Getting Prepared For Your New Puppy

If you are expecting a new puppy, you have a lot of work to do. Getting prepared for your puppy now will allow you to make the transition to your home much easier on your new addition. It will also reduce your stress and allow you to enjoy the first few days with your new pup.

Here are some things you need to do in order to get prepared.

Buy Food & Treats

You will want to have your food and treats ready to go when your new puppy gets home. This is the most basic of supplies, so there really would be no excuse to not have these things on hand.

If you are buying from a breeder, contact them and ask what type of food they are currently feeding the puppy. Buying the same food will eliminate the chances of your puppy getting an upset stomach from a sudden diet change. You can always change the food to another brand in the future by slowly mixing it in.

Treats will be useful for training, which begins immediately. Make sure that they are size appropriate, not too big and not too small. And remember, they should be snack size, not meal sized.

Prepare Their Bedding

Before your pet arrives, you need to decide on and purchase your bedding.

Your first decision is whether or not to crate train your puppy. If you go this route, make sure that you choose a crate that will be appropriately sized for dog when they reach maturity. They should be able to stand up and turn around in their crate.

Your crate should also have a comfortable pad. If you choose not to crate train, just get a good dog bed.

Whichever way you decide to go, you will need to pick a location for their bed. Choose a quiet spot where your dog will feel safe and can get the rest that they will desperately need. Pick one spot and stick with it, don’t move it around.

Choose A Potty Spot

Potty training your puppy begins the moment that they get home.

At first, you will want to keep things as simple as possible. Choose one potty spot and do not change it. If you are training them to go in the yard or on a leash, pick one close location where you take them every time. This will help them develop a routine and learn that outside is where they are supposed to go.

If you plan to paper or potty pad train your puppy, you will also need to pick one  specific location. Never move it and buy enough potty pads so that you can keep using the same type and brand. The less factors that you change, the quicker they will learn.

Find A Good Vet

If you do not already have a good veterinarian, part of getting prepared for your new puppy will be to find one.

Ask for recommendations and try to find one that is familiar with your particular breed. If you will have a German Shepherd puppy, for example, it would be useful to find a vet that is more familiar with their possible health issues.

To find a veterinarian with experience with your breed, check the breed forums on the internet and ask for local recommendations. You can also read the “about us” pages on vet websites. Vets almost always talk about the pets that they own.

Being prepared with a good veterinarian will help you when it is time to take your puppy for their first shots or if you just have some questions.

Plan A Routine

Just like with human kids, puppies thrive on routine.

Of particular importance will be feeding and potty routines. You should feed your pet at a certain time every day and stick to it. Your puppy will have to potty usually just minutes after eating, so this will help with training.

And speaking of potty training, keep in mind that a new puppy will have to relieve themselves every 2 hours. If you will not be home all day, you need to make plans for someone to be there.

Set Expectations

Last but not least you need to set the expectations for those that will be in contact with your puppy. If you have small kids, this could be the most important thing that you do to prep for your puppies arrival.

Make sure that everyone knows what their responsibilities are and what they can and can not do. This means setting limits on playtime. Kids will naturally want to play relentlessly with a new puppy but they will need rest.

Also, make sure that people know their jobs. Who is responsible for feeding, walking and cleaning up after the puppy? Know this ahead of time.