The thought of bringing home a new puppy is an exciting experience for people of all ages. Many of us remember the first time we got a new canine addition to the family, feeling ecstatic to have a new playmate in the home.
However, bringing a new puppy home isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. To be a proper pet owner, there are precautions, plans, and investments that need to be taken or made before your new four-legged friend sets his first paw inside the home.
What exactly should a new puppy owner be looking to do before he or she arrives? We’ll examine a few of the most important considerations and provide some tips on how to make it happen.
Stock Up on Toys
Your new puppy will naturally be very energetic, curious, and playful. Sometimes, this behaviour can manifest in less than ideal ways: namely, through the destruction of items around the home. One of the first tasks in being a proper pet owner is to procure a variety of toys for your new puppy that’ll be ready and available as soon as they arrive.
Every dog is different and will naturally have different interests and methods of play. For this reason (and because puppies can often quickly destroy many toys through rough play), we recommend purchasing a variety of different low-cost options. This can help you figure out which types of toys your new puppy likes and which ones aren’t as interesting to him/her, which can inform future toy buying decisions (click here for ideas on puppy toys to buy).
Create a Proper Food Plan
Ensuring your new puppy has a balanced diet is crucial for growth – something he/she will be doing a lot of in the coming months! Ultimately, picking the right puppy dog food may improve overall growth and health. Generally speaking, puppy dog food is given until the puppy reaches maturity (18 to 24 months), but a proper diet will forever be a prime consideration.
Natural and healthy food suppliers like Bella & Duke incorporate natural ingredients into their blends, offering diets for puppies, adult dogs, and senior dogs alike. They offer specialised blends of raw puppy food for those seeking to incorporate 100% natural diets into their dogs’ diet plans (as well as a variety of all-natural puppy treats and remedies).
Invest in Grooming Tools
Let’s face it: puppies can make a lot of messes. And when they make messes, they themselves can get pretty messy, too. This is why it’s important to have a variety of grooming tools and products on-hand for any new canine addition to the home.
Some examples include glove-like bathing tools to help remove debris and dirt from your puppy’s skin, a stand-alone grooming centre for bathing outside of tubs and sinks, self-cleaning hairbrushes, and thinning shears.
However, it’s important to remember that various items such as shampoo, nail trimmers, and toothbrushes are also a good investment.
Pick Appropriate Bedding, Collars, and Leads
Where your puppy sleeps says a lot about how seriously you take the act of dog ownership. Many dogs will spend close to half their lives sleeping, making the choice of bedding a very crucial consideration. You’ll likely want to buy a dog bed or comparable bedding option that your puppy can grow into as he/she matures. An easily washable and stain-resistant type of bedding is also recommended.
Collars and leads are another huge consideration. When your puppy isn’t indoors or asleep, you’ll likely be taking him or her to the potty or for walks. A comfortable, adjustable collar is an absolute must (most owners prefer snap-on collars). Additionally, a strong, retractable, and chew-resistant lead is ideal to ensure its longevity and proper on lead training for your growing puppy.
Follow Up with the Vet
Depending on when and where you received your new puppy, immunisations, ID/chipping, and other basic forms of early life care may have already been handled. However, if this isn’t the case, it is vital to consult with a vet on obtaining these necessary tasks. Whether your puppy still needs to be wormed immunized, or simply inspected in advance of future appointments, handling this as soon as possible is obviously preferable. Pet care costs are rising because advances in veterinary care are becoming more effective. Sign up for dog health insurance to add coverage for your puppy’s routine vet expenses.
From there, your vet will likely recommend annual check-ups to ensure your growing puppy’s health is maintained.
Establish Designated Feeding Areas and Procedures
Picking the right meal options for your puppy is important, but so is creating a sense of boundaries within the home for how, when, and where your puppy eats and drinks. Members of the family – particularly younger children – should be made aware of how to handle food and how to avoid sending mixed messages to the dog regarding perceived competition for their food (which leads to a behaviour known as “food guarding” or food aggression).
Generally, adhering to strict rules about where the puppy eats and giving it a respectable amount of space while doing so can help avoid potential injuries to both you and your puppy.
Preparing the home for any new arrival can be tough, but planning for the arrival of a new puppy can be made easier with the right choices. These straightforward tips can help ensure your puppy has a healthy, happy, and safe environment in which to grow and thrive!