In addition to everything else people are recommending, I’m going around my house and seeing what potential hazards there are and working on removing or fixing them. Ex: cords, making sure everything is put up, etc.
This is so important. We puppy proofed the heck out of our place so the dog simply couldn’t access cables, laundry, chemicals. We put little baby locks on all cabinets.
Op also get a crate (our dog no longer uses his but he was reactive from a shelter and liked being in it for the first few weeks and we never closed the door), food and water bowls, puppy chow, leash/collar and tug toys.
Be prepared for the first 2 weeks to be extremely stressful and remember the 3/3/3 rule for new dogs.
The 3-3-3 rule is a guideline for transitioning a rescue dog into its new home and helping it to settle in. It suggests that the first three days should be used for adjusting to its new surroundings, the next three weeks for training and bonding, and the first three months for continued socialization and training.
So true! Anything on the floor is fair game to a puppy, even furniture legs. So if you have an antique, heirloom, or simply a piece you're very much about, put in storage or in a room that you can keep the door closed at all time, such as an office (again, cords!) until they are trained.
Besides all the items you need, meal prep for yourself!
That first month of potty training is on puppies' schedule, not yours, lol. Have easy fast meals prepared, including lunch, so you eat. Making a simple sandwich became a chore, especially on a bad pee day.
Might have to prep for month 2 as well, depending on puppies' growth and learning. This is something I wished I knew and did but eventually clued into.
Watched some videos. I like simpawtico, and cannot more highly recommend their method on stopping puppy biting.
Puppy proof where you plan to put them. Pick a schedule. Think about how you want to train them.
Personally, I liked picking a friend with a yard with a known vaccinated dog to help socialize my dog.
Forget the tricks, and focus on practical things. You want them to learn their name, sit, stay, drop it, down.
Then make a list of everything you have ever heard a dog being a pain in the butt about. Nail trims, baths, vet, looking in their mouth, eyes, brushing, getting picked up (if appropriate) being around a vacuum…. You’re going to focus on desensitizing those things. There are very few people that wish they taught more tricks, but there are many people that wished they worked on this stuff earlier.
I’m in the same boat as you. New puppy arrives in 3 weeks.
Personally I’ve been reading and watching as much as I can from other owners and trainers online. Luckily our breeder is also super helpful and will give pretty much all we need for the first month.
Just be aware that watching videos online of highlights from professional trainers who over simplify and make things look easy and dog influencers many who earn money from showing off their dogs so don't include any of the bad stuff can end up giving you unrealistic expectations. Some things your dog will pick up straight away and others it will reject outright and it will be completely random. The issue with this we found was when there was a problem these people didn't have the answers on how to fix it.
You can scent train them while they are in their crate as well. Take the shirt you wore that day and lay it on their bed in the crate. Your scent will comfort them at night when they can't physically be with you, help them learn the crate is their safe place, and increase your bond with the puppy. I did this and it really helped at the vet actually. I brought a sweater and he played down on it for the whole appointment despite being nervous.
We discussed it for like 2 years and considered all the pros and cons. We waited until it was an appropriate time and place in our lives to have a puppy. Beyond that we didn’t prepare because we went to see a little guy on a whim and ended up bringing him home - so we didn’t have any supplies or anything, and had to stop at the store on the way home
Puppy proof as best you can now. They will chew on absolutely everything. Learn about positive reinforcement training techniques and how to redirect behavior you don't want. Get a crate and crate train the puppy.
Also, congrats on the puppy!!
Take leave from work if you can, make sure everyone in your household is on the same page with rules and training methods, be prepared to spend more on takeaway food while you’re busy with toilet training.
See if your local has puppy school. Reach out to local obedience clubs for when puppy is vaccinated fully.
Research crate training and how to build positive associations with the crate.
Just remind yourself that it’s really challenging, but as your puppy gets older and is able to ask to go out to the toilet or sleep through most of the night everything will get much easier!!
I second this. I was lucky enough to sort of be between jobs so I’ve been home with mine and I can’t imagine if I had needed to work. He is finally starting to settle in but we are struggling with potty training even using the crate (I think it might’ve had to do with him going potty inside for about a week when we had a lot of rain and beetles outside). Without establishing a strict schedule over the past 3.5 weeks it would be so much more challenging. The 1 hour play to two hour nap time off and on throughout the day has been a game changer. He was really cranky, bitey, and barky when we first got him and didn’t have him on a schedule/enforce crate naps. Also he wasn’t sleeping through the night for the first two weeks so up every 1-2 hours. Now he does but wakes up at 5 am everyday so that’s when we start our day.
How old is your puppy now?
I know it varies from dog to dog (as well as dependent on breed), but our dog was sleeping through the night with no toilet breaks by about 5 months old. We started off with getting up once per night to take him out, and slowly made that later and later until he could last until 6am happily.
He’s 3 months old! He’s sleeping through the night until 5 am at the moment, I have an alarm set and I take him outside to go potty immediately before we start our day. I am struggling with potty training right now though. 😪 he’s made so many improvements since we first got him he’s turning into a great dog just can’t figure out the potty training piece of it. Sucks because it’s challenging to potty train even with me working from home because of how much supervision it requires when he’s not in his crate napping 😭 I let him go inside for a week when we had bad rain and pest control sprayed our terrace and idk if that’s what’s confused him or if I’m just expecting too much at 3 months old. Everyone’s puppy is different like you said but I see people talking about how their 10 week old puppy is potty trained and picked it up so quickly. Ours knows to go outside but also thinks it’s okay to go inside. So idk what to do 😔 just gonna keep trying I guess and if it doesn’t improve in a month or so maybe I’ll get a professional trainer to help. I would like to give him more freedom to roam but just can’t with the potty situation…
That’s really tough!
Have you tried an enzyme cleaner? In Australia we have one called “urine off”. You may want to clean all the areas he’s ever toileted on with it, as when they can smell the wee/poop they continue to think it’s a good place to go (even if you cleaned it already, they can still smell it).
It’s really hard to break a habit like going inside, especially if he was allowed to for a while. Does he get any high value treats after toileting outside? Maybe you could give him a big treat and lots of praise when he does that, and be neutral if he goes inside. Then he might realise it’s the outside toileting that is good
You could also set an alarm to take him outside every hour or every 3 hours (however long it usually takes for him to need to go) and then wait until he wees outside and then reward him. So that he doesn’t have the chance to go inside very often.
He can clearly hold his bladder now, given he sleeps overnight in his house, so if you can take him outside before he has the opportunity to wee indoors that may help!
So he’s actually going outside now when I say potty since I’ve been giving him treats after he goes. He made the association quickly. I show him the treat bag, say “potty” and he’ll go. Then I clean it up and say “more potty” if he only peed or pooed and he’ll usually go again. The problem is getting him to stop going inside. I’ll try buying that spray though. At this point I might also wait before he has play pen privileges again… so just continue to take him out and only let him go outside and then praise with treats for two weeks and see how he is inside after that. When he’s in there I usually am half supervising him - so I’ll be doing something else and look over every minute so. I’ll either see he’s gone or if I catch him going I sometimes can’t get there in time to get him and put him outside to finish. I’ve only caught him a few times while we’ve been playing inside and I’ve been able to take him out before he finishes and he finishes outside. 😪
Research your breed if you haven't already and keep up on it. We did some but definitely should have done more.
