Bringing A New Puppy Home

Congratulations! You’re ready to bring home a new puppy. You’ve done your research, taken care of dog fees (if you’re renting), and picked out your perfect pup. Now it’s time to prepare your house for bringing a new puppy home. There are still a few things to consider before your pup arrives so read ahead to make sure you have everything ready for your new furry friend.

Supplies
There are a few basic things you need to help your pup start off on the right foot. Your puppy will need a collar, harness, leash, bed, blanket, food and water bowls. Get some toys ready for your pup. Puppies love to chew so having chew toys will give them something to chew on instead of food or furniture. Poop bags and a carrier are great to make sure you’re always prepared for when your dog goes to the bathroom, but plastic grocery bags work great too.

Puppy pads are great to start off since you will have to potty train your pup. If there are any accidents, puppy pads make it a lot easier to clean it up. If you’re puppy is having a difficult time adopting to a potty schedule and seems to have accidents in the house, you may find that it often occurs in the same spot. If so, place a puppy pad in that spot so if an accident happens it is easy to clean up.

In addition, you will have to do the research on the proper food to give your pup. A great way to prevent your puppy from getting sick when switching to your preferred food of choice is to ask your breeder what type of food the puppy is currently being given. Either continue the pup on that food or slowly switch the dog over by mixing the old and new food. This transition will be a lot easier on the puppy’s stomach and prevent your pup from getting sick.

Consider Crate Training
Crate training is a great tool to introduce when you first bring your puppy home. Not only is it establishing a safe space for your puppy, it satisfies the den instinct of your dog and helps prevent undesirable or destructive behavior while the puppy is unsupervised. It’s also a great tool to help with potty training since dogs don’t eliminate where they sleep. It also makes traveling with your pup a lot easier since the crate would allow for easily getting used to new surroundings.

Puppy-Proof
After you have all your supplies ready, remember to puppy-proof your house. Just like toddlers like to get into places they shouldn’t be, puppies will also go exploring in the most unexpected places. They are very curious, so it’s a good idea to put up baby gates if a certain part of the house is off-limits. If you’re training the dogs to keep off couches, put a blanket down in case the puppy jumps up so that the couch doesn’t get scratched. Keep cables out of reach because puppies will chew up cables. Place plastic coverings on outlets. Make sure trash bins are covered. Keep bathrooms closed so they can’t get to toilet paper. Keep medicine or cleaning supplies stored away.

House Rules
Establishing house rules right from the get-go is an excellent way to set boundaries that your puppy will understand. If you don’t want your puppy to beg, stop the behavior from the beginning. Don’t let them near the table while you’re eating or keep them out of the kitchen entirely. Don’t let them on the couches, or don’t let them sleep in bed with you. Whatever house rules you’d like, make sure to stay consistent and teach your puppy from the start. The easiest way to stop any undesirable behavior is by tackling it from a young age.

Potty Training
Potty training can sometimes be a challenge, consistency is key for the process to work. Take your puppy out every 2 to 4 hours and have a dedicated pee spot in the yard to get your puppy accustomed to your expectations. Be patient and understand that accidents happen as it can take up to 6 months for a puppy to be fully potty trained. When bringing a new puppy home, be prepared and have a plan so that your puppy can succeed. If your puppy goes to the bathroom outside, praise them so they know their doing well.

Exercise
Be prepared to regularly exercise your pup! Having a schedule and including exercise right before or after meal time is a great way to also help establish a bathroom schedule and prevent accidents. Even though your pup sleeps most of the time, they do need some quality exercise time. Plan ahead of time how this is going to happen. If you have a fenced in yard, encourage your dog to play fetch or even just walk around with your pup, encouraging them to follow you and explore. If you live in an apartment, take your pup on a walk around the neighborhood. It is not recommended for puppies to have prolonged exercise sessions, so take them out for short spurts.

Bringing a new puppy home is such an exciting step and being prepared is the best way to ensure success. If you’re still searching for your perfect pup, Barkd is here to help match you with your perfect furry companion.