Holiday Fun for Your New Puppy

December 19, 2022

The holiday season is a magical time of year, especially for those of you who just got puppies! Puppies are the perfect snuggle buddies to make the holidays extra cozy. You’ll have more time to bond with your puppy than ever thanks to all those days off from work. The experts at Petland Miami have some fun holiday ideas for your new puppy that will help to socialize and train him as he plays and loves you to the moon and back!

PLAY HIDE AND SEEK

One of the greatest things about your puppy, aside from him being your biggest fan, is that he’ll learn the fastest when the training seems like a game. In fact, puppies socialize and learn most of their life skills while playing with their litter mates and other dogs. Hide and seek is a fun game for your puppy to play this holiday season. This particular game, whether you play inside or outside, will help your puppy to practice the important skill of using his sense of smell, hearing, and natural doggy instincts to find you. This could come in handy later in life if, for example, you’re separated unexpectedly out in the real world. 

We recommend first playing hide and seek at home inside, then moving the game outside if you have a large backyard with hiding places. Eventually you can play this game in a larger outdoor area, like a park or even in the woods. 

As you teach your puppy how to play, be sure to have some treats on hand to encourage him along and help him understand the point of the game, as well as the rules of the game. During the first few games, when you begin walking away from your puppy to go hide, make sure you stay within your puppy’s line of sight and don’t go too far. It’s best if the first time you “hide” it’s pretty obvious where you are. This will help your puppy comprehend the nature of the game. Once he really understands what “hide and seek” is all about, then you can hide more completely by going to a different floor of your house and keeping yourself out of sight.

HAVE A HOLIDAY SCAVENGER HUNT

A backyard can make a great location for a holiday scavenger hunt. All you need are healthy dog treats and a festive, decorated backyard. Keep your puppy inside while you go around your backyard and hide little bits of dog treats. The fun of the game for your puppy is all about sniffing out the treats, not overeating, so be sure to make each piece of the treats small. 

Bring your puppy outside and watch him sniff his way around the yard, finding the treats as he goes. Depending on the size of your yard, the number of treats you hide, and how many rounds you play, your puppy can get a full hour’s worth of fun outside before he’ll feel tuckered out and eager to head inside for rest and snuggles.

TEACH NEW COMMANDS

Having a puppy can be a blast. Each new day brings new experiences for your puppy, and he’ll learn from every experience and encounter he has with other people and animals. As part of his development, you also need to teach him basic commands and make sure that he learns how to behave himself as he interacts with other puppies, dogs, people, and children. This is all part of his socialization. 

During the holiday season, you can continue training your puppy with new commands that will help him during future encounters. Your puppy will love bonding with you at home. If your puppy already knows all the basic commands and can reliably obey them, try teaching him a complex command that requires more self-control, such as “leave it.”

• Hold a treat in front of your puppy
• Hide another treat behind your back
• Keep saying “leave it” to prevent your puppy from eating the treat that’s in view
• Wait for your puppy to lose interest in the treat, i.e. your puppy must control his impulse to want to eat the treat
• Reward him with the hidden treat if and when he succeeds

FUN IDEAS FOR A QUIET NEW YEAR’S EVE WITH YOUR PUPPY

Are you planning on staying home with your puppy on New Year’s Eve to enjoy a quiet night of holiday cheer? Petland Miami has plenty of fun New Year’s ideas you can enjoy with your puppy at home. 

Watch a Holiday Movie 

Stay in the holiday spirit by snuggling with your furry friend to watch these heart-warming films with dogs!

• A Puppy for Christmas
• A Dog Named Christmas
• Lady and the Tramp
• Marley & Me
• Happy New Year, Charlie Brown

Bake Homemade Dog Treats

You’ve probably noticed by now that your puppy is naturally intrigued by the smells and aromas of your kitchen. Make your puppy feel extra special this holiday season by cooking up something in the kitchen that’s just for him! Try baking these fun doggy treats that are healthy and nutritious for your puppy!

• Applesauce & Oatmeal Cookies
• Peanut Butter & Pumpkin Dog Treats
• New Year’s Dog Treats

There are so many ways to have a sweet holiday season with your new puppy this year. From everyone at Petland Miami, we wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! And if you have yet to bring your first puppy home, we invite you to come by one of our Florida locations to meet our available puppies and start your journey into puppy parenthood in 2023!

✓ This article has been reviewed by Petland Miami’s expert team to ensure accuracy and reliable pet care guidance.