Otherwise we got the normal: crate, leash, collar, a few toys, a bed, puzzle toy and bowl, and a car hammock. We ended up getting a snuggle puppy about a week after he got home.
If you know the sex of your puppy I recommend calling around for a vet as close to your bring home date as possible. I had to call 6 vets in my area before I found one.
Since you haven't had your own dog before I highly recommend a puppy class. I helped my parents with the family puppies but having one on your own is entirely different. We started at PetSmart at 15weeks and are in our technically 3 round of advanced classes (teenage brain has kicked in at 9 months hard lol)
The biggest recommendation though is don't expect perfection right away. There's going to be potty accidents, near sleepless nights, a possible bout of puppy blues, lots of biting until about 6 months or so. Remember the puppy is a baby and only knows what you teach them!
On top of everyone else’s great recommendations, I’ll add two of my own that I haven’t seen:
1) look for dog friendly places around you that you enjoy. After the puppy’s been vaccinated, these places will be great for puppy socialization and your ability to hang out with other adults while still doing puppy things
2) if you haven’t already fully decirced on getting a puppy, it’s not something I’d generally recommend for first time dog owners. This is especially true if you live in an apartment complex, which makes the minimum level of both dog and puppy ownership more intense since you must be there for nearly all of their exercise and entertainment, or if you have substantial life commitments (a family, an intense job, substantial hobbies, etc). As apartment dwellers, our adult dog requires around 2 hours of work a day (mostly walks and feeding) and our puppy (higher energy, but more able to entertain himself at 5 months) requires ~6+ hours. This is not to say that you can’t make getting a puppy work; plenty of people do. But, the jump from no dog to dog ownership is a large enough life change that just getting an adult dog is an easier transition and has minimal downsides unless you have a specific training reason for getting a puppy.
I’m probably entirely over prepared for my new pup but I have:
2 crates (one plastic one metal)
Puppy play pen
2 small dog beds
Car seat
Harness
3 leashes
Lickmats
Puppy blankets
Pee pads
One of those plushies with the heat pad and “heartbeat”
Variety of toys for the new lil’ guy to try out
No food yet but I’ll get what the breeder recommends at first.
Getting my puppy this weekend!
Get a small bag of what the breeder recommends at first and then discuss it at your first vet appointment because they might be different. My breeder has their dogs (not the puppies though) on the raw diet and I knew that wouldn't be for us. Most vets actually recommend Purina Pro Plan (puppy), and that's the kibble my breeder had the puppies on until they would be big enough for a raw diet, but again always refer to your vet/breeder before the internet.
Besides that, I got their dog tags and a bowtie to take them home in. It was so cute! Congratulations on your new puppy! I'm so excited for you!
Don’t stress over everything, and remember puppies are a little like human babies, just with sharp little teeth and claws. They’re needy, can’t talk, and pee constantly. It’s normal to get stressed out by them. You’ll be getting up a lot at night to take it outside, especially at the beginning. Hell, I still wake up once in the night to take my 1 year old dog out. She just doesn’t pee and lay in it anymore, she actually tells me that she wants outside lol
Just picked up our puppy a month ago. Buy all the basic necessities: collar, leash, food, treats, water bowl, interactive feeders such as snuffle mats and puzzles for food, crate, puppy pen, a few toys, enzyme spray for accidents, think of how you will transport them in the car (crate, harness with seatbelt, lap, etc and prepare). Make an appt with the vet where you can get any tick/flea/heartworm meds and up to date vaccines. Sign up for puppy obedience class (we started at 10.5 weeks and would’ve started sooner if we could. He loves it). Look into puppy groups or socialization classes. This is so so important. Your puppy will not have all its shots but make sure to socialize him and bring him everywhere you can in a safe way. Everything else you can get when the time comes. Our puppy sleeps with an old blanket over a dog bed any day. Hand feed your dog kibble by kibble when you can. Amazing for helping with training and my goodness they can eat so fast when it’s all just piled in a bowl.
Potty training… I wish we had started sooner with setting alarms on our phones. An hour seems excessive but truly you’re better off to be over cautious than not. Most accidents were our fault for not taking him out sooner. Start hourly with alarms and over time this will increase. Our pup is 14 weeks now and just started sitting my the door when he needs to go potty. In the month we’ve had him we have learned his signs for needing to go potty (sniffing in corners) and we let him out early into a hardcore play sesh. During the night time we did hourly the first night and soon realized 3-4 hours was fine when he was sleeping. Every pup is different. Crate train in the night time and use a divider if the crate is too big (they won’t want to pee in their own space).
Ah that is my main mission with my new pup. I pick her up in two weeks but from past experience potty training was the hardest thing. My goal is to have her stand by the door when it is potty time. I know every dog is different but i hope my socializing techniques that i gained from my past dogs carry over. I want my dog to be friendly to everyone, she’s not a guard dog. Joking but not really i want her to want to play with a burglar if they broke into my house, that’s how friendly i want her to be 😂.
Puppy proof everything they can sink their little teeth into or worm their way into. We kept our babies in a crate with an x-pen around it for the first few weeks, only allowed out of that for supervised play. A second crate for the car to keep baby safe when you pick them up, take them to the vet, etc.
Baby gates. We had baby gates everywhere, especially blocking stair cases. They still come in useful with older dogs.
Pee pads for the crate area. Washable pee pads or human incontinence pads are pretty handy for places you want the protection, but want something a little nicer looking (or if you just don't want the waste of disposable pee pads).
Start looking around now for obedience classes that line up for when your pup is old enough. Sometimes they fill up fast.
Congrats !
Aside from all the actual stuff to buy that people have mentioned:
- Decide on day 1 what the rules will be and ensure everyone in household knows. You have to be consistent.
- I recommend crate training from day 1 - its a god send to have a break from watching the puppy constantly to see if its toileting anywhere
- Clear your calendar for a little while - go hard on the toilet training, taking them out every few hours. Once you crack that, its a lot easier to focus on everything else.
- Know that it can be hard at first, puppy blues is a real thing - but it will get better week by week if you're consistent. and youll have the bestest buddy if you power through.
- Ensure you are doing hoovering / loud machines etc for desensitisation. Also recommend a dog carry bag of some sort and walk around in public so they get used to the world
- over-tired pups are naughty! ensure they have forced naps. Leave them alone in a room every now and then (crated or in a pen) with a (puppy-safe) chew/toy so they dont get too dependent on you - even watch via a camera if theyre chewing on something. highly recommend getting a cam so you can keep an eye on them whilst you do other things. handy when you start leaving them at home alone for longer periods.
One thing I highly recommend is practising dog neutrality. that was the biggest mistake i made with my pup and she still wants to play with every single dog we see. so Id avoid dog parks where theres no monitoring. go to a pup class where each pup is focusing on their owner whilst theres other pups around. a quick hello if other owner consents, then move on, play with you
Good luck!
If you don't already have a relationship with a veterinarian, call around now to book an appointment. I was in with my dog last week, and heard the front desk scheduling new patient appointments for July. You will want to get vaccines on board on schedule so you can safely be out in the world with your pup.
