Even though puppies are a lot of work, they’re really worth it! When you get a puppy, you can train it exactly how you want it to act because you’ll be teaching them everything from house rules to commands and tricks.
Just remember: adult dogs need love too! If you don’t think you’re quite ready to start with a puppy, you can always adopt an adult dog! Most of them are well-trained and just need a forever home.
So, hear this out:
Not only puppies are incredibly cute, you can raise them to be amazing and respectful dogs!
Sounds awesome, right? Just remember puppies need to stay with their moms and siblings until they’re eight weeks old - this time allows them to learn social skills and how not to play too rough or bite their siblings and it also allows them to get used to different people. When you’re adopting, be sure they’re only coming to your home after the first eight weeks!
“Happiness is a warm puppy.” - Charles M. Schulz
Get the Puppy to a Vet
Before getting started on any kind of preparation, you should take the puppy to a vet first. That way you’ll see if he’s healthy, get him the proper vaccinations, and also get his nutritional information so you know what type of dog food is best for your new furry friend!
Preparing Your Home
First of all, you should create an area just for the puppy! Make it safe by properly cleaning the area and removing any objects that might get chewed, bumped into, or broken - or really just any object you don’t want to take the risk of getting ruined because puppies will chew pretty much anything.
In addition to that:
Remember to remove any electrical cables and hazardous substances (such as cleaning products, medications, litter boxes, and garbage) that your puppy could chew on. And remember to puppy-proof your entire house for your pet’s arrival!
What to Purchase
Get a Crate
A crate should be your puppy’s safe space, where he or she feels comfortable (and never a place for time-outs or punishment for bad behavior!). The trick for the perfect crate is getting one that’s big enough so the puppy can lie down with its legs extended, but not too big they think they can relieve themselves on one side and sleep on the other!
Comfortable Bedding
An interesting purchase would be bedding you can machine wash and get at least two sets. That way you can wash one while your dog sleeps on the other.
Potty Training Equipment
Even if you’re taking your pet outside when they need to relieve, it’s good to be prepared for emergencies! You could always use newspaper, but it isn’t as absorbent as a puppy pad - they’re like an absorbent flat cloth you can throw away after they’re soiled.
Keep in mind:
Dogs don’t think like we do, so don’t punish them for accidents! Instead, make sure to be around the most you can and always reward them when they do it right!
High Quality Food
This is why it’s important to go to the vet beforehand! You can ask for information on what the best recommendation for your dog’s breed is, which dog food has the nutrients your puppy needs, how often to feed your puppy, and also how much food to give them each time! That’s the only way you’ll know which is the highest quality food for your new acquired pet!
Tip: Don’t ever change your dog’s food overnight! If you do need to change brands, do it gradually - first mixing a little bit of the new food in with the current brand you’re using, then half and half until they’re used to the new food.
Bowls
You’ll need at least two bowls: one for food, one for water. Get bowls that are easy to clean and hard to chew (because your puppy will try to chew it as well!), stainless steel and ceramic are good materials for this purpose!
Puppy Toys
Talking about chewing, get your puppy toys they can easily chew and get distracted (not to chew the rest of the house!). Be sure to purchase toys they can use without your constant supervision.
Dog Collar and Leash
These come in all sorts of sizes, so find the one that fits your puppy the best! You’ll want to walk your dog on a regular basis, especially because they have so much energy in their little bodies!
Puppy Brush
There are two types of brush to consider:
- Soft brush to make your pet’s fur shine!
- Wire brush to eliminate knots on their fur!
Toothbrush and Toothpaste
These are important habits to get your dog used to since the beginning! The longer you wait to start, the harder it’ll be to get your dog comfortable with type of thing. Brushing their teeth a couple of minutes each day will prevent them from getting dental diseases later!
Training Basics
Train on Arrival
After the car ride home, your puppy will probably need to relieve himself, so it’s the perfect opportunity to start potty training him! Keep in mind that you shouldn’t punish your puppy during the first couple of days since that’d only confuse and stress him out, instead, reward the good behaviors and ignore the bad ones!
Introduce the House in Small Parts
You can’t let your puppy feel overwhelmed at arrival, that will scare them and make them feel unsafe! Start by letting him get to know one or two rooms on the first days and slowly he’ll get to know the entire house.
In addition:
Don’t let your kids overwhelm the puppy! Kids are also still learning, so be careful and do your research or how to handle kids and dogs under the same roof!
Introducing Other Pets
You’ll need to learn how to introduce puppy to other pets if you have them around (whether other dogs, cats, or even snakes)! It’ll require patience, but once the animals get along, you can relax and enjoy!
Here’s a tip for you:
Each pet needs to be introduced in a different way, and you should consider asking for help from another person since you don’t want your pets seeing you pick favorites when they don’t know each other yet!
Set the House Rules
Make sure to talk to your family so you all have your training vocabulary and rules defined!
- Discuss whether the dog will be allowed on the couch, on beds, etc.
- Create a training vocabulary such as “down” when you want the puppy to get down from the couch. When everyone uses the same commands, the puppy will learn quickly and respond more consistently.
We hope you like these tips and wish you the best of luck for your new puppy!
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Which kind of puppy are you planning to adopt? Let us know if you have any questions in the comments below and find more content about Pets on our page!
