Getting your puppy ready for their new home
Your puppy will be joining you and your family soon…how exciting!!! However, the first couple of
days in their new home can be stressful for your new puppy. Remember this is
the first time they have been away from their mother, littermates and their
first human family. This is also a new time for you so we have come up with a
list of do’s and don’ts to hopefully make this transition as smooth as
possible.
1. Puppy Proof Your Home:
This is VERY important. There are many things that your new puppy can get
into that are harmful for them. You will want to puppy proof your home just as
you would for a baby. For example, there does not need to be any cords that
your puppy can get to…they will chew on them! There are chew repellent sprays
that you can use to spray furniture legs to keep your teething puppy from
chewing them. The best option is to have a safe environment that you puppy can
play in without you having to be right there….there are many different size
playpen options that will work.
2. Bringing your puppy to meet their new family:
Remember this is all new to your puppy…make this a calm time. Let them
explore and get use to everything. All puppies are different…some may run
around exploring and some may just freeze because they are overwhelmed. Either
way it is perfectly normal and doesn’t define “what your puppy will always be
like”.
If you have another pet put them away right now. Once your puppy is
comfortable in the new area you can introduce other pets. Also, if you have
small children try to let you puppy get use to everything before bringing them
around the puppy….kids excitement can scare your puppy at first. The calmer
this initial introduction is the easier it will be for your pup. Also, remember
your puppy will need to sleep after a long day with a lot of change so allow
them to do so.
3. Setting a routine for your new puppy:
Puppies are like children…they need a routine. We will send you a copy of
the routine they are on when they are with us. You are more than welcome to
change it up (gradually) to better fit your lifestyle. Just remember at 8 weeks
they are still babies and need to go potty frequently. They will need scheduled
eating, play, potty and rest times. You will be able to lengthen the time
between potty breaks as they get older. When you take your puppy out to the
bathroom make sure you take them to a spot you always want them to use. While
it may be easier to let them use the bathroom right by the back door in the
middle of the night just remember you do not want your full grown dog always
going potty right by the back door! Also, potty time is always serious
business….this is not a time to play. Just repeat the command you use (ex. “go
potty”) until they do….once they do give them light praise and then back inside
or to their play area.
Oh the joys of the first night! Your puppy WILL cry. You WILL believe
this may never end. I promise you it will and they will survive. Remember this
is their first night away from the world as they know it. We will send home a
blanket with their littermates and mom’s scent…use it! This will bring some
comfort to them. We have also found it helps to have a stuffed animal in there
for them to cuddle up to (this is how they sleep with their littermates). Even
though your puppy is crying do not let them out of the crate or pay them any
attention. You do not want your puppy to associate that the more noise they
make the more likely they are to get out of the cage! Stick to your routine and
only let them out when it’s time for them to go potty. I promise as the days go
by if you stick to your routine the puppy crying will end.
We feed our puppies Blue Buffalo Large Breed Puppy food (the bag is
orange pictured below). They will be eating 1/2 cup food 3 times a day. The number one question I get is how much should I feed my
puppy? Each puppy is different and it depends on the amount of exercise they
are getting. I recommend following the guidelines on the food label and
adjusting as need be. Your puppy is going to grow quickly and will need a lot
of calories. However, you do not want an overweight dog! You should be able to
see a defined waist on your dog but you should not be able to see their ribs.
Use this as a guideline throughout your pups life as to when to increase or
decrease the amount of food your dog is getting. We recommend feeding your
puppy 3 times a day until they are about 7-8 months old…then switch to twice a
day.
I cannot stress enough how important it is to start training your puppy
as soon as you get them. There is a book called “The Perfect Puppy” by Gwen
Bailey (It can be found on Amazon). I recommend reading this before your puppy
joins you. It gives a lot of great advice on raising a well behaved dog! We use
clicker training as well as a pinch collar for our puppies. There are many
different training methods but if you are interested in this way then I will be
more than happy to help you with it.
Just remember do not let your puppy get away with a behavior if it is
something you would not want a full grown dog to do. For example it may be cute
that your puppy jumps up on your leg for you to pet them but they will quickly
be 70 + pounds and it will not be nearly as cute! Same goes for allowing them
to play bite…this is a big no no and should be corrected immediately.
Here are a list of supplies we recommend having for your new puppy
a.
Leash and Collar. Your puppy will need a collar that can be adjusted
easily. The collar should fit snuggly so it won’t slip off but not too tight;
you should be able to fit two fingers between the collar and the pup’s neck.
Make sure to check this frequently because your puppy will be growing quickly.
Most of our puppies are wearing 8-11 inch collars before they leave at 8 weeks
and they are usually as loose as they can go. A leash is needed for walks,
potty break and training. I would recommend a short leash in the beginning so
you are in control during the training process….you do not want a dog that is
going to pull you around the neighborhood- you want one that will walk by your
side.
b.
Crate and playpen. We are big on crate training and playpens not only
because it keeps your puppy safe when you are unable to watch them but it also
helps with the potty training process. For those of you whose puppy is flying
you can use the crate they arrive in for a while. It is the perfect size for
when they are little. For everyone else I would recommend purchasing a 42”
crate. These crates will be too big for your puppy at first so make sure you
use a divider to section the place off where your new puppy will sleep. You do
not want them to have the whole crate because dogs do not like to go potty
where they sleep….if they have the option to go to the other end of the crate
to potty then come back to sleep that makes the potty training process a lot
harder. Make sure your puppy is able to stand up, lie down, turn around and
stretch inside the crate.
c.
Food and Water bowls. There are many different types of doggy dishes to choose
from. I would recommend using a stainless steel bowl because they are easy to
clean and sanitize (unlike plastic bowls which can easily get scratched and
hold bacteria and residue in these areas). They also cannot be chewed up by a new
teething puppy.
d.
Grooming. We use baby shampoo on all of our puppies and adult dogs. You
will also need a brush, nail clippers (make sure to only cut the hook of the
nail off. If you are uncertain have your vet show you the proper way) and tooth
brush. Start a regular grooming routine as soon as your puppy joins you- this
will make the process a lot easier when they are adults.
e.
Toys. Puppies love toys. We recommend strong durable, well-made toys
(like kong toys) that are sized appropriately for your dog. Cheaper is not
always better- you do not want a toy that your dog can easily take apart and
swallow small pieces. Rope toys are also good as they help floss teeth while
the puppy plays. Also make sure to get fetching toys such as tennis balls.
f.
Cleaning Supplies. Your puppy is going to have accidents inside. You will need
to use an odor neutralizing cleaning supply that removes all traces of urine
and pet stains to keep your puppy from repeatedly using the same spot.