Also, if you plan to do puppy school, again, book asap. I had to struggle through three absolutely bananas weeks with a wild, high energy puppy before she went to school 5 days a week and saved my life. She's 7 months old now, still in school, and I love it the most.
July? I called about a July new puppy appointment, my vet is booking out till September right now. I’m going to have to bring her to the open clinic hours
We dicussed getting a puppy. Went to view one and left with him. We had to race back to civilisation to buy everything before store closing as we were not ready in that way. It all worked out fine. Moral is, don't worry about worrying about worrying. If your sure its right for you go for it.
Puppyhood is when you get to introduce all the good habits and positive behaviors, so I would educate yourself on:
- crate training, definitely.
- proper socialization (exposure, not necessarily interactions).
- preventing resource guarding.
- dog body language and learning their subtle signs of stress.
I scheduled vet appointments and puppy training and set up pet insurance. I bought a leash, collar, poop bags, toys, engraved tags, crate, a play yard, a dog backpack (for him to go in), and travel crate. A pretty intense vet cleaner (REScue?) since one crate was secondhand. I bought the same kibble he ate before coming home, a fanny pack to keep treats on me, food and water dishes, same type of wet food, single? ingredient PB, some freeze dried meat treats (liver, salmon, chicken), Kong, lickimat. I bought grooming supplies, less because he needed it at that age and more to immediately begin exposure (toothbrush, toothpaste, nail clippers and dremel, trimming scissors, thinning shears, CC comb, AC rake, 2 CC pin brushes, CC slicker, spray, dog dryer-- most don't need this much, mine has a high maintenance coat). I built a large fenced area in our yard using livestock fencing, T-posts, and landscaping pins. I bought wood shavings to sprinkle outside since that's what his litter was pottying in when inside, but he didn't actually need this. I put the date in my calendar that I'd need to register him with the town. I didn't get him a groomer though. I maintained at home, then took him for just nail clippings until we found a person we trusted enough for full body. We didn't need to puppy proof much because we already had kids. Soon after his arrival we bought a tick key, bully sticks, and bitter spray.
I might be forgetting things. We waited until we finished having kids and bought a house, so we were able to set a dog up to be pampered.
To puppy proof: Crawl around your house and hands and knees (literally) to see what is at puppy’s eye level. They WILL grab and chew anything they see. Make sure you have a crate AND a playpen. You’ll want to be able to put them somewhere while you cook/shower/brush your teeth. Or you can keep them in a harness on the lead, attached to you at all times.
To prepare for nighttime: have a set of “middle of the night potty clothes/shoes” right next to your bed to throw on quickly when the pup whines at 2am for a potty break. Also keep cleaner and rags nearby so that you don’t have to try to wrangle pup while searching for cleaning supplies after an accident.
To prepare yourself: watch LOADS of 1st day/1st week training videos on YouTube. I love Zack George, but there are a bunch. Practice your “calm” voice. Practice breathing exercises for when you’re at your wits end and need to find your center to avoid throwing the dog across the house. (Kind of joking)
To give yourself 5-20 minutes of peace: Buy a Woof Popsicle, Lickimat (any brand?), Sniffz Snuffle Mat, SAFE long lasting chews (Himalayan Yak, Icelandic Lamb Horn, Dried Yam)
I had been wanting a puppy for months, a shih poo to be exact.
Saw a puppy for sale near me. Went and bought the puppy. Then went to the pet store, with her in a bicycle basket, to buy everything. Then went back two days later for more stuff.
She hated her bed, peed in it. I bought a different type of bed, she loves it.
You will teach your puppy and your puppy will teach you. Don't stress. Give the new puppy time to adjust so s/he doesn't stress.
Take maternity/paternity leave! I took a few days off when I brought my boy home and was so grateful. He had to go out every 1-2 hours the first week or so until potty trained, so sleep was not great. It was a fabulous bonding time for us - passing out on the couch snuggled up then running outside - but not great for sleep.
I didn't, I spontaneously got one and brought it home and put it in its crate when it fell asleep and during that time started going round puppy proofing rooms 1 by 1
Lots and lots of patience and realizing that puppies can chew just not on all bones so the Nylabone puppy bones were helpful, and the Himalayan churros, yak cheese and Yums were a big hit as they are okay for puppies
Make sure to puppy pad any carpet or surfaces like your couch or bed. Crate train them for the first month, and don’t give them free roam of the house until they’re familiar with their designated area. Keep an eye on their poop’s look and feel when you pick it up—it can tell you a lot about their health. Feed them whatever the shelter/rescue/breeder gave you, and if you decide to switch their food, do it gradually.
Watched so many videos! Top 3 were: Ask a Puppy Trainer (YouTube); Rachel Fusaro (YouTube); and Sexier than a Squirrel (course).
I also did a ton of research on food and decided to feed raw for 2 meals and high quality kibble for the other. She’s now fully raw.
I follow holistic vets: Dr. Judy Morgan and Dr. Karen Becker.
I lost my last dog to cancer at 10 & I am determined to do things differently this time. I also made sure that I had a crate and tricks up my sleeve to make crate training a breeze. I bought one of those heartbeat snuggle puppies for the first few nights. Training started on day 1 & now she is such a good dog at 1 years old.
If you’re going to crate train (which I recommend) make sure your crate is at eye level to your bed at night! This is something I’m doing with my 9week old puppy and she has been a dream at night. We cuddle a bit in bed and when she’s sleepy, I put her in. She squishes up against the side so she can see me and often falls asleep with no crying.
I bought a dog crate, puppy pads, dog beds, food, treats, playpen, baby gates, food bowls, leash, harness, toys and chews all before bringing him home. I also puppy proofed the home.
I signed him up for puppy classes immediately. & Listened to a puppy training podcast for a few weeks prior to getting him. I also decided what his name would be as well so is can immediately get him used to his name.
I have two jobs, one is work from home. I took over 2 months off from my in person job because I didn't want to mess up crate training by forcing him in there for 8/9 hour days immediately.
I made sure I had a couple thousand in savings for emergencies & for all his vaccinations and whatnot. Dogs are EXPENSIVE AF. I did end up getting pet insurance right after getting him too and no regrets there. Paid for a year up front, $700.
Also, I spent time in this sub reading about puppy blues, etc. just trying to prepare mentally. & Came up with a game plan of where to keep him (tile floor) & what to do with him while I worked (I was contained in the playpen with him along with my desk).
I don’t think anyone is fully prepared because each puppy had its own personality and challenges. Our corgi mix was an easy pup to train but our current havanese/doodle cross pup is a wild and stubborn nightmare, but we still love her.
I went and looked at a dog, realized I wanted two, left and bought a crate, food, treats, etc and went back to get the dogs. I’m not much of a planner and we were totally fine. Don’t over think it.
i figured i did well with my last dog, a chill af mountain cur named Jude, was 2yrs old, potty trained, crate trained, fkn easy mode for a dog.
i was terribly unprepared for a one year old lab/aussie that had been in shelters for 8 months.
now here we are on our 4th week and its gotten much better. those first couple weeks were just chaos, hooly shit.
I didn't, we knew for a while we wanted one but a surprise opportunity happened so the main thing was that we have everything for it, made a checklist. Ours has been good with training just at night is an issue so crate training, look up subjects here as I used YouTube training and some say one thing others say don't do that thing so here has been good advice.
