It was conceptualized by Nolan Bushnell, Steve Bristow, and a marketing firm to move their arcade video games into a non-arcade environment—in this case, to help occupy children in pediatricians' waiting rooms.

Originally designed to be a model of Snoopy's doghouse with Pong built into the side of it, when Charles Schulz declined Atari the use of Snoopy, the model was changed to a generic doghouse with a puppy looking over the top.

Puppy Pong saw a limited production run and was tested at Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre's first two locations.

The follow-up Puppy Pong cabinet was designed by Regan's manager, Chas Grossman.

[1] Both cabinets consisted of a doghouse housing a Pong board modified to not use a coin drop as a start trigger.