15 Pawdorable Ways Pupper Pawrents Unexpectedly Improved their Dog’s Lives

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Laurent Shinar • Writer and Editor
Aug 18, 2026 12:15 PM EDT

Us pupper pawrents are constantly trying to think of new and creative ways to make our doggos' lives better. But with the flood of influencer reels and adverts out there it is so hard to know what will actually work. So we collected some proven things that pawrents have done to unexpectedly improve their doggos' lives.

Dogs are the light of our lives. They are there when we wake with a wag of their tale. They are there as we fall asleep, gently laying upon us and falling asleep with us. And for all the good they bring to our lives, we pupper pawrents do everything we can to make sure their lives are just as magical. Whether it be buying toys, changing treats or even signing them up to dog yoga classes, there is nearly no limit to what we are willing to do fur our pups.

But in the sea of possible possibilities it is almost impossible to choose and know what will be a worthwhile investment. And seeing as we cannot hear what works straight from the dog's mouth, we will have to settle for their pawrents who have shared some sweet stories about the unlikely ways in which they managed to become closer to their doggo and enrich their lives. So grab a notepad and a pen and get ready to jot down some of the things you would like to try for your dog. We will give you one spoiler though, and that is to put down your phone once in a while. Your doggo will thank you. 
 

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  • 01
    "Putting my phone down and being present in the moment with him." LONUX
    via Aromatic_Vast3618

    Black and brown puppy lying in grass in front of tug toy

    Dog depicted by model

  • 02
    EDSgenealogy Top 1% Commenter Just taking 5-10 minutes a couple of times a day to go out and sit on the deck with her seems to be making her day. It's "our time" and she really seems to look forard to it.
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  • 03
    ЯА
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  • 04
    cattmin Top 1% Commenter putting my c n phone down and being present in the moment with him. Less screen time, resisting the urge to doom scroll, the rest naturally happened after that
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    Cheezburger Image 10655346944
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    No_Elderberry_939 Top 1% Commenter For walks, way more emphasis on letting them sniff rather than thinking we need to cover a certain distance
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    Cheezburger Image 10655346432
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    Ph33r-Enigma Top 1% Commenter Letting him shred boxes when I'm doing dishes instead of him sitting behind me at the sink, trying to get me to throw a ball. Granted now I'm no longer allowed to throw even the smallest box away, without hearing about it.
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    Cheezburger Image 10655346176
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    theindecisivewitch Telling my dog how much I love her when giving her the most gentle pets and kisses. Now, she knows what the phrase "do you need love" means, and she can ask for extra affection when she needs it. The happiest accidental training I've done.
    via Aromatic_Vast3618

  • Wow, these have been so heartwarming already. But there is a common theme we feel that connects them and that is living in a simpler and more conscious way. We’d like to believe that it begins with laying down our phones and letting our minds rest in a quieter state. From there we can move with intention, think about others more and generally be more in touch with ourselves and the world around us. And in doing so we open ourselves up to opportunities like the ones these pawrents came upon. 
     

  • 11
    Cheezburger Image 10655346688
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  • 12
    Mellemel67 Playing 'hide the treats' a few times a week instead of just giving them kongs. I hide treats in different. rooms and then shout 'find it' and they both go nuts with their sniffers trying to get the treats. They love it.
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    Cheezburger Image 10655345920
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    Easy_Olive1942 Dog adventure! It's important for us to get long walks every day we can and I try to get out on a decent adventure with them at least once a week, typically a light. weight hike or trip to visit favorite friends.
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    sleepyped
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    Natural-Reference478 Letting my dog to build our walking routes! Turns out she never repeats the same route the next day, seeing the stuff she likes definitely enriches her life
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  • This is such an interesting suggestion. Dogs do not get to choose a whole lot about their lives, and while they might not be as evolved as us, having their own autonomy over their life is still important to them. So by giving them the choice to walk wherever they want you are letting them explore their own wants while meeting their needs. It could be equated to taking your pup to the toy shop every day and letting them choose their own toy. Except it won’t cost you a dime and those outdoor experiences will be worth so much more to your doggo than a toy ever could. 
     

  • 17
    N TRAINING
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    BasqueOne My dog liked to pretend to bite, not actually touching the skin, just moving his jaws and biting air and huffing too. So I started doing that with him. He was so joyful that I learned to play the way he liked best! I miss him so much!
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    KONG
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    ambitious999 I have a very old dog who has trouble walking, so I got her a pram made for dogs and she loves it
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    9
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    Acceptable Bad5173 I started doing more natural treats for my pups, especially in the morning as I got ready for my day before the rest of the house wakes up: frozen blueberries, roasted sweet potatoes, bananas in moderation and strawberries.
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    TopShoulder3479 1st of the month is Daddy/Doggy Day! We go for a special long walk for a ham,egg and cheese sandwich. He now knows the route, complete with shortcuts, and could probably lead me there blindfolded!
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  • 24
    amla819 I now stay in bed for maybe 5-10 mins just cuddling him as he wakes up in the mornings. I didn't realize how much he loves it. I used to jump up and make a coffee and feed him thinking he was excited for the day, turns out he's excited about seeing me
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    Cheezburger Image 10655348224
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    lynnsyoung Touching your head to theirs. Nose to nose, cheek to cheek, forehead to forehead. Doesn't matter what form as long as you pause a second when doing it.
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  • 27
    ItsBeanBoy Sitting on the ground with them. I don't remember where I heard it, but dogs. see the couch or the bed as 'human places' that they just get to be in sometimes. When I sit on the floor with them they absolutely light up so excited that I'm actually on their level/in their space.
    via Aromatic_Vast3618

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improvement dogs pupper dog photos lives unexpected pawrents reddit thread pawdorable
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