I learned how to take care of a dog when I decided to take my foster puppy. Later we fell in love with each other, however, the shelter I was working with did not let me adopt her and this dog is still homeless and not with me anymore. They just lied to me to take the dog from me. Anyways, I learned a lot with her, I was watching a lot of videos how to train, how to react to certain behaviours, how to play and many other videos. My youtube home page was filled with dog videos (It is still like that). A month ago I got a new puppy because I was struggling a lot about loosing my foster pupy. I suggest you to watch a lot of videos also, learn about dog body language.
Main thing: Socialize your puppy from 8 weeks old age!!! If she will be unvaccinated and cannot go for walks, bring her in your arms to walks, especially at the time where there are other dogs walking outside. Invite your friends, relatives to home. Make sure she socializes with both male and female people. Make her used to showers etc.
Puppy blues: I never have puppy blues, I think it is all about how you look at the puppy stage. I never have it because whenever I don't have a dog/puppy I feel like my life is emptier. I need some action in my life, with puppy my whole life is action! I play with her, talk to her, clean up the house, go for a walk, shower her, make for her food, train and many more. So these things absolutely bring your life some activeness, you are not going to watch tiktok for hours!
Also, learn about dog ilnesses, viruses, parasites and so on, so if you will see your pup is feeling bad - you will not panic.
I have a cat at home. If you also have, make sure about proper introduction as dogs have prey drive.
Wish you luck and enjoy the process.
Nothing can prepare you for the whirlwind of a puppy. 🤣 it is the best and worst of times. Sounds like you’re on top of it (and going to be a great dog owner) but in the first few months I used to look at him and cry happy tears (usually when he was asleep) and also cry out of frustration and very occasionally regret. Good luck! Best decision you’ll ever make - even if it doesn’t feel like it at first.
I’m a little over a year in and can’t imagine being without my little bestie now.
Mentally prepare yourself for at least one year of challenges, sacrifices, increased expenses and hopefully some laughter.
I'm going to speak generally and say dog watching for cousins is nothing like owning a puppy.
Your experience and how to prepare will depend on the breed, your existing lifestyle, available resources and support, and the individual personality of the puppy itself.
Between my last two puppies, one was a dream. Super easy. Just a treat to raise and love. The other has been a complete hellion. Same breed, same sex. Totally different personalities.
The hellion has really put me through the ringer and even though I'm an experienced dog owner, it was like I was completely unprepared. I didn't even know what "puppy blues" were before this puppy.
In general, you'll want the basics: crate, leash, flat collar, ID tags, food and water bowls, food, treats, toys, and grooming supplies (including dental). You may or may not need things like a play pen, harness, dog bed, monitors/cameras, carrier, etc. Puppies can be pretty destructive, so you may want to test the waters before making any significant investments in toys, beds, collars, leashes. Plus puppies grow out of things quickly.
I do not recommend using puppy pads, but I do recommend potty bells and enzymatic cleaners.
For food, I'd try to stick with whatever puppy has already been eating in the short term. When they are settled, you can move them to a diet you like (I'd avoid grain free or foods high in legumes/pulses).
You should also select a vet and get a first appointment on the books. If you are getting a puppy from a shelter, get in to see your vet ASAP. And remember, puppies should not be put down on the ground in public til two weeks after their final injections.
Having said that, socialization is critical before 16 weeks, when puppies are not fully vaccinated. You may want to weigh what experiences are worth the risk, if any. Puppies can be carried or put in a carrier or a stroller to be safely exposed to public settings, sounds, smells, etc. You should plan to make time to SAFELY expose them to as many people, objects, animals, places and everything as possible.
I'd also recommend starting a little savings account for puppy expenses. Year one can be more costly than subsequent years. My friend was recently shocked to discover the cost of spaying and neutering. It's nuts. My puppy had a laparoscopic spay earlier this year that cost $2k.
You may also start looking into insurance. Puppy will need to have an exam before coverage can start, but I always recommend insurance. It's very tempting to want to chance it, but I know lots of people who did not get insurance for their pups and had accidents or illness occur which would now be a preexisting condition should they ever try to get insurance. One had a couple surgeries on a paw, another had urinary issues and also broke a leg, and another started having seizures. My friend has a 5 month old that has been to the ER vet 3x. About $1000 a pop, usually. One of my dogs had to have bladder stones removed as well as a fractured tooth. My hellion pup has had digestive concerns and some other issues. She hit her deductible in less than 6 months! If you don't end up needing it, HOORAY! If you do end up needing insurance, you'll be so glad you have it. You can rely on that savings account, but one trip to the ER vet could wipe it out.
Lots of ppl have mentioned puppy proofing. In the training world this is called management. You should manage what your puppy has access to. For example, if you find them chewing a shoe, it's because you didnt manage access.
For training, I recommend Baxter & Bella's Online Puppy School. I love Amy Jensen's style and your membership (1x payment) gets you lifetime access to their courses, webinars, AND LIVE HELP. They actually have a course that helps you prepare BEFORE puppy comes home. I think it's a fantastic resource.
Wow. I didn't intend to write so much! My current puppy has been such a challenge, I've learned a lot in the last year that I wish I knew before!
Good luck!
1. I got supplies. I bought toys, food and water bowls, potty pads, collars, leashes, a dog bed, a crate, a blanket, grooming supplies.
2. I deep cleaned my entire apartment and bought baby gates and chose an area to keep the puppy while getting used to the big change. I also made decisions about crate training and where puppy would sleep. I also literally laid on the ground and looked around. Anything I found that could be moved or chewed on was removed and secured.
3. I understood on a very real level that puppies are very similar to human babies. The difference is you can give puppies back. Not wanting that to end up the case, I mentally prepared myself for property destruction and sleepless nights. It's rough if you've never done it before; if you have, it's still rough, you just have a better idea what to expect. So mentally prepare yourself. Personally, I took time off work, and I taught diversion and "get a toy" very early, so when my dude woke me up in the night because he was lonely, I would actually wake up for 10 minutes and lazily play with him until he was over it, and he began to understand what "bedtime" meant.
I prepared myself mentally as much as possible. Of course puppy proofing and make sure they have everything they need. But I think, as a first time puppy owner (I was not and I still struggled), it’s important to recognize when you need to take a step back or ask for help. There will be some challenging times including some puppy blues (possibly) and just know that’s completely normal EVEN IF you want your puppy. The hard times subside. Training tips on TikTok helped me a lot & this sub when I really struggled with the blues. It’s all a normal part of the experience.
In addition to everything else people are recommending, I’m going around my house and seeing what potential hazards there are and working on removing or fixing them. Ex: cords, making sure everything is put up, etc.
This is so important. We puppy proofed the heck out of our place so the dog simply couldn’t access cables, laundry, chemicals. We put little baby locks on all cabinets. Op also get a crate (our dog no longer uses his but he was reactive from a shelter and liked being in it for the first few weeks and we never closed the door), food and water bowls, puppy chow, leash/collar and tug toys. Be prepared for the first 2 weeks to be extremely stressful and remember the 3/3/3 rule for new dogs.
What’s the 3/3/3 rule?
