My husband and I got our first dog, Oswald, five days after we moved in together. Armed with “experience” gained from growing up with family dogs (and a bit of delusion), we brought home a stubborn, blue-eyed French bulldog puppy who upended our lives more than we’d thought possible.
But the grueling potty-training gauntlet, four chewed-up TV remotes, and bleary-eyed 3 a.m. shuffles outside were eventually eclipsed by his habit of nuzzling into the crook of my neck and the intoxicating corn-chip scent of his paws.
So four years later, with puppy blues in the rearview mirror, we added another one to the pack: We adopted a sweet, fearless 2-year-old girl we named Mabel.
Luckily, the leap from one to two small dogs wasn’t a big one. Sure, we now need to snap two wriggly bodies into mini puffer coats for winter walks, and we have less room in our bed than ever. But, by and large, I’m living in cuddly bulldog bliss.
The biggest change is actually trying to keep two needy, rambunctious numskulls busy while I work from home. They whine and paw at me when I dare to take a call at the table. And when I bring my laptop to the couch, they play-fight on top of me — making it increasingly difficult to cosplay as a serious person during Google Meet calls.
I’ve tried plenty of distraction tactics to quell their boredom while I’m working. Bully sticks require close supervision to prevent choking, dental chews are finished in a flash, and Kongs withhold the last bits of peanut butter from both the dogs and the dishwasher (yuck).
Salvation came in the form of a gift from my mother-in-law: a refillable, dishwasher-safe, long-lasting enrichment toy called the Woof Pupsicle.
This tough rubber dog toy screws apart, so it’s easy to clean and fill with premade and DIY treats (think peanut butter or frozen yogurt). And it should last long enough to get you through a 30-minute work call or vacuuming session.
The Woof Pupsicle is basically a Kong that’s been perfected. Two firm rubber pieces screw together, so you can easily insert treats. And because it comes apart and isn’t one long cavity (like a Kong is), the Pupsicle is a cinch to clean by hand, or you can pop it in your dishwasher’s top rack. It does have some grooves and holes that even the most desperate dog tongues can’t clean, so I occasionally scrub it with a toothbrush and some dish soap to dislodge lingering crud. Then I let it air-dry in pieces before putting it back together to store it.
Some colleagues who own Pupsicles have reported that the smooth coating seems to wear off after consistent dishwashing, making it more difficult to open and close. A simple fix could be to rub a little cooking oil on the threads to get it to close easily. And hand-washing seems to prolong the life of the coating, according to editor Daniela Gorny, whose dog Mia loves the Pupsicle so much that she’s taken to bringing Daniela an empty one when she wants it filled.
I most often buy the brand’s premade balls because they fit perfectly into the Pupsicle, and they don’t require doggy “meal prep” ahead of time. Plus, I can get them ready to go in just a few seconds; this is especially helpful when the dogs are antsy right before I hop on a call. These premade balls come in flavors like chicken, beef, and peanut butter. And some have added ingredients (like tryptophan and magnesium for calming) or probiotic blends (for gut health), but we can’t speak directly to these health claims. You can also keep the premade balls in the freezer to prolong lick time even more.
Ozzie and Mabel each have a small Pupsicle (made for dogs who are 10 to 25 pounds), and when the vessels are filled with the premade treats, both pups are happily occupied for up to an hour. The Pupsicle also comes in large (for dogs weighing 25 to 75 pounds) and extra large (for dogs weighing 75-plus pounds). There’s even a Power Chewer version, for particularly chompy dogs.
Like a Kong, a Pupsicle can be stuffed with anything your dog really loves. I have frozen Greek yogurt, unsweetened peanut butter, and beef broth silicone molds made just for the Pupsicle. And in Reddit threads and on the Woof site, Pupsicle devotees list plenty of other ideas, including using blends of ground meat and rice, pumpkin purée, oatmeal, and mashed banana. Woof also sells treat mixes that you combine with water and freeze, and they cost slightly less per “pop” than the pre-made ones.
How long each Pupsicle lasts depends on your dog and the type of treat you use. The premade treats last Ozzie and Mabel longer than most DIY ones, but other colleagues who are Pupsicle fans have reported the opposite to be true with their own pups. So it might take a bit of trial and error to figure out which pops can buy you the most time. I like to keep a stock of DIY pops in the freezer (if I’m being organized) for everyday treats. And I keep a bag of premade balls for longer lick times or to create premium distraction while I’m running the vacuum around my apartment.
In a pinch, I also scoop some unsweetened peanut butter or yogurt right into the Pupsicle without freezing it first. This doesn’t keep the dogs occupied for longer than 10 minutes, but it’s certainly better than having to cradle Oswald while I’m interviewing a source about the finer points of disinfecting chemistry. This method can get a little messy, though, depending on the filling. So pets writer Mel Plaut recommends giving your dog a Pupsicle on a surface that’s easy to wash, in case some slobbery residue gets left behind.
The Pupsicle is also one of our gift recommendations for dog lovers. And it’s a favorite among other Wirecutter dogs of all sizes, including Mel’s dog Dave (who goes to town on the Power Chewer version) and editor Annemarie Conte’s dog Buddy (who gets one when company comes over so he won’t bug guests).
This thing has also successfully calmed software engineer Jasmine Kasheboon Khoury’s dog Piglet during summer fireworks displays. It has helped software engineer Beth Niegelsky’s dog Hobbes get used to having a new baby in the house. And for product designer Olivia Sheldon’s dog Miller, the Pupsicle lasts a full 35 to 45 minutes (compared with the five minutes it takes him to destroy regular toys).
Ozzie and Mabel enjoy carrying their Pupsicles around like fresh kills (even when they’re not filled). But Annemarie notes she has to take Buddy’s away when he’s finished, or he’s liable to chew it to bits. You should supervise your dog’s habits with any treat or enrichment toy, including the Pupsicle, to be sure they’re enjoying it safely.
My dogs make my life infinitely better. But when they won’t allow me to blow-dry my hair or make dinner without getting involved, that can be easy to forget. With the 25-plus minutes of peace a Pupsicle provides, I’m back to a less-overstimulated place. And I think we’re all grateful for that.
This article was edited by Annemarie Conte and Catherine Kast.
