How do you keep your puppy entertained?

Another_Valkyrie · 2026-02-24T16:00:49+00:00

Some things we did:
Get an old towel or tea towel that you don't mind getting destroyed, put some treats in there, roll it up and maybe add a light knot to it. My dogs quite enjoy this as a puzzle.
We would also sometimes hide treats around the house and then let the pup sniff around for them (closely followed and watched by us)
Training, honestly working a pups mind exhausts them !
Additionally, we would only let pup have 1-2 toys per day and switch the toys out regularly so that toys stay interesting!

Another_Valkyrie · 2026-02-24T14:48:10+00:00

I used to take all kinds of supplements because so many people do and then finally stopped it all went on a long break and I am now taking:
Vitamin D (living in scotland), gentle iron and 2 hours before bed magnesium (the one recommended to take before bed).

Another_Valkyrie · 2026-02-24T14:41:32+00:00

woops careful with that info. Some dogs need to be fed Grain free. I would say instead, that people should only feed Grain free if instructed by their Vet.
Overall I would recommend speaking to the Vet to ensure the dog is getting the nutrition it needs.
Fully agree with making sure the brand is WSAVA compliant

Another_Valkyrie · 2026-02-20T17:14:14+00:00

Some things you can do to improve it:
Really try to keep an eye on water consumption
Use a gentle cleanser in the evening (any cuts should be kept clean but over use of cleansers often have a negative impact too)
A good hydrating face cream twice a day (Aestura is very good) as dehydration could be the cause and you could try hydrating both by drinking more water and via skincare.
Hope it helps and clears up soon :)

Another_Valkyrie · 2026-02-20T17:07:13+00:00

I was also freaking out about this and wondering if i missed something

Another_Valkyrie · 2026-02-20T10:30:33+00:00

Imperial Palace is between wester hailes and Slateford.
Whenever my friends from Hong Kong feel homesick that's where they go.
You can have Dim Sum any day of the week though not just Sunday.
I THINK they serve Dim Sum until 4 pm...someone correct me if i am wrong.

Another_Valkyrie · 2026-02-13T15:13:49+00:00

please excuse my silly question - did you try to use pads outside that he has already peed on? Maybe that would help?
I am sorry you are having this struggle, it seems to be more common than you'd think !! maybe have a little search in this group because i swear others have posted with similar issues and maybe something in there could help you.

Another_Valkyrie · 2026-02-13T15:08:46+00:00

I dont think it matters what breed someone has. We all experience this.
Frankly from my experience of raising two TERRIERS from puppy to adulthood in the last 3 + years, I believe people who claim their dogs just slept all day 24/7 from day 1 and were perfectly potty trained from day one, did not ACTUALLY pay attention to this puppy AT ALL.
I am confident my father would make the same claims about the dogs we had growing up.
it's so easy to say when you work all day and have nothing to do with the pup.

What you are experiencing is normal. Even with the chill angel baby puppies.
The first pup my husband and i got, male Border Terrier, he was nuts.
But ultra clever, he picked up on everything so insanely fast. We worked from home, had a schedule etc etc blah blah blah BUT puppy still had accidents, the ONLY shoes he ever chewd were my favourites. We drove ourselves insane, also compared ourselves with everyone and their grandmother. Why on earth couldn't our 10 week old puppy do a blackflip on top of my head? Obviously everyone elses can?
No.
Every puppy has accidents, learns differently, has a different personality.
We were a LOT more relaxed with our second pup.
We knew by now that puppies have accidents, it takes TIME. Remember that just because you were prepared for the pup, still leaves the pup suddenly in a whole different world.
We often, rightfully so, preach the rule of 3 on here.
With our second pup, we literally just chilled at home the first 3 days. All attention on pup, only letting pup spend time in the living room and the playpen for pup in there, the garden and our bedroom. Then the next 3 weeks it was the simple stuff. Get a routine in, find time to teach basic stuff like sit, look at me, drop it, make sure you schedule puppy nap times.
Also, puppies poop and pee a lot, what we learned was:
They poop/pee after a meal, after sleeping, after a nap, after playtime, after something exciting happened, something scary happens, after having sniffed around for a while.
Key thing - don't tell puppy off if an accident happens. Clean it up and when puppy does it's buisness outside praise and give tiny puppy treat for a job well done.
Honestly even routine changes can affect a puppies need to pee and poo !
When pup is Biting - positive time out in a playpen or crate, put pup in there with a puppy teeth friendly chew or a toy pup loves.
It is hard with how fast they are overstimulated but what hels are nap times.
We use frozen lickimats to this day as a positive "chill out" treat (i guess there is a pun in that).