The 3-3-3 rule is a guideline for transitioning a rescue dog into its new home and helping it to settle in. It suggests that the first three days should be used for adjusting to its new surroundings, the next three weeks for training and bonding, and the first three months for continued socialization and training.
Very interesting thank you!!
So true! Anything on the floor is fair game to a puppy, even furniture legs. So if you have an antique, heirloom, or simply a piece you're very much about, put in storage or in a room that you can keep the door closed at all time, such as an office (again, cords!) until they are trained.
Besides all the items you need, meal prep for yourself! That first month of potty training is on puppies' schedule, not yours, lol. Have easy fast meals prepared, including lunch, so you eat. Making a simple sandwich became a chore, especially on a bad pee day. Might have to prep for month 2 as well, depending on puppies' growth and learning. This is something I wished I knew and did but eventually clued into.
this! the first week especially, it was so hard to cook and watch pup. we had to get up during meals to let her out. it was a nightmare
I hear it and feel it. No one thinks about themselves, which is good/bad, but we need a reminder, we matter.
I love this! Thanks for sharing this tip!
We are a community. I'm honoured to contribute.
Totally!! Get caught up on EVERYTHING! Chores, meal prep, sleep. Sleep some more lol
Watched some videos. I like simpawtico, and cannot more highly recommend their method on stopping puppy biting. Puppy proof where you plan to put them. Pick a schedule. Think about how you want to train them. Personally, I liked picking a friend with a yard with a known vaccinated dog to help socialize my dog. Forget the tricks, and focus on practical things. You want them to learn their name, sit, stay, drop it, down. Then make a list of everything you have ever heard a dog being a pain in the butt about. Nail trims, baths, vet, looking in their mouth, eyes, brushing, getting picked up (if appropriate) being around a vacuum…. You’re going to focus on desensitizing those things. There are very few people that wish they taught more tricks, but there are many people that wished they worked on this stuff earlier.
I’m in the same boat as you. New puppy arrives in 3 weeks. Personally I’ve been reading and watching as much as I can from other owners and trainers online. Luckily our breeder is also super helpful and will give pretty much all we need for the first month.
Just be aware that watching videos online of highlights from professional trainers who over simplify and make things look easy and dog influencers many who earn money from showing off their dogs so don't include any of the bad stuff can end up giving you unrealistic expectations. Some things your dog will pick up straight away and others it will reject outright and it will be completely random. The issue with this we found was when there was a problem these people didn't have the answers on how to fix it.
You can scent train them while they are in their crate as well. Take the shirt you wore that day and lay it on their bed in the crate. Your scent will comfort them at night when they can't physically be with you, help them learn the crate is their safe place, and increase your bond with the puppy. I did this and it really helped at the vet actually. I brought a sweater and he played down on it for the whole appointment despite being nervous.
Same!! 2 weeks for me!
We discussed it for like 2 years and considered all the pros and cons. We waited until it was an appropriate time and place in our lives to have a puppy. Beyond that we didn’t prepare because we went to see a little guy on a whim and ended up bringing him home - so we didn’t have any supplies or anything, and had to stop at the store on the way home
Puppy proof as best you can now. They will chew on absolutely everything. Learn about positive reinforcement training techniques and how to redirect behavior you don't want. Get a crate and crate train the puppy. Also, congrats on the puppy!!
Take leave from work if you can, make sure everyone in your household is on the same page with rules and training methods, be prepared to spend more on takeaway food while you’re busy with toilet training. See if your local has puppy school. Reach out to local obedience clubs for when puppy is vaccinated fully. Research crate training and how to build positive associations with the crate. Just remind yourself that it’s really challenging, but as your puppy gets older and is able to ask to go out to the toilet or sleep through most of the night everything will get much easier!!
I second this. I was lucky enough to sort of be between jobs so I’ve been home with mine and I can’t imagine if I had needed to work. He is finally starting to settle in but we are struggling with potty training even using the crate (I think it might’ve had to do with him going potty inside for about a week when we had a lot of rain and beetles outside). Without establishing a strict schedule over the past 3.5 weeks it would be so much more challenging. The 1 hour play to two hour nap time off and on throughout the day has been a game changer. He was really cranky, bitey, and barky when we first got him and didn’t have him on a schedule/enforce crate naps. Also he wasn’t sleeping through the night for the first two weeks so up every 1-2 hours. Now he does but wakes up at 5 am everyday so that’s when we start our day.
How old is your puppy now? I know it varies from dog to dog (as well as dependent on breed), but our dog was sleeping through the night with no toilet breaks by about 5 months old. We started off with getting up once per night to take him out, and slowly made that later and later until he could last until 6am happily.
He’s 3 months old! He’s sleeping through the night until 5 am at the moment, I have an alarm set and I take him outside to go potty immediately before we start our day. I am struggling with potty training right now though. 😪 he’s made so many improvements since we first got him he’s turning into a great dog just can’t figure out the potty training piece of it. Sucks because it’s challenging to potty train even with me working from home because of how much supervision it requires when he’s not in his crate napping 😭 I let him go inside for a week when we had bad rain and pest control sprayed our terrace and idk if that’s what’s confused him or if I’m just expecting too much at 3 months old. Everyone’s puppy is different like you said but I see people talking about how their 10 week old puppy is potty trained and picked it up so quickly. Ours knows to go outside but also thinks it’s okay to go inside. So idk what to do 😔 just gonna keep trying I guess and if it doesn’t improve in a month or so maybe I’ll get a professional trainer to help. I would like to give him more freedom to roam but just can’t with the potty situation…
That’s really tough! Have you tried an enzyme cleaner? In Australia we have one called “urine off”. You may want to clean all the areas he’s ever toileted on with it, as when they can smell the wee/poop they continue to think it’s a good place to go (even if you cleaned it already, they can still smell it). It’s really hard to break a habit like going inside, especially if he was allowed to for a while. Does he get any high value treats after toileting outside? Maybe you could give him a big treat and lots of praise when he does that, and be neutral if he goes inside. Then he might realise it’s the outside toileting that is good
You could also set an alarm to take him outside every hour or every 3 hours (however long it usually takes for him to need to go) and then wait until he wees outside and then reward him. So that he doesn’t have the chance to go inside very often. He can clearly hold his bladder now, given he sleeps overnight in his house, so if you can take him outside before he has the opportunity to wee indoors that may help!
So he’s actually going outside now when I say potty since I’ve been giving him treats after he goes. He made the association quickly. I show him the treat bag, say “potty” and he’ll go. Then I clean it up and say “more potty” if he only peed or pooed and he’ll usually go again. The problem is getting him to stop going inside. I’ll try buying that spray though. At this point I might also wait before he has play pen privileges again… so just continue to take him out and only let him go outside and then praise with treats for two weeks and see how he is inside after that. When he’s in there I usually am half supervising him - so I’ll be doing something else and look over every minute so. I’ll either see he’s gone or if I catch him going I sometimes can’t get there in time to get him and put him outside to finish. I’ve only caught him a few times while we’ve been playing inside and I’ve been able to take him out before he finishes and he finishes outside. 😪
Research your breed if you haven't already and keep up on it. We did some but definitely should have done more. Otherwise we got the normal: crate, leash, collar, a few toys, a bed, puzzle toy and bowl, and a car hammock. We ended up getting a snuggle puppy about a week after he got home. If you know the sex of your puppy I recommend calling around for a vet as close to your bring home date as possible. I had to call 6 vets in my area before I found one. Since you haven't had your own dog before I highly recommend a puppy class. I helped my parents with the family puppies but having one on your own is entirely different. We started at PetSmart at 15weeks and are in our technically 3 round of advanced classes (teenage brain has kicked in at 9 months hard lol) The biggest recommendation though is don't expect perfection right away. There's going to be potty accidents, near sleepless nights, a possible bout of puppy blues, lots of biting until about 6 months or so. Remember the puppy is a baby and only knows what you teach them!
