Be the Best Owner Ever: Puppy Facts for New Owners

Last Updated on March 20, 2024 by Denise Leo. Post first published on August 23, 2021.

Welcoming a new puppy into your home is an exciting time filled with joy, anticipation, and a bit of nervousness, especially for first-time dog owners. As you prepare for your puppy’s arrival, understanding their needs and what to expect in the early days becomes crucial.

This guide on “Puppy Facts for New Owners” is designed to equip pet parents with essential insights into navigating the initial phase of dog ownership.

From figuring out the first things to do when your new pet crosses the threshold to recognizing the most important thing about integrating them as family members, we’ll cover what you need to know to ensure a smooth transition for you and your puppy.

Whether you’re curious about different dog breeds or seeking advice on effectively meeting your puppy’s needs, you’re in the right place. Let’s dive into the wonderful world of puppies, ensuring you’re well-prepared to introduce your furry friend to their new life as joyfully and stress-freely as possible.

New Puppy Do’s and Don’ts

Puppy facts for new owners include the information that a puppy is just like a new human baby; they must be taught their boundaries. Here are some ideas and the best puppy advice to help you and your new puppy learn the ropes.

Bringing a New Puppy Home

How does picking up a new puppy for the first time feel? It’s exciting, nerve-wracking, and joyful all at once. If you are bringing your new puppy home, a lot of preparation needs to be done before the big journey begins. To make sure everything goes smoothly, here are some tips on how to bring home a new puppy:

• Picking a weekend to pick up your new puppy will make settling in at home easier and give you more opportunities to play with them.
• Get your home puppy-ready: Prepare everything you need when that furry bundle of joy arrives.
• A simple way to make your new puppy’s journey home more comfortable is to give them something that smells like their mother and siblings. The breeder will likely have a blanket, but if not, you can ask about borrowing one from the bedding they’ve used with your pup.
• Take a small bottle of water from the breeder: If you’re looking for an easy way to prevent any puppy’s digestive woes, take home some of the breeder’s water.
• Ask the breeder for a small sample of the food your puppy has been eating at the breeder’s home.
•  First, decide where in the car the puppy will sit for safety and comfort during the long ride home. If it’s too stressful or dangerous to have the puppy on your lap while driving (or if no one can join you), ensure they have a comfortable place, such as a crate or carrier secured to the passenger seat. Prepare for this emotional roller coaster called “bringing home” by deciding where your dog should go when traveling in the car.
• Make sure you stop for frequent breaks when driving back with your new pup, or else it will be very smelly and uncomfortable in the car. Stop at gas stations or rest stops so they can get out of their crate if necessary and hopefully relieve themselves before continuing on their journey back to what we call “home.”
• Prepare for accidents: If it’s a long journey back home, pack paper towels and line the puppy’s crate with puppy pads. Also, have an enzyme cleaner ready in case of smelly accidents.

How to Prepare for New Puppy

Here’s a Few Items That I Recommend Purchasing Before Bringing a New Puppy Home:

• A crate lined with a vet bed or absorbable, washable blankets is also great for traveling or when your dog needs privacy.
• A playpen or exercise pen. Connected to the crate (place a puppy pad at the furthest end of the crate) so that the dog has his own space inside.
• Baby gates.
• Poop bags
• Puppy training pads.
• Dog food and water bowls.
• Purchase the correct puppy food. A high-quality food.
• Washable bedding and a suitable-sized puppy bed.
• There are plenty of safe chew, puzzle-type, and soft, squeaky animal-shaped toys.
• Pet insurance.

 Puppy Facts for New Owners: The First Week

There’s a lot of adjustment to go through in those first seven days. You’ll want to learn all you can about how puppies develop and what they need so that you’re prepared for anything. Puppies will have accidents more often than fully trained dogs; this is normal during their early weeks because they haven’t yet learned bladder control. Be patient but consistent while training your pup.

Your new puppy must adapt to:

• Adjusting to their new home.
• Being away from their mother and littermates.
• Drinking and eating from a different bowl.
• There are lots of new smells that smell suspiciously like home but are probably unfamiliar.
• New people and maybe even other pets.

Your pup needs plenty of love and care to adjust properly. Puppies are just like human babies. They need a lot of attention and love to stay healthy and happy, so don’t overwhelm them with too many physical or mental tasks at once.