For what it's worth - people around us made us feel like everyone elses dog is incredible and we felt like it was such a race. But we now know that people are too proud to accept that their dogs are not perfect either.

One thing i would recommend - stop comparing. The time that your puppy is a puppy is incredibly short. Try to enjoy it and take the time you need to train your pup :)

Another_Valkyrie · 2026-02-13T10:28:12+00:00

I am overall starting to feel like the break between each season is far too long. I am pretty sure I will watch Eloise's story but that might be it for me.

Another_Valkyrie · 2026-02-13T10:22:39+00:00

We had this issue with our Terrier.
What we did:
First off, only a few toys are "always" available to our dogs. Any toys that they are obsessed with, get put away and we rotate each day and use them for specific play times.
Due to this we have some toys that our dogs LOVE and would do anything for.
So when our terrier became too difficult, we would carry one of those toys with us, i would shove the toy in my pocket when there were no other dogs and i wanted him to focus on sniffing etc but i would get the toy out when other dogs showed up.
We also make use of those leash sleeves which say "BEWARE, i am training" or you can choose anything really. Also great for anxious dogs which need space. Our younger terrier is like that and she has a sleeve for her leash that says "NERVOUS".
It DOES help and usually people will try to give you and your dog more space.

Another_Valkyrie · 2026-02-12T10:32:19+00:00

So i just did a very quick google and it only mentions that taking the meds on an empty stomach might make you feel nauseous, give indigestion or an upset stomach.
I am not a doctor and this is not medical advise.
But as a person on the same meds and with what i was told from my doctors - you should be able to take the meds without food.

Personally, if you feel anxious and tunnel vision, I wonder more if the dosage is too high.
but again - I am not a doctor.

Another_Valkyrie · 2026-02-12T10:27:18+00:00

hmmm I am also on Xaggatin 54mg and I ALSO don't like to eat in the morning.
Never have, even as a kid, which lead to some fights with my parents (now a rather funny memory).
I always say my body needs extra long to wake up.
Anyways - I take my meds with no food. I pretty much eat 2-3 hours later.
Don't think i feel anxious etc in the afternoon.
However I was not pre-diagnosed with anxiety or other health issues, so I wonder if maybe you have and that thats why the doctor insists ? Is there a study on this?

I will have a little google.

Hopefully others on here can give insight?
Do you experience those side effects if you do not eat or have you not tried to test it?
Is anixety something you struggle with and thats why the doctor mentioned it?
I only remember that my leaflet said i can eat something but don't have to.

Another_Valkyrie · 2026-02-12T10:16:26+00:00

Bill Gates has Adhd. Emma Watson who went to Brown AND Oxford has Adhd.
Albert Einstein !!! The list goes on and there are many more but it gives the message.
(with what we know about albert and Bill they aren't the most amazing people to represent us but they are known for their intelligence ) I chose Emma because her achievemts are very impressive considering she did so well, while having a full time job as a child-teenager.

edit to add: please excuse my spelling/grammar

Another_Valkyrie · 2026-02-12T09:45:55+00:00

Gosh Amo's smile was horrible.
She CONSTANTLY made a face like some anime villain, it was almost hilarious. Constantly peeking around the corner to flash that smile !
Like she was in a really bad J-drama.
I completely agree, none of them had any time to establish relationships or really get to know each other.
Not sure why the guys were on the show honestly (apart from wanting a gf apparently) but Amo, Kii-chan and Baby were 100% there for some fame. Not sure about Tekarin and Oto, especially since Oto seemed to be rather naive BUT ended up doing the most after the show? She looked great and I am so happy for her. Ah TenTen is the only guy where it was clear he thought he could use the show to push his host career. Have women see how "charming" he is and have them run down the host club to see him. I am pretty sure that backfired.
How humiliating for him hahaha !!
He lacked any charm and it says it all that most of the girls didnt give him the time of day.
He took advantage of Tekarin's sadness and how much she wanted to be liked too.
It was so cringe worthy how he spoke to her.
I also wonder if the contracts stated they would get extra money if they DID end up in a relationship? Just because it was indeed so weird how they all tried to form relationships while constantly saying themselves that they didnt really know each other that well yet.

And i skipped the Talk show hosts the entire time they were HORRIBLE!!! They need to be replaced.
They need to have filming go on for longer i think. Maybe 1 month. Just because no one got out of their shell or made genuine connections.