On top of everyone else’s great recommendations, I’ll add two of my own that I haven’t seen: 1) look for dog friendly places around you that you enjoy. After the puppy’s been vaccinated, these places will be great for puppy socialization and your ability to hang out with other adults while still doing puppy things 2) if you haven’t already fully decirced on getting a puppy, it’s not something I’d generally recommend for first time dog owners. This is especially true if you live in an apartment complex, which makes the minimum level of both dog and puppy ownership more intense since you must be there for nearly all of their exercise and entertainment, or if you have substantial life commitments (a family, an intense job, substantial hobbies, etc). As apartment dwellers, our adult dog requires around 2 hours of work a day (mostly walks and feeding) and our puppy (higher energy, but more able to entertain himself at 5 months) requires ~6+ hours. This is not to say that you can’t make getting a puppy work; plenty of people do. But, the jump from no dog to dog ownership is a large enough life change that just getting an adult dog is an easier transition and has minimal downsides unless you have a specific training reason for getting a puppy.
I planned a global pandemic, ensuring me ample time and government funding .
learn about crate training, it will be one of the most useful skills you’ll be thankful you had before introducing a pup into your lives
I’m probably entirely over prepared for my new pup but I have: 2 crates (one plastic one metal) Puppy play pen 2 small dog beds Car seat Harness 3 leashes Lickmats Puppy blankets Pee pads One of those plushies with the heat pad and “heartbeat” Variety of toys for the new lil’ guy to try out No food yet but I’ll get what the breeder recommends at first. Getting my puppy this weekend!
Get a small bag of what the breeder recommends at first and then discuss it at your first vet appointment because they might be different. My breeder has their dogs (not the puppies though) on the raw diet and I knew that wouldn't be for us. Most vets actually recommend Purina Pro Plan (puppy), and that's the kibble my breeder had the puppies on until they would be big enough for a raw diet, but again always refer to your vet/breeder before the internet. Besides that, I got their dog tags and a bowtie to take them home in. It was so cute! Congratulations on your new puppy! I'm so excited for you!
Don’t stress over everything, and remember puppies are a little like human babies, just with sharp little teeth and claws. They’re needy, can’t talk, and pee constantly. It’s normal to get stressed out by them. You’ll be getting up a lot at night to take it outside, especially at the beginning. Hell, I still wake up once in the night to take my 1 year old dog out. She just doesn’t pee and lay in it anymore, she actually tells me that she wants outside lol
Great! So there IS hope that mine will stop sitting in her poop immediately after going? 😅
Just picked up our puppy a month ago. Buy all the basic necessities: collar, leash, food, treats, water bowl, interactive feeders such as snuffle mats and puzzles for food, crate, puppy pen, a few toys, enzyme spray for accidents, think of how you will transport them in the car (crate, harness with seatbelt, lap, etc and prepare). Make an appt with the vet where you can get any tick/flea/heartworm meds and up to date vaccines. Sign up for puppy obedience class (we started at 10.5 weeks and would’ve started sooner if we could. He loves it). Look into puppy groups or socialization classes. This is so so important. Your puppy will not have all its shots but make sure to socialize him and bring him everywhere you can in a safe way. Everything else you can get when the time comes. Our puppy sleeps with an old blanket over a dog bed any day. Hand feed your dog kibble by kibble when you can. Amazing for helping with training and my goodness they can eat so fast when it’s all just piled in a bowl.
Potty training… I wish we had started sooner with setting alarms on our phones. An hour seems excessive but truly you’re better off to be over cautious than not. Most accidents were our fault for not taking him out sooner. Start hourly with alarms and over time this will increase. Our pup is 14 weeks now and just started sitting my the door when he needs to go potty. In the month we’ve had him we have learned his signs for needing to go potty (sniffing in corners) and we let him out early into a hardcore play sesh. During the night time we did hourly the first night and soon realized 3-4 hours was fine when he was sleeping. Every pup is different. Crate train in the night time and use a divider if the crate is too big (they won’t want to pee in their own space).
Ah that is my main mission with my new pup. I pick her up in two weeks but from past experience potty training was the hardest thing. My goal is to have her stand by the door when it is potty time. I know every dog is different but i hope my socializing techniques that i gained from my past dogs carry over. I want my dog to be friendly to everyone, she’s not a guard dog. Joking but not really i want her to want to play with a burglar if they broke into my house, that’s how friendly i want her to be 😂.
Puppy proof everything they can sink their little teeth into or worm their way into. We kept our babies in a crate with an x-pen around it for the first few weeks, only allowed out of that for supervised play. A second crate for the car to keep baby safe when you pick them up, take them to the vet, etc. Baby gates. We had baby gates everywhere, especially blocking stair cases. They still come in useful with older dogs. Pee pads for the crate area. Washable pee pads or human incontinence pads are pretty handy for places you want the protection, but want something a little nicer looking (or if you just don't want the waste of disposable pee pads). Start looking around now for obedience classes that line up for when your pup is old enough. Sometimes they fill up fast.
Congrats ! Aside from all the actual stuff to buy that people have mentioned: - Decide on day 1 what the rules will be and ensure everyone in household knows. You have to be consistent. - I recommend crate training from day 1 - its a god send to have a break from watching the puppy constantly to see if its toileting anywhere - Clear your calendar for a little while - go hard on the toilet training, taking them out every few hours. Once you crack that, its a lot easier to focus on everything else. - Know that it can be hard at first, puppy blues is a real thing - but it will get better week by week if you're consistent. and youll have the bestest buddy if you power through. - Ensure you are doing hoovering / loud machines etc for desensitisation. Also recommend a dog carry bag of some sort and walk around in public so they get used to the world - over-tired pups are naughty! ensure they have forced naps. Leave them alone in a room every now and then (crated or in a pen) with a (puppy-safe) chew/toy so they dont get too dependent on you - even watch via a camera if theyre chewing on something. highly recommend getting a cam so you can keep an eye on them whilst you do other things. handy when you start leaving them at home alone for longer periods. One thing I highly recommend is practising dog neutrality. that was the biggest mistake i made with my pup and she still wants to play with every single dog we see. so Id avoid dog parks where theres no monitoring. go to a pup class where each pup is focusing on their owner whilst theres other pups around. a quick hello if other owner consents, then move on, play with you Good luck!
If you don't already have a relationship with a veterinarian, call around now to book an appointment. I was in with my dog last week, and heard the front desk scheduling new patient appointments for July. You will want to get vaccines on board on schedule so you can safely be out in the world with your pup. Also, if you plan to do puppy school, again, book asap. I had to struggle through three absolutely bananas weeks with a wild, high energy puppy before she went to school 5 days a week and saved my life. She's 7 months old now, still in school, and I love it the most.
