Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Preparing to Bring your Puppy Home
Bringing a new puppy into your household is a big commitment. First-time puppy owners are often filled with questions about how to care for their furry new companions. Preparing your home for a puppy before you bring her home will help ensure that you and your puppy adjust smoothly to the new living arrangement.
The following checklist is designed to help new puppy owners prepare for the arrival of a furry new family member:
-Purchase puppy food, water and food bowls, a collar and a leash before bringing the puppy home. These basic items are essential for any dog owner. Other items you may want to consider are a bed, house training pads, treats, grooming items, cleanup bags, carpet/upholstery cleaner and puppy-safe chews.
-Puppy Proof the house. Puppies are bursting with curiosity, and chewing is one way they explore objects. Unfortunately, your puppy will not come equipped with the ability to distinguish between his chew toy and your expensive shoes. Therefore, removing items you do not want your puppy to leave a mark on is an important step of puppy proofing your home. Some tips for puppy proofing are:
1. Remove stray items from the floor of your home and plan to keep the area clutter free throughout puppyhood (shoes, clothing and children’s toys are good examples).
2. Cover, remove or put away electrical cords that are within your puppy’s reach.
3. Keep all household cleaners, insect poisons and other chemicals safely stowed away.
4. Ensure that any plants in your home are safe by checking with your veterinarian.
5. Pay close attention to potential hazards in the outdoor area of your home as well.
-Stock up on chew toys. The more chew toys your puppy has access to, the less likely she will be to chew on your valuable possessions. Chewing is a natural instinct for dogs, and especially young puppies. Praise your puppy when she chews on toys that are hers and she will soon learn what is fair game and what is off limits.
-Purchase an appropriate sized crate. If you plan to crate train your dog, puppyhood is the best time to do so. Crate training allows your dog to adjust to being in a crate so that she will exhibit good behavior in situations such as being boarded, flying on a plane and going to the vet, when being in a kennel may be unavoidable. It is important to instill a positive association with the crate and never use it for punishment. Many dogs learn to love their crates and use them willingly for naps or sleeping at night. For more information about crate training, please see our Crate Training your Puppy.
-Establish rules to live by. Your puppy will understand the rules of the household much quicker if they are consistent from the start. Decide on the rules by which your puppy must abide before bringing her home. For example, is she allowed on the furniture? Will she sleep in your bed at night? What area will she be confined to as a puppy? Instilling structure immediately will prevent your puppy from developing bad habits that will become increasingly frustrating as she grows older.
Puppies are wonderfully energetic and curious, and surprises are part of the adventure of having one in your home. Even if you carefully check off each item on this list and feel completely prepared for the arrival of your new canine companion, your puppy may find mischief in places you have overlooked. Be sure to supervise your puppy at all times when she is roaming free in your home.
About the Author: Dean Burton is the owner of MyDreamPuppy.com, a leading provider of dogs for sale. For more information, please visit www.MyDreamPuppy.com.
The following checklist is designed to help new puppy owners prepare for the arrival of a furry new family member:
-Purchase puppy food, water and food bowls, a collar and a leash before bringing the puppy home. These basic items are essential for any dog owner. Other items you may want to consider are a bed, house training pads, treats, grooming items, cleanup bags, carpet/upholstery cleaner and puppy-safe chews.
-Puppy Proof the house. Puppies are bursting with curiosity, and chewing is one way they explore objects. Unfortunately, your puppy will not come equipped with the ability to distinguish between his chew toy and your expensive shoes. Therefore, removing items you do not want your puppy to leave a mark on is an important step of puppy proofing your home. Some tips for puppy proofing are:
1. Remove stray items from the floor of your home and plan to keep the area clutter free throughout puppyhood (shoes, clothing and children’s toys are good examples).
2. Cover, remove or put away electrical cords that are within your puppy’s reach.
3. Keep all household cleaners, insect poisons and other chemicals safely stowed away.
4. Ensure that any plants in your home are safe by checking with your veterinarian.
5. Pay close attention to potential hazards in the outdoor area of your home as well.
-Stock up on chew toys. The more chew toys your puppy has access to, the less likely she will be to chew on your valuable possessions. Chewing is a natural instinct for dogs, and especially young puppies. Praise your puppy when she chews on toys that are hers and she will soon learn what is fair game and what is off limits.
-Purchase an appropriate sized crate. If you plan to crate train your dog, puppyhood is the best time to do so. Crate training allows your dog to adjust to being in a crate so that she will exhibit good behavior in situations such as being boarded, flying on a plane and going to the vet, when being in a kennel may be unavoidable. It is important to instill a positive association with the crate and never use it for punishment. Many dogs learn to love their crates and use them willingly for naps or sleeping at night. For more information about crate training, please see our Crate Training your Puppy.
-Establish rules to live by. Your puppy will understand the rules of the household much quicker if they are consistent from the start. Decide on the rules by which your puppy must abide before bringing her home. For example, is she allowed on the furniture? Will she sleep in your bed at night? What area will she be confined to as a puppy? Instilling structure immediately will prevent your puppy from developing bad habits that will become increasingly frustrating as she grows older.
Puppies are wonderfully energetic and curious, and surprises are part of the adventure of having one in your home. Even if you carefully check off each item on this list and feel completely prepared for the arrival of your new canine companion, your puppy may find mischief in places you have overlooked. Be sure to supervise your puppy at all times when she is roaming free in your home.
About the Author: Dean Burton is the owner of MyDreamPuppy.com, a leading provider of dogs for sale. For more information, please visit www.MyDreamPuppy.com.
Labels: puppy checklist, puppy preparation, puppy proof, puppy supplies
// posted by Dean Burton @ 1:20 PM 
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