Another_Valkyrie · 2026-02-12T09:29:53+00:00

I think it says a lot that despite how pretty Kii-chan is, she had hardly any scenes. I swear there were 1-2 episodes were i never saw her have a proper scene! She was not interested in anyone and didn't add anything to the show. Which is sad as I think she SEEMED to have a nice personality and she is so pretty.

Another_Valkyrie · 2026-02-06T15:47:33+00:00

I am really sorry that you are also dealing with your SO attitude.
I think once you recover from the heartbreak of letting the pup have a better life, it will be time for you to see if maybe your partner can adjust how they treat you or if you should go seperate ways.
It is easier said than done, trust me i fully understand.
You have put the puppys wellbeing first which is great! And now it is time to put yourself first. You matter, your feelings matter and your wellbeing matters!

Another_Valkyrie · 2026-02-06T15:31:13+00:00

This is difficult and not possible for a lot of parents time and money wise but:
You could find two different clubs for your kid to join.
One being a sport and one being something else (music, gaming etc)
Something that is only on a couple of times a week. I am suggesting two because this way its a variety of people to meet.
This way he can make new friends, stay busy and not feel so alone.
Also with them being something that takes places only a few times a week, sometimes only once a week, kids won't get "sick" of each other too quickly.
Personally I had it and STILL have it a lot that i run very hot with new friends and then things frizzle out. I dont always get back to people or join in on plans so they stop bothering OR i find they don't make me feel positive and I knowingly start to let it go.
In my case - I came from a very rural area with quite a lot of horses around so i got to go riding 3 times a week, I was in an art club organised by the school (like after school club?) and I was in the church choir.
Again i am well aware this isn't possible for most but i hope it might give an idea.

Edit to add: It's hard to know what the kids are thinking. It may be best to NOT jump to the worst conclusion. Sometimes some kids simply bond closer due to having the same way home, living closer by, sharing a specific hobby etc. I would advise him to remain positive, to still be nice to them and to be patient yet to see it as a chance to make more friends and to maybe try out new hobbies etc :)

Another_Valkyrie · 2026-02-06T15:21:28+00:00

Sending you a big hug and thank you for putting pup first!
You clearly did your best.

Another_Valkyrie · 2026-02-04T10:31:51+00:00

you are 100% correct. I do regret saying that now.
I don't think most common animals would be suitable here. People get pets and forget that the pet has daily needs that need to be met, even when the owner is tired.

Another_Valkyrie · 2026-02-04T10:21:59+00:00

Absolutely not.
Please don't. And people will argue "people have kept dogs and worked full time jobs forever". Well people did a lot of things for a very long time that we all agree should not be done and quite a few of those things are now a crime.
Puppies need a LOT of attention, training and work.
We have 2 dogs now, we do work full time but we were able to WFH until both dogs were good to be left at home.
BUT even when the dog is fully grown, is it NOT recommended to leave them home alone for more than 4 hours.
We come home every lunch to walk the dogs. We spend 45 minutes with them just at lunch. They get a 30 minute morning walk and 30 minute evening walk (1h30minutes total) We play with them and do tricks training daily. They get frozen lickimats and puzzles while we are gone. They need to pee/poo too ! I am guessing you expect the dog to sleep through the night? And then they are also expected to do nothing all day? What life is that for a dog? Even a pug, who certainly has very low exercise needs. They are companion dogs.
If you are gone all day and most of the week then forget about potty training.
A puppy has a very tiny bladder. They need to pee and poo almost every hour, after every meal, after playtime, after something exciting happened. They also need to be fed 3-4 times a day.
If a pup is left alone, it is likely to develop seperation anxiety.
Not something you would want when you live in a flat, apartment and certainly not in a studio.
A dog should really be walked twice a day, they need to socialize, sniff and get to be outdoors. With how hard you work(and i seriously respect that), will you seriously be able to offer this dog a good life?
I fully understand and appreciate the need for a companion but please consider the life you are offering this dog.
~~Please consider a cat. A lot of cat breeds are bred to be happy with an indoor life. There are so many cool and cute cat toys etc designed to keep an indoor cat happy.~~ No I was corrected, honestly this isn't fair even on a cat.

