Being a first-time pet owner can be overwhelming and scary, but we’ve got some tips to help! This should be a fun and exciting time in your life, not a time to stress.
You may also want to purchase or locate a few “essentials.” The first item on your shopping list – a crate or carrier of some sort dependent on the size of your dog. This will be necessary both to bring your puppy home but may also come in handy during training. If you choose to crate train your dog, you should purchase bedding to make your pet feel comfortable and at home in his crate. A baby gate will be key to keeping your puppy out of the areas of the home he should and shouldn’t be. Lastly, you should be prepped with a proper leash and collar (with ID badge) the moment you pick up your new pet. It is important to familiarize your pet with these things at a young age.
As your puppy begins to start teething, biting and chewing on furniture is likely to become a problem. Purchasing “bitter spray” to spray on furniture, stairs, etc. will teach your puppy to only chew on his toys. Which brings us to our next item to buy – chew toys. Puppies are full of energy so it is important to give them stuff to do.
A new puppy owner can never have enough paper towels and puppy pads. Accidents will happen as you begin potty training your pet. New pet owners must be patient and also willing to clean up after your pup a few times a day.
You should look around the house and find the optimal place for your puppy to spend most of its time at. This should be a non-carpeted place due to accidents and should not include furniture you don’t want damages. Make sure to be consistent with these spots and not move it around. This may cause disorientation and confusion to a puppy who just arrived in a new environment.
The first couple of days are crucial to your puppy. Stability is key to their adaptation to their new home. Check your dog’s history to see if they were anywhere prior to you adopting them, and if they were, what kind of things they were exposed to or accustomed to.
Just like children, puppies learn best on a routine. Set up a schedule with certain times to eat, go for a walk, play, and simply rest. If they do something wrong, say “no” clearly right away so he can learn what is wrong, if they do something good, reward and praise them so they know. Keeping a concise vocabulary to have clear communication with your puppy, it will help them learn faster.
You should schedule an appointment with a veterinarian within the first few weeks of bringing home your puppy. Health wise, make sure to meet the vet and vaccinate your puppy, that way they’ll already know your dog in case an emergency comes up.
Lastly, the most important thing to keep in mind is to love your puppy. Puppies grow up too fast, so enjoy this fun time with your family and your pet. Dogs need leadership in their lives, so make sure to be stern and train them correctly so they will follow your lead. Having a puppy can be demanding, especially since they are young, so they need a lot of affection and care. Have fun with your first puppy and good luck!
By ketty|Tue, Aug 2, 2016
