Bringing a new puppy home can be an extremely exciting and nerve-wracking experience all at the same time. Suddenly, you are responsible for another living being. Such a realization can be terrifying at first. How can you do it? What are your next steps? How to keep this new family member well and safe? It’s okay to be stressed as all of these questions are fully valid. To avoid such anxiety, you should start preparing in advance. Buy the essentials that all dogs need. Learn some tips on basic dog training for beginners. Overall, educate yourself about all those things in advance. Here are seven tips on puppy care that any new dog owner has to know.
1. Buy everything you need
Make sure that you have everything you need before bringing your new pup home. The list of essentials includes a dog bed, bowls, puppy pads, and food. You may also include some puppy toys on the list. Thus, your new dog will have things to play with and won’t mistake your shoes or other items for its toys instead. You can also consider getting a crate and a dog fence if you want to limit your puppy’s access to certain areas of the house. Additionally, you can get a leash and collar. Though, don’t forget that your puppy shouldn’t be outside until it’s fully vaccinated.
2. Learn about appropriate food
Following a healthy diet is crucial for your puppy’s health. It’s especially true in the early stage of their lives. So, do your research ahead of time. To be honest, breaking down dietary restrictions by every dog breed can be the theme of some good biology topics just due to the richness of such a subject. Most breeds have a history of illnesses, weak spots, health complications, and certain needs. Overall, you should learn as much about the breed you are getting as possible to avoid any surprises.
3. Find a vet
Sooner or later, you will need to visit a veterinary clinic. At the very least, you will need to complete a full course of vaccination before your pup can walk on a street without any health risks. However, knowing vets in your area is important for any cases of emergency too. New dog owners can get anxious over every little thing. So, it’s good if you can call the vet you know and ask them about your concerns.
4. Choose a potty place
First, you will need to have your puppy potty trained. Thus, you need to have puppy pads and a place to put them. Don’t change their location once your dog starts using them. Stability here plays a crucial role. Also, it’s even better if you have a fenced yard. Thus, they can get used to doing their business on a certain corner of the yard. Beware, though, that some puppies are great diggers. In fact, they can find so much stuff underground that you will have enough geology research topics for a few dissertations. If not, then you can always order it from a service like Superbgrade.
5. Introduce them to their new home
Seeing a new house for the first time can be so overwhelming for such a young and delicate creature! There are lots of new smells and things to see and chew on. A puppy can easily get stressed and scared of all these changes. So, it’s best to start slow. Be there for them when introducing a new house. Start with each room separately. Show them around. Give them enough time to sniff what they want and look at things. Then, move to the next room. If there is anything special, you want them to notice, put them there and show it. Make sure they understand where their water bowl is, what their toys are, and where they can rest.
Also, if you have several people living in your house, don’t introduce them all at once. Instead, use the same approach as with the rooms. Introduce people one by one.
6. Provide them with a sleeping place
Your puppy should have their own sleeping place. Even if you are okay to have them sleep on your bed, a puppy should still have an alternative to your bed. Hence, get them a dog bed and set a special place for them to sleep. Also, if you don’t want your dog to sleep on your bed, don’t let them. A puppy can feel scared during its first nights in a new house. They will make noises or try jumping on your bed. Don’t budge. Better take them back to their bed and stay with them until they are calm or asleep.
7. Stand some ground rules
You should not be afraid to enforce some basic rules from the very beginning. Once you have introduced them to a new home, start showing places where they can and can’t go. Stop any behavior that you don’t want them to repeat. For example, say no to jumping on a couch. Stop them from playing with the food or their bowls.
Stating the ground rules from the beginning will help your puppy understand what is expected from them. Also, don’t forget to reward any good behavior with treats and praise. Positive reassurance works even better than a constant strict tone.
