How To Prepare For A New Puppy
Yay! The day has finally arrived and you're ready to bring your new puppy home. This is an exciting time! And… there is definitely going to be some adjustments to be done. Here are a few tips for helping your new fur-baby settle in more quickly.
Stock Up on Supplies
Unless you’re living next to a pet store, start by making sure you have all the essential items to avoid making mad rushes to the store!
Here’s what you’ll need to get started:
Getting Started – First thing first, your new puppy will need a name! Followed by a leash and collar with an ID to get them used to it while they’re young.
Feeding – A stainless steel bowl for food and water. Don’t forget the treats!
Housing Needs – A dog crate/carrier that will accommodate your puppy's adult size and a comfy bed for them to sleep in.
Grooming Needs – Brushes and combs suited to your puppy's coat; you can ask your breeder to recommend you an appropriate one for your puppy.
Playtime – High-quality, safe chew toys to ease teething
Puppy Proof Your Home
Bringing home a puppy requires some prep work of removing potentially harmful things and situations, for both your peace of mind and your puppy’s safety. Same as babies and toddlers, they’ll want to explore and get into all sorts of things. Start by covering up or storing away harmful object such as electrical cables and devices that are laying around. These can cause electrical burns in your puppy’s mouth and if they ingest pieces, it’ll create a blockage in their intestines.
Also, make sure anything that could hurt your dog–medicines, chemicals, certain plants–is out of their reach!
Give Your Puppy A Designated Area
You can do this by first setting up a play pen. Choose a room that’s the centre of activity in your house, so your puppy won’t feel isolated and you can keep an eye on them! This will be their primary place where they will sleep and play safely. You can also set up puppy training pee pads to catch an accident and remember to include a bed and some toys!
A space like this begins to create boundaries, which is crucial for your puppy's safety. As they get older, you can then slowly introduce them to the rest of the house.
Create a Routine
Planning a routine helps with house training and is reassuring to your dog. Figure out a schedule for walks, meals, bathroom breaks, naptime, exercise– and try to stick to it.
Never too early to start training
The earlier you get started on your puppy’s training, the faster and easier it will be to teach them good manners, and the better the lessons will stick. Establish some rules with your family members and make sure everyone is on the same page. New puppies won’t lose time developing cheeky habits if left unchecked.
Let them beg at the table once and you can expect to be pestered every meal time!
Also, you can take time to create a vocabulary list everyone will use to avoid confusing your puppy and will help those who are involved in training it!
Play time
Puppies need plenty of exercise so start this good habit early. Playing with your puppy is often enough exercise to keep him healthy while creating a bond between the both of you. Games like fetch, tug-of-war and hide-and-seek are all games that can be played within the home to help release pent up energy he might have gotten from being home alone all day. Make sure to take 15-30 minutes every day to play with him in addition to walking him.
