Let’s face it—puppies are a lot of work—adorable, time-consuming work. Between potty training, crate training and leash training, it can be a lot. When you add in behavioral training and their boundless energy, you’re about ready for your pup to have some solo playtime.
Of course, not many activities keep them occupied for long periods of time. Lick mats may get you 10 minutes, while chew toys may get you closer to 20 minutes of peace. However, there is one viral hack floating around the internet that one new puppy dad decided to put to the test. The results were astounding.
🐶SIGN UP to get “pawsitivity” delivered right to your inbox with inspiring & entertaining stories about our furry & feathered friends🐾🐾
Puppy Enrichment Hack
Otis is a very active, teething puppy, and his owner, Tim, shares in a video on his TikTok page, @timthetankofficial, that he was looking for something to keep him busy, other than his hands. Tim shows a video he came across of a family making a frozen treat towel for their working dog that keeps him busy for a while.
As Tim declares he is going to give it a try, Otis is sitting at the counter nipping at Tim’s hands. First, he takes a damp towel and lays it out flat on the counter. Well, as flat as he can get it with Otis nipping and pawing at everything. He even elicits an “ow” from Tim as he chomps down on his thumb.
Tim selected beef bites to scatter across the finally flattened towel. Otis does not seem too happy that Tim is not letting him get to his treats. The towel and treat combo gets rolled up into a log, folded in half, and placed in the freezer until solid.
Once the roll was completely frozen, Tim offered it to a patiently waiting Otis, who grabbed it immediately and dug in, after dad released him, of course. Tim checked back in, saying, “Guys, it has been 25 minutes, and let me say, it’s the greatest life-hack I’ve ever seen for puppies.”
Related: This Simple Puppy Teething Hack Is a Complete Game-Changer
What Others Think of the Hack
Keeping a puppy occupied for 25 minutes is no small feat. I am impressed that Otis was enthralled with it for so long, and so was the rest of TikTok. A few even said they wished they had known this information weeks ago. I am sure it would have been a big help to them and their pup.
While many commenters were excited about the idea, a few had warnings for Tim to be careful. One commenter warns, “You’re going to have to watch your dog because if it eats the towel, you’re going to have a big vet bill or a dead dog. That’s why I give mine a frozen pig foot.”
The last thing you want is to end up at the emergency vet with your pup, trying to fish out a towel. However, one pet parent emphasized that it’s essential to remember that this hack is specifically for puppies. Older dogs will likely tear the thing to shreds, ending up with them at the vet.
Related: Instacart Extends Its Services to Your Best Furry Friend
This story was originally reported by Parade Pets on Nov 4, 2025, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add Parade Pets as a Preferred Source by clicking here.