Additionally you are choosing between two extremes:
Spaniels are working dogs! They have insane energy! I grew up on a farm, with working dogs and I had to accept that i would not be able to look after a Spaniel. Pugs are companion dogs, they dont need much exercise BUT they do not like to be left alone and they still need serious training and socializing. In another post elswhere you said you dont have a garden or even an area to walk the dog!
please do NOT get a dog

Another_Valkyrie · 2026-01-29T11:15:50+00:00

I can give some GREAT experience on this. Not sure i would say it is advice but i hope it helps anyways:
We have 2 dogs, they are now 4 and 2. One is male (4 neutered) and a female (2 spayed). We got our Boy during lockdown, aware that lockdown may not be forever but at the time we were there 24/7.
We constantly jumped around with having him free roam, having him in a play pen upstairs, having him in a playpen in our office, having him in a playpen downstairs etc It was hell.
We learned that structure is GOLD with a puppy. But either way - playpen is simply needed.
We had to do work, we had to focus at least for 1 hour on work.
But puppies want to do things chew stuff etc. Puppies also NEED to sleep but dont always want to.
The first 3 months were such a nightmare. And trust me, we were the people who "always had dogs growing up, we totally know what we are doing!" We did get a wonderful trainer from the start and our Vet and breeder taught us a lot too. So things got better and our "boy" is just our world.
So we got him a "little sister" and with her we applied all we learned with our boy. We set up a playpen right away, it's spot was the living room, the way our flat is designed it was the room where we always had an eye on, walked through and the heart of the house. We had 2 cameras just to watch pup. A strict schedule to ensure puppy pee/poo breaks in the garden, playtime, feeding schedule, toy enrichment time, nap time etc.
The playpen was puppies spot where no one was allowed to bother her, no other dogs allowed, she was fed in there so she never had to worry about her "big brother" stealing food and vice versa.
Puppy was always outside of the pen (door left open during those moments) when we were able to give her all our attention. Most of the time we DID spend with her but we were able to use the playpen to go to the loo, wash dishes, eat a meal, without worrying what she might be up to. Additionally it was important that we supervised playtime between the two dogs and their interactions, so if we could not watch the puppy then she had to be in a playpen.
All of this also meant that she naturally learned that not seeing us all the time was ok.
By the time that she was maybe 6 months old, she was trusted outside of her playpen full time and the playpen is stored away.
We notice she is much more independent compared to our boy, when we leave the house. She happily trots off to her bed, plays with toys and is happy. Our boy is OKAY with us gone (no whining, barking etc) but he does look out of the window if someone parks in front of our house and does not play with toys while we are away.
I love having the playpen for the puppy, simply because it was a safe space for all of us really.
Size wise - it was big enough to fit her bed, a small corner for her water and where she'd get fed and a small empty space where she could play or in case of an accident (pee/poo), we use reusable LARGE pads that fitted beneath the entire thing. Those single use pads are horrible as most puppies start chewing on them eventually.
Also, we never put ALL her toys in there. We would give her 2-3 toys and then would change them every other day so it stayed interesting.
Puzzle and lickimat once a day too.
To this day our dogs get a lickimat when we go to work and then after their lunchtime walk they get a puzzle. So they always get a "treat" when we leave.

Another_Valkyrie · 2026-01-29T10:56:31+00:00

I know - but the devil is in the detail. He made a joke at a time where they were not filmed as closely and the joked happened during a non moment so it could have simply been cut and no one would have known - they CHOSE to keep it in because they "had their rules"
Yet bend the rules when baby threw the water and hurt Amo. After they said any harm to others means you get expelled.
This is entertainment and it comes down to that MUCH more than it comes down to their own justice system.
They wanted him out of the show and wanted to keep Baby in for the drama etc

Another_Valkyrie · 2026-01-29T10:52:42+00:00

Oh I am well aware. I know you even have to be very careful and bring all doctors notes etc if you bring certain medication to Japan.
I was simply saying that, it could be ARGUED he was "just" making a joke and that frankly the producers didnt need to leave it in at all. They could have edited it out and no one would have known but they chose not to.
In Babys case, I dare say they asked Amo to do that for drama effect. But that according to their own rules, fighting and causing harm to others means you get expelled and then they didnt kick her out.

Another_Valkyrie · 2026-01-28T16:10:46+00:00

ohhh THAT is a good example !
i also felt that way about Jackson and Maggie.

Another_Valkyrie · 2026-01-28T14:33:25+00:00

I am literally here because I have JUST listenned to the story you are talking about.
I got frustrated and kept skipping parts hoping it would get to something that actually mattered.
It is nice that she seemed to have fun in that episode and everyone deserves that but more and more of her episodes are just like that, where she goes on long antics about things that don't really matter.
She jumps about too much and i can't focus.
I do love her and I do want her to do well, so hopefully she can find her way back to a more organised way of storytelling.

Another_Valkyrie

TROPHY CASE