I’m out at class or work for parts of the day. My puppy always seems to get into trouble if nothing keeps her busy while i’m gone. She can eat through bones in ten minutes and I got her a kong but I’m not sure what’s best to put in it.
What do you give your pup?
Ropey. Not sure its real name, but its a thick cotton (?) rope, maybe a foot long. One book we read said if you aren’t tripping over the puppy toys, you don’t have enough.
Try putting a bit of peanut butter in the Kong (even after it’s gone, she’ll keep licking)– the company that makes them also makes some sort of flavored paste to fill them with. I wouldn’t trust much but a Kong with a lonesome puppy. Even bones and rawhides may not be a good idea at this stage– depending on the kind, the former may splinter and the latter can be bad for little stomachs. If you can find one, a rope bone or ball made of hemp provides hours of fun (and hopefully she will spend most of her time pulling it apart rather than trying to eat it, though it is digestible).
Nothing with a squeaker. She will stop at nothing to get it out, and if you’re not around she may swallow it.
Actual bones? :eek:
How big a puppy is this? Or do you mean rawhide bones?
I think you may be talking about a Booda “bone”.
My dog loves her plush squeaky toys, and has ever since she was a puppy. Before she figured out how to bark, she would “fake bark” by running around squeaking her toys. She still does that.
You really shouldn’t give your dog bones while you’re not watching her. Even Nylabones that aren’t meant to be consumed. Says so on the package.
Kongs with peanut butter make for some fun for a long while. I agree too that a lot of puppies like to squeaky squeaky squeaky 
I’ve watched my little niece dog entertain herself for a half hour just squeaking her little burger. You do have to be careful though that you only leave the puppy alone with stuff she absolutely can’t rip in to and then ingest. I’d bet that if she had a small variety of super tough toys, she’d be set.
“They” also say that a tired dog is a well-behaved dog. It’d be a blessing for both of you if it would be possible to take the puppy on a walk before you go away. She would sleep right through you being gone and not be able to get into trouble.
I agree about both the Kong and the rope toy (which I’m throwing into the kitchen for her as we speak.) They’re the only toys she’s had so far that have survived her chewing (and she DOES love to chew.)
She had a small elephant, and a “long pig”, both stuffed toys with squeakers. The elephant lost a tusk, and almost its trunk, so we took it away. The pig, she chewed a hole into, and tore apart the squeaker, and tried to eat two hard plastic pieces that came out. never another squeaker toy, unless I can find something guaranteed indestructible.
Incidentally, both S^Gal and I work days, and Chloe has to stay home alone from 7:45 to 4:20. At the moment, we put her in an empty bedroom, with all her belongings, so she won’t chew up the furniture. I hate leaving her alone that long, but at least we keep her as safe as we can, this way…
S^G
I cast the third vote for the Kong. Load with peanut butter and freeze. By freezing it takes longer for them to lick out all the PB.
Take your old socks, the ones that you’re getting ready to throw out, and put them into each other, one after another after another after another. So you now have a padded sock about half an inch thick, or more, then using a sewing machine, sew some reinforcement into it: along all the edges, then in criss-cross patterns down the length of the sock (dividing the sock up into, say, four inch square sections.) as suggested by this highly accurate and artistic picture, here.
Then give the sock to the dog, and play some tug with the puppy, with the sock, and it’s going to be the puppy’s new best friend. And the best part - it will smell somewhat of you, so it’s even better than just a rope.
Give him one of the homeless, let’s see if he can chew through those bones.
First, I strongly recommend crate training. Leaving the puppy in an empty bedroom has an awful lot of opportunities for disaster. Dogs really love crates -it’s a safe place, like a den. Plus, it’s gives you a lot of options down the road (when traveling, visiting others, moving, if she needs extended rest after an injury, etc.).
Second, think about a Buster cube. You can put her kibble in it, and she has to work hard to get it out, piece by piece.
Third, nosework tires out a dog like nothing else. A little time in the morning making her sniff around for things and she’ll be much more likely to sleep the day away. (You can follow a “Teach your dog to track” program, or just hide things and tell her to “find it!” depending on your interests.)
Another puppy? 
Sorry, couldn’t resist.
Puppies who eat through bones are puppies who eat through Kongs. Kongs and puppy toys in general create very expensive vet bills when swallowed and/or the embarrassment of following your dog around watching him try and painfully squirt out little bits of green rubber. Which leads to three pieces of advice.
Crate train your dog and put no toys in the crate. The dog will sleep…they sleep a lot.
Look for toys for “aggressive chewers.” Kongs are good for agfressive chewers - they are pretty sturdy and Kong makes an even sturdier than standard model.
Supervise your dog with toys. Even the aggressive chewer Kongs.
We like ropes, the DNA strand, and the Ruff toys stuff.
A kitten always works.
And they’re so cheap to replace!
Have you been feeling a lack of hate mail in your life, BG? If so, I think you’ll be set for weeks, now. 
I haven’t looked to see how they’re packaged but Kongs are color coded.
The reds and blacks are the toughest. The multicolored are softer for puppies and older dogs and are more easily destroyed.
So make sure you get the proper color.
My Lab has a new kind of red Kong she has not left alone for about a week now, she’s an unofficial toy tester.
I agree with this. You’re taking a big chance leaving your puppy alone with toys. Once the dog is older, and you have a solid idea of what she’ll chew and swallow, and what she’ll just chew, then you can consider letting it have chew toys unsupervised. Some owners won’t do it even then.
A crate.
There’s no “toy” that’s going to keep a dog occupied for a long period. If there was, it would cost $10,000 and everyone would get one.
Most dogs are not unhappy in crates, not in the slightest.
Let’s up the ante on the peanut butter in the Kong trick. (First of all, make sure the Kong is size-appropriate) Put the peanut butter filled Kong into the freezer for a couple of hours. It will take puppy longer to get it all out.
I also second the opinion of crate-training the dog. If you do it correctly, ie. never using the crate as punishment, the puppy will be quite content to spend his day in the crate until you get home.
Another vote for PB Kongs and crates. Mrs. Plant ran a web cam from home one Summer, and all they do when we aren’t home is sleep.