New Puppy Owner Guide: the First Week

• Overnight, your puppy’s sleep patterns are likely to change drastically. It’s normal for them not to sleep through the night in their first week at home as they adjust to living with a litter of other animals and people. Additionally, animals have trouble adjusting if they don’t get enough sleep because other external stimuli keep them awake at night, like kids playing outside or traffic noises; however, once again, everything should settle down after some time spent together.
• Help your puppy know where to go to the toilet by providing a designated area. For example, you may want an outdoor space or a special pad dedicated to another part of their home away from their crate. To get a puppy toilet trained, create and follow a good schedule that includes bedtime and wake-ups, feeding, playtime with the pup, or some gentle exercise to keep them tired at all times. A potty break should be included in every hour of awake time so they can learn as quickly as possible.
• Your adorable puppy will be fun, but you should prepare for the inevitable—chewing and destroying things.
• Make sure to take your new puppy for a checkup with the vet. I recommend that all pet owners make an appointment at their nearest veterinarian clinic when they get a new pup to schedule vaccinations and other treatments and familiarize themselves with any preexisting conditions or health issues so that these can be dealt with immediately.

Things to Know About Puppies

New puppies are cute and cuddly, but they also have a lot going on in a short time. They need food for energy and shelter from the elements so that their new immune system can get strong enough to fend off disease. Puppies also must learn how important socialization is early on in life: it’s necessary so that dogs don’t grow up not trusting humans or other animals around them.

What Not to Do With a New Puppy

Here’s a list of what not to do with your new puppy:

• Don’t let your new puppy sleep in your bed on the first night unless this will be the pup’s permanent sleeping place.
• Ensure the puppy eats the correct amount of food and has access to water 24/7.
• Never feed a puppy any food from fast food restaurants.
• Ensure the puppy gets enough sleep.
• Do not over-exercise a young puppy.
• Do not take a puppy to a dog park. The puppy could catch a disease or even be hurt by a larger dog.
• Resist the temptation to show the puppy to friends and neighbors. Other than seeing the vet for the first checkup, the puppy should stay home until its course of vaccinations is complete.

Important Puppy Care Tips

• Regular Visits to the Vet: Every dog needs an annual physical and a vaccination schedule, just like people. However, dogs age faster than people, so visiting a good veterinarian every six months is better. Regular vet visits may help your vet notice problems that can indicate disease or sickness.
• Crate Training & Potty Training: For new puppy owners, crate and potty training are fundamental to raising a well-behaved dog. Crate training offers your puppy a secure and comfortable personal area, helping them learn to cope with anxiety and appreciate alone time. It also plays an important role in preventing indoor accidents, ensuring a smoother housebreaking process. Simultaneously, potty training, often facilitated by puppy training pads, helps establish a clear routine and designated area for bathroom breaks. These pads can be a valuable tool in teaching your puppy where it is acceptable to relieve themselves, especially before they’ve learned to hold it until they’re outside. Starting these training techniques early benefits your puppy’s emotional and physical growth and enhances the connection between you and your puppy.
• Dog Training: Training your new puppy with positive reinforcement ensures good behavior and enhances their social skills and mental stimulation. Puppy classes are an excellent start, teaching crucial commands like heel, sit, stay, and come, which could be life-saving. These classes offer a blend of reward-based training—using treats and praise to encourage good behavior—and opportunities for young puppies to interact, developing their social abilities. This foundation of positive reinforcement and socialization sets the stage for a well-mannered dog, welcome in any setting.
• Feeding: If you give your dog the best quality food possible, he’ll stay healthy and active for a long time. Stingy and buying the cheapest food may save money in the short term, but that choice could cost much more. Dogs with diabetes and/or obesity can be very costly in terms of vet bills and other care.
• Neuter your pet: It would be best if you had your dog neutered. The only exception to this rule is if he’s a first-class member of his specific breed. Neutering your beloved dog when he’s six months old can prevent him from contracting many common dog cancers.
• Grooming: Like people, dogs feel wonderful after being groomed. Give his coat a regular brush, even if it’s short. His nails should be properly trimmed regularly so he can walk easily. You could brush his teeth with a specifically designed toothpaste and toothbrush to avoid dental issues.

Puppy Facts for New Owners Conclusion

Raising a new puppy can be daunting but makes for some adorable moments.  When you get home from work, your pup first jumps on you to say hello, and there’s no way not to smile.

A lot has been written about what makes dogs happy—walks outdoors, treats for doing tricks, or just because they should have the occasional snack since it’s not good for them all day without any breaks—but many other things make our four-legged friends genuinely content, too! Did you know that playing games like tug-of-war helps build trust between owners and their canines?

Finally, but certainly not least, give your new furry friend much attention and love. If you play it smart by following all the tips in this article, you will enjoy each other for many years.

Please note: while I do discuss health, care, and behavioral issues, you should never use this information as a replacement for advice from qualified veterinarians, diagnoses, or recommended treatment regimes. If you have any worries about your Dog’s health, your first contact should be your regular vet or, if you don’t yet have one, a vet that works locally. Never ignore or avoid treatment and advice from your vet because of a piece of information you have read on any website.

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