In our last blog post, we discussed the ways to make your home physically ready for a new puppy. By having the right supplies on hand and puppy proofing your house, you will be ready to go on day one! However, perhaps equally important is your mental preparation and to plan for your your puppy. Here are some things to plan out before your puppy gets home.
Have a Medical Care Plan
Having a quality veterinarian is essential in your puppy growing up healthy and happy. A veterinarian not only can provide treatment if your puppy gets sick, but they can provide preventative treatment options and advise on common puppy issues. All puppies should be seen by your veterinarian within a few days of going home. If you know that your puppy will be coming home soon, make an appointment with your vet in advance rather than trying to squeeze the puppy in when they are already home.
Finding a veterinarian that you trust is extremely important. If you do not already have a trusted family vet, we have a list of recommended veterinarians. As a benefit of bringing home a puppy from Puppies ‘N Love or Animal Kingdom, these partner veterinarians provide one free initial wellness visit for any puppy from one of our stores.
Start saving for the future
Though it may be hard to imagine right now, the roly-poly puppy that you have just brought home will someday be an adult and eventually an elderly dog. Just like with humans, any number of medical issues may crop up throughout a dog’s life. Set aside some money for future medical expenses and add to it from time to time. This cushion will make sure that your dog gets the care that they need throughout their life, and may help you avoid a heartbreaking decision years down the line.
Decide Your Schedule
Your life is going to change now that you have a puppy. This change will be especially drastic if you do not already have a dog. Suddenly, you have to consider meal times, walk times, bathroom breaks, training sessions, vet visits, enrichment and socialization, and just generally fit in some quality time to spend with your pet.
After more than thirty years finding homes for puppies, we can tell you from experience – it is a LOT easier to make a schedule before the puppy comes home than when you are waking up during the night to let your new best friend go potty! Take a look at your day-to-day schedule and consider how your new puppy will fit in with your life. Puppies thrive on consistency and routine. Starting your puppy on their new routine as soon as they come home will help to ease the transition to their new environment.
Make a Training Plan
As we discussed in our blog post on how to choose a puppy, different people have different expectations on what they want to do with their dog. Are you happy with a dog that simply knows not to go to the bathroom in the house, or are you looking to earn a Canine Good Citizen Certification? Do you dream of trying agility courses with your dog? Perhaps you are looking for a companion that can run next to you as you ride your bike? Having a training plan in place is how you make this dream a reality.
At Puppies ‘N Love and Animal Kingdom, we strongly advocate for working on training with your puppy and to start as soon as you can. Even if you are only planning on teaching your dog basic commands, you will still need to settle on a degree of consistency. For instance, does “sit” come with a hand gesture or is it a verbal command only? Will you be using the command “lie down” or simply “down”? Deciding on these details will save your puppy some confusion.
If you’re looking to do anything more advanced, you should begin looking for a trainer to assist you. Different trainers have different specialties and may subscribe to different schools of thought about how to train your dog. Do careful research on your trainer to make sure that their training methods and what they can teach fits in with the life you want. And remember – the best trainer in the world cannot help you if you do not practice with your dog. Be sure to build that into your schedule!
Decide the Household Rules
Are dogs allowed on the furniture? Is begging at the table acceptable? Where will the puppy sleep at night? Your puppy has no idea how they are “supposed” to behave when they first come home. In fact, different members of your household may have drastically different opinions on these rules! Have a candid discussion with all members of your household before the puppy comes home. This includes what is and is not allowed for the puppy and also who is in charge of what parts of their care. In the case of small children, this may also involve some rules for humans. Some examples include not bothering the dog while they are eating and to always treat a dog with gentle hands. See our blog on preparing for a puppy with kids for more information.
All of this can seem overwhelming at first, but by making these choices conscientiously, you set both you and your puppy up for success. Clear communication, expectations, and preparation are the foundations to a happy life with your new pup.
