New puppies are exciting, but there’s lots you need to do to prepare! Get ready for the excitement (and hard work) of puppy ownership with our guide.
Preparing for your new puppy is such an exciting time. Pretty soon you’re going to have a small ball of fur (and joy) running around the house and you’re thinking already about all the fun times ahead. But are you also prepared for the hard work and the time-consuming, sleep-depriving part of welcoming a puppy into the family? Very few puppy owners realise just how much their life is about to change. This might all sound a bit scary – but don’t panic! There are also plenty of amazing moments only a dog owner can experience.
Here are some of the things no one tells you before preparing for a new puppy, plus a few things to look forward to.
Sometimes it is easy to forget that your puppy is still in the process of growing up. Just like a human baby, puppies can get into all kinds of trouble when your back is turned. And when it comes to chewing and eating things, puppies tend to go well beyond the normal dog food menu. Unless you completely puppy proof your home, expect cables, book covers, plus your favourite furniture to take the brunt of your puppy’s bad behaviour. Make things easy for your puppy by picking items up off the floor, by not leaving things lying around within puppy reach and by watching your puppy all the time.
When it comes to puppy-proofing your garden, everything from fences to the type of plants within easy reach have to be taken into consideration. Make sure you fence off your favourite plants and remove the ones that pose a risk of intoxication or irritation for the new puppy. These are some of the least dog-friendly plants to be aware of: Lily, Azalea, Daffodil, Tomato, Foxglove, Yew and Hydrangea.
There are all sorts of nasty little creatures that can cause serious health problems for your puppy. Worms, fleas, ticks and mites are unfortunately part of a puppy’s life and it’s up to you to keep an eye out for them. The ugly part is that you’ll have to familiarise yourself with some pretty gross details, but the great news is that your vet will have a solution to all these problems.
Preparing for a new puppy also means getting ready for all the possible financial implications of owning a dog. From vaccinations and neutering costs to grooming, day-care and food – there are significant expenses to keep in mind. For a complete guide on the costs associated with a new puppy check our in-depth article.
There are a few things that can be taken care of before your puppy’s arrival. One of them is registering the new puppy with the local vet practice. It’s better to be on their books as soon as possible.
The vet is someone who is going to be important throughout your dog’s life. After all you will be trusting your dog’s health and wellbeing to them and may even need their help in times of emergency or crisis. So find someone you like and feel comfortable with. Ask around dog-owning friends and family, use the internet, come up with a shortlist – and then visit.
Make sure you can get to the practice easily and you know who to contact and where to go in an out-of-hours emergency. Some practices do their own emergency cover while others get someone else to do it. This isn’t something you want to be trying to work out in the middle of the night when you really need them.
Here are a few things you can sort out well before your puppy’s first vet visit:
- Vaccinations
- Neutering
- Insurance policies
- Puppy socialisation classes
New puppy checklist
Put together the puppy checklist and go shopping. This part of preparing for a puppy is so much fun that it will take lots of willpower to stop you buying the whole shop! Although it can be tempting to buy lots of new things for your new dog, you should make sure you buy the essentials first
- Two bowls - one for food and one for water. These can be ceramic or stainless steel, as long as they can be properly cleaned.
- A nylon or leather lead and collar. To help to train your dog to walk on the lead, and not to pull, you might want to get a gentle leader head collar. These make training easier and stop bigger pups from pulling you off your feet!
- Grooming equipment.
- Some safe, fun, stimulating toys.
- A bed. There’s a huge choice of beds available so find one that’s right for your dog’s size and temperament – some are more destructible than others! Whichever type you choose, put it somewhere warm and quiet where there are no draughts.
- An indoor metal mesh kennel or crate. Puppies in particular often like the security of a crate to make into their own secure den. If you drape a blanket over it and put their bed inside, it becomes their safe place where they can hide and rest when they need some peace and quiet. Crates also help to speed up the process of house training as pups won’t want to soil their special place.
- Food. Check what type of food your puppy has been given by the breeder or rescue centre and continue with that same diet for at least a week. You can swap their food, gradually over a period of time later if you like, or if there are health reasons for doing so.
You might be a little bit stressed by all the puppy preparation checklists and all the various supplies you need to take care of before the pup arrives home.
Dogs might be hard work, especially in the early weeks – but anything worthwhile is. Dogs enrich our lives and give us so much pleasure and unconditional love from the moment we bring them home. Puppyhood is actually one of the most magical times you can spend with your dog. You are forging a bond that will last for life and it really is as simple and as much fun as everyone suggests.
Watch to see how new puppy parents in Purina survived their puppy's settling-in phase.
Knowing what to expect and being well prepared for your puppy will set you both up to succeed and make your first few weeks together a joyful voyage of discovery as you get to know and trust each other.
Read more useful tips about how to get puppy sleeping arrangements right from the start and make sure you start puppy training early on and you’ll be set for a great start to your lives together. Have fun!
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