Bringing Home Your New Puppy
Bringing home your new puppy is exciting! Your new best friend will now be spending its days playing with you and nights resting peacefully without a care in the world. Your puppy is now in your home, but did you forget to bring home anything else? Here I will provide a personal guideline of what I think is necessary to have when bringing home a new puppy.
A Crate!
Every puppy should be crate trained for many reasons! Crates should be introduced to your pup as a positive environment where they can feel safe and comforted if they ever need an escape. Some great examples of when dogs use the crate for comfort are; Fireworks, company over, resting time, own space, anxiety, etc. By having your dog comfortable using the crate you decrease anxiety and stress for when the crate will be needed such as at the vet (huge one), groomers, or any company pet sitting.
Toys!
Toys make a great way to bond with your pup since puppies learn by playing and mental stimulation. Make sure you choose a few different toys for different kinds of playtime and keep in mind that puppies go through a teething phase. Toys also make great rewards for training if your pup values a certain toy, use it to your advantage to train the perfect pup!
Gear!
Although you should microchip your dog, collars with some sort of ID are very important because it helps the finder for fast and easy identification. Make sure you buy your pup an expandable collar since puppies grow super fast! Don’t forget to get a leash either! Start your puppy off right by getting them used to leashes and how to properly walk, it will really make life easier as they get older.
Pads!
Be ready for accidents! Pee pads are a great way to prevent having a pee on your floor and help guide your pup on where they should go to do their business. Set up your pup for success for try to only have your puppy go on the pee pad if needed. Take your puppy frequently out to potty, make a feeding schedule and use the crate training to manage when your pup will potty. This will potty train your pup faster than just letting them go on the pads with no other direction.
Food!
If you got your puppy from a breeder, your breeder might supply you with some healthy food for your pup. If you need to go buy your puppy food, make sure you do your research on brands and their ingredients. Many brands you see at a pet store are made with ingredients such as food coloring, corn syrup, salt, etc.
Treats!
Treats are also a great way to bond with your pup. They are not only yummy, but provide positive association to new experiences and training to help your pup live a safe life.