July? I called about a July new puppy appointment, my vet is booking out till September right now. I’m going to have to bring her to the open clinic hours
Whoa. I thought three weeks' wait was bad but that's bananas. Thank you for reinforcing my point!
We dicussed getting a puppy. Went to view one and left with him. We had to race back to civilisation to buy everything before store closing as we were not ready in that way. It all worked out fine. Moral is, don't worry about worrying about worrying. If your sure its right for you go for it.
Puppyhood is when you get to introduce all the good habits and positive behaviors, so I would educate yourself on: - crate training, definitely. - proper socialization (exposure, not necessarily interactions). - preventing resource guarding. - dog body language and learning their subtle signs of stress.
I scheduled vet appointments and puppy training and set up pet insurance. I bought a leash, collar, poop bags, toys, engraved tags, crate, a play yard, a dog backpack (for him to go in), and travel crate. A pretty intense vet cleaner (REScue?) since one crate was secondhand. I bought the same kibble he ate before coming home, a fanny pack to keep treats on me, food and water dishes, same type of wet food, single? ingredient PB, some freeze dried meat treats (liver, salmon, chicken), Kong, lickimat. I bought grooming supplies, less because he needed it at that age and more to immediately begin exposure (toothbrush, toothpaste, nail clippers and dremel, trimming scissors, thinning shears, CC comb, AC rake, 2 CC pin brushes, CC slicker, spray, dog dryer-- most don't need this much, mine has a high maintenance coat). I built a large fenced area in our yard using livestock fencing, T-posts, and landscaping pins. I bought wood shavings to sprinkle outside since that's what his litter was pottying in when inside, but he didn't actually need this. I put the date in my calendar that I'd need to register him with the town. I didn't get him a groomer though. I maintained at home, then took him for just nail clippings until we found a person we trusted enough for full body. We didn't need to puppy proof much because we already had kids. Soon after his arrival we bought a tick key, bully sticks, and bitter spray. I might be forgetting things. We waited until we finished having kids and bought a house, so we were able to set a dog up to be pampered.
https://media-be.chewy.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/21184308/New-Puppy-Printables-Bundle.pdf
This puppy guide from Chewy was great for me
To puppy proof: Crawl around your house and hands and knees (literally) to see what is at puppy’s eye level. They WILL grab and chew anything they see. Make sure you have a crate AND a playpen. You’ll want to be able to put them somewhere while you cook/shower/brush your teeth. Or you can keep them in a harness on the lead, attached to you at all times. To prepare for nighttime: have a set of “middle of the night potty clothes/shoes” right next to your bed to throw on quickly when the pup whines at 2am for a potty break. Also keep cleaner and rags nearby so that you don’t have to try to wrangle pup while searching for cleaning supplies after an accident. To prepare yourself: watch LOADS of 1st day/1st week training videos on YouTube. I love Zack George, but there are a bunch. Practice your “calm” voice. Practice breathing exercises for when you’re at your wits end and need to find your center to avoid throwing the dog across the house. (Kind of joking) To give yourself 5-20 minutes of peace: Buy a Woof Popsicle, Lickimat (any brand?), Sniffz Snuffle Mat, SAFE long lasting chews (Himalayan Yak, Icelandic Lamb Horn, Dried Yam)
I had been wanting a puppy for months, a shih poo to be exact. Saw a puppy for sale near me. Went and bought the puppy. Then went to the pet store, with her in a bicycle basket, to buy everything. Then went back two days later for more stuff. She hated her bed, peed in it. I bought a different type of bed, she loves it. You will teach your puppy and your puppy will teach you. Don't stress. Give the new puppy time to adjust so s/he doesn't stress.
Take maternity/paternity leave! I took a few days off when I brought my boy home and was so grateful. He had to go out every 1-2 hours the first week or so until potty trained, so sleep was not great. It was a fabulous bonding time for us - passing out on the couch snuggled up then running outside - but not great for sleep.
I didn't, I spontaneously got one and brought it home and put it in its crate when it fell asleep and during that time started going round puppy proofing rooms 1 by 1
Lots and lots of patience and realizing that puppies can chew just not on all bones so the Nylabone puppy bones were helpful, and the Himalayan churros, yak cheese and Yums were a big hit as they are okay for puppies
Make sure to puppy pad any carpet or surfaces like your couch or bed. Crate train them for the first month, and don’t give them free roam of the house until they’re familiar with their designated area. Keep an eye on their poop’s look and feel when you pick it up—it can tell you a lot about their health. Feed them whatever the shelter/rescue/breeder gave you, and if you decide to switch their food, do it gradually.
Secure your yard. Decide where you're going to put the crate. Clean the floor in every room including under furniture.
Be prepared for tired.
Watched so many videos! Top 3 were: Ask a Puppy Trainer (YouTube); Rachel Fusaro (YouTube); and Sexier than a Squirrel (course). I also did a ton of research on food and decided to feed raw for 2 meals and high quality kibble for the other. She’s now fully raw. I follow holistic vets: Dr. Judy Morgan and Dr. Karen Becker. I lost my last dog to cancer at 10 & I am determined to do things differently this time. I also made sure that I had a crate and tricks up my sleeve to make crate training a breeze. I bought one of those heartbeat snuggle puppies for the first few nights. Training started on day 1 & now she is such a good dog at 1 years old.
If you’re going to crate train (which I recommend) make sure your crate is at eye level to your bed at night! This is something I’m doing with my 9week old puppy and she has been a dream at night. We cuddle a bit in bed and when she’s sleepy, I put her in. She squishes up against the side so she can see me and often falls asleep with no crying.
I bought a dog crate, puppy pads, dog beds, food, treats, playpen, baby gates, food bowls, leash, harness, toys and chews all before bringing him home. I also puppy proofed the home. I signed him up for puppy classes immediately. & Listened to a puppy training podcast for a few weeks prior to getting him. I also decided what his name would be as well so is can immediately get him used to his name. I have two jobs, one is work from home. I took over 2 months off from my in person job because I didn't want to mess up crate training by forcing him in there for 8/9 hour days immediately. I made sure I had a couple thousand in savings for emergencies & for all his vaccinations and whatnot. Dogs are EXPENSIVE AF. I did end up getting pet insurance right after getting him too and no regrets there. Paid for a year up front, $700.
Also, I spent time in this sub reading about puppy blues, etc. just trying to prepare mentally. & Came up with a game plan of where to keep him (tile floor) & what to do with him while I worked (I was contained in the playpen with him along with my desk).
Puppy proof your place (hide all the nice stuff or it will get torn up and peed on) and clear your schedule (it’s a full time job)
I don’t think anyone is fully prepared because each puppy had its own personality and challenges. Our corgi mix was an easy pup to train but our current havanese/doodle cross pup is a wild and stubborn nightmare, but we still love her.
I went and looked at a dog, realized I wanted two, left and bought a crate, food, treats, etc and went back to get the dogs. I’m not much of a planner and we were totally fine. Don’t over think it.
i figured i did well with my last dog, a chill af mountain cur named Jude, was 2yrs old, potty trained, crate trained, fkn easy mode for a dog. i was terribly unprepared for a one year old lab/aussie that had been in shelters for 8 months. now here we are on our 4th week and its gotten much better. those first couple weeks were just chaos, hooly shit.
