealtimes to teach something.
Pick one command and work on it for a couple of reps during meals. Turn food into a game, especially if you have a puppy who isn’t naturally motivated. Keep it fun and short.
5. Find something you genuinely enjoy doing together.
Make time to be present and enjoy your dog. Go explore, play, hang out in the yard, or find something you both love. Slow down and remember why you got a dog in the first place. This relationship is the whole point.
6. Stop treating the walk as the only way to exercise your puppy. For puppies, walks should be exploratory. Let them sniff, experience the world, and learn about their environment without putting so much pressure on covering a certain distance or burning off energy or teaching obedience. There is so much more to raising a confident, well-rounded dog than just getting them tired- and for most of you the walk isn’t doing it anyways!!
If you’re in the thick of puppy chaos right now I’m here to help!
What’s one thing your puppy is doing that has you questioning your life choices?🥴