You’ve been dreaming of having your own bundle of fluff for months, possibly years, or maybe you ended up with a puppy and it was unplanned. This blog is dedicated to all you new puppy owners to help you start off on the right foot.
For items you need for new puppy, please see my post from Dec 7, 2018 for all the supplies recommended by a dog trainer: Items you need for new puppy.
Puppies have a natural tendency to chew. Chewing helps relieve teething pain, reduces boredom, and helps keep their teeth clean. So it’s important to check the room or area where you plan on keeping your pup most of the time. Check for:
- Kids’ toys
- Shoes
- Laundry (dirty socks are a doggy delicacy)
- Books
- Video game controllers
- Cleaning supplies
- Antique furniture
- Electrical cords
It’s BEST to not allow access to the whole house at once in the beginning. Confine puppy to a room, use baby gates, or I personally like to use a x-pen best.
get everyone on the same page
Make sure every knows these things:
- Where will the dog sleep at night?
- Will she be allowed on the couch/beds?
- Are there any rooms that are permanently off-limits to the dog?
- Who will feed/walk/train/take the pup on her 3am potty break?
Decide on words for cues. If one person says “down” when they mean to get off the furniture and someone else says “off,” your pup is going to start her life with you very confused.
Create a schedule
Decide on times for:
Potty breaks – schedule as many as possible. When someone is home during the day, take the pup out every hour.
Meals – Puppies under five-months-old should eat three meals per day. Water should be available at all times.
Bedtime and wake-up time – To give Bella time to relieve herself, remove her access to water one hour before bed.
Supplies you’ll need: