Try and get as much power before you launch your throw. Do this by pressing left and right a bit like you do in Tug-of-War.

When the puppyblew starts running, the easiest way to earn plenty of np is by getting him to jump all of the logs in either a front of back flip. That is because you can leave your hand on the right up and left keypad and if you're like me you can press in a panic when you see the log and manage to get over in time :)

The better combo of jumps you get the better np you make: but personally I can't remember Right Left Right Left Up, not when there's a log zooming towards me anyway!