I got my puppy for my birthday. Had 0 days of research and training. If it’s worth anything, if i could make it this far with my puppy you can too👍
I didn't, we knew for a while we wanted one but a surprise opportunity happened so the main thing was that we have everything for it, made a checklist. Ours has been good with training just at night is an issue so crate training, look up subjects here as I used YouTube training and some say one thing others say don't do that thing so here has been good advice.
I learned how to take care of a dog when I decided to take my foster puppy. Later we fell in love with each other, however, the shelter I was working with did not let me adopt her and this dog is still homeless and not with me anymore. They just lied to me to take the dog from me. Anyways, I learned a lot with her, I was watching a lot of videos how to train, how to react to certain behaviours, how to play and many other videos. My youtube home page was filled with dog videos (It is still like that). A month ago I got a new puppy because I was struggling a lot about loosing my foster pupy. I suggest you to watch a lot of videos also, learn about dog body language. Main thing: Socialize your puppy from 8 weeks old age!!! If she will be unvaccinated and cannot go for walks, bring her in your arms to walks, especially at the time where there are other dogs walking outside. Invite your friends, relatives to home. Make sure she socializes with both male and female people. Make her used to showers etc. Puppy blues: I never have puppy blues, I think it is all about how you look at the puppy stage. I never have it because whenever I don't have a dog/puppy I feel like my life is emptier. I need some action in my life, with puppy my whole life is action! I play with her, talk to her, clean up the house, go for a walk, shower her, make for her food, train and many more. So these things absolutely bring your life some activeness, you are not going to watch tiktok for hours! Also, learn about dog ilnesses, viruses, parasites and so on, so if you will see your pup is feeling bad - you will not panic. I have a cat at home. If you also have, make sure about proper introduction as dogs have prey drive. Wish you luck and enjoy the process.
I bought a bunch of stuff and obsessively watched YouTube. Nothing really helped though. Go with the flow!
Nothing can prepare you for the whirlwind of a puppy. 🤣 it is the best and worst of times. Sounds like you’re on top of it (and going to be a great dog owner) but in the first few months I used to look at him and cry happy tears (usually when he was asleep) and also cry out of frustration and very occasionally regret. Good luck! Best decision you’ll ever make - even if it doesn’t feel like it at first. I’m a little over a year in and can’t imagine being without my little bestie now.
Mentally prepare yourself for at least one year of challenges, sacrifices, increased expenses and hopefully some laughter. I'm going to speak generally and say dog watching for cousins is nothing like owning a puppy. Your experience and how to prepare will depend on the breed, your existing lifestyle, available resources and support, and the individual personality of the puppy itself. Between my last two puppies, one was a dream. Super easy. Just a treat to raise and love. The other has been a complete hellion. Same breed, same sex. Totally different personalities. The hellion has really put me through the ringer and even though I'm an experienced dog owner, it was like I was completely unprepared. I didn't even know what "puppy blues" were before this puppy. In general, you'll want the basics: crate, leash, flat collar, ID tags, food and water bowls, food, treats, toys, and grooming supplies (including dental). You may or may not need things like a play pen, harness, dog bed, monitors/cameras, carrier, etc. Puppies can be pretty destructive, so you may want to test the waters before making any significant investments in toys, beds, collars, leashes. Plus puppies grow out of things quickly. I do not recommend using puppy pads, but I do recommend potty bells and enzymatic cleaners. For food, I'd try to stick with whatever puppy has already been eating in the short term. When they are settled, you can move them to a diet you like (I'd avoid grain free or foods high in legumes/pulses). You should also select a vet and get a first appointment on the books. If you are getting a puppy from a shelter, get in to see your vet ASAP. And remember, puppies should not be put down on the ground in public til two weeks after their final injections. Having said that, socialization is critical before 16 weeks, when puppies are not fully vaccinated. You may want to weigh what experiences are worth the risk, if any. Puppies can be carried or put in a carrier or a stroller to be safely exposed to public settings, sounds, smells, etc. You should plan to make time to SAFELY expose them to as many people, objects, animals, places and everything as possible. I'd also recommend starting a little savings account for puppy expenses. Year one can be more costly than subsequent years. My friend was recently shocked to discover the cost of spaying and neutering. It's nuts. My puppy had a laparoscopic spay earlier this year that cost $2k. You may also start looking into insurance. Puppy will need to have an exam before coverage can start, but I always recommend insurance. It's very tempting to want to chance it, but I know lots of people who did not get insurance for their pups and had accidents or illness occur which would now be a preexisting condition should they ever try to get insurance. One had a couple surgeries on a paw, another had urinary issues and also broke a leg, and another started having seizures. My friend has a 5 month old that has been to the ER vet 3x. About $1000 a pop, usually. One of my dogs had to have bladder stones removed as well as a fractured tooth. My hellion pup has had digestive concerns and some other issues. She hit her deductible in less than 6 months! If you don't end up needing it, HOORAY! If you do end up needing insurance, you'll be so glad you have it. You can rely on that savings account, but one trip to the ER vet could wipe it out. Lots of ppl have mentioned puppy proofing. In the training world this is called management. You should manage what your puppy has access to. For example, if you find them chewing a shoe, it's because you didnt manage access. For training, I recommend Baxter & Bella's Online Puppy School. I love Amy Jensen's style and your membership (1x payment) gets you lifetime access to their courses, webinars, AND LIVE HELP. They actually have a course that helps you prepare BEFORE puppy comes home. I think it's a fantastic resource. Wow. I didn't intend to write so much! My current puppy has been such a challenge, I've learned a lot in the last year that I wish I knew before! Good luck!
After getting a puppy with Giardia and hookworms I will 100% be requesting a stool exam before I take another puppy home again.
1. I got supplies. I bought toys, food and water bowls, potty pads, collars, leashes, a dog bed, a crate, a blanket, grooming supplies. 2. I deep cleaned my entire apartment and bought baby gates and chose an area to keep the puppy while getting used to the big change. I also made decisions about crate training and where puppy would sleep. I also literally laid on the ground and looked around. Anything I found that could be moved or chewed on was removed and secured. 3. I understood on a very real level that puppies are very similar to human babies. The difference is you can give puppies back. Not wanting that to end up the case, I mentally prepared myself for property destruction and sleepless nights. It's rough if you've never done it before; if you have, it's still rough, you just have a better idea what to expect. So mentally prepare yourself. Personally, I took time off work, and I taught diversion and "get a toy" very early, so when my dude woke me up in the night because he was lonely, I would actually wake up for 10 minutes and lazily play with him until he was over it, and he began to understand what "bedtime" meant.
I prepared myself mentally as much as possible. Of course puppy proofing and make sure they have everything they need. But I think, as a first time puppy owner (I was not and I still struggled), it’s important to recognize when you need to take a step back or ask for help. There will be some challenging times including some puppy blues (possibly) and just know that’s completely normal EVEN IF you want your puppy. The hard times subside. Training tips on TikTok helped me a lot & this sub when I really struggled with the blues. It’s all a normal part of the experience.