Disclaimer

Tips For New Puppy Owners

Be the Best Owner Ever: Tips For New Puppy Owners

Sharing is caring!

Last Updated on July 12, 2023 by Denise Leo. Post first published on August 23, 2021.

If you’re a new puppy owner, you may be worried about whether you have the ability to look after a puppy properly as it’s a huge commitment. Fortunately it’s not hard to care for a puppy. If you use these valuable tips for new puppy owners, you’ll have a great life with a new puppy.

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 need to 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 it feel picking up a new puppy for the first time? It’s exciting, nerve-wracking and joyful all at once. If you are bringing your new puppy home, there is a lot of preparation that 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 opportunity to play with them.
  • Get your home puppy-ready: Preemptively get all the things you need in place for when that furry little bundle of joy arrives.
  • A simple way to make the journey home more comfortable for your new puppy is 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 with you.
  • 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 their 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), make sure they either have a comfortable place by themselves such as crate or carrier secured onto passenger seat. Prepare for this emotional roller coaster called “bringing home” – Decide where your dog should go when travelling 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 that they can get out of their crate if necessary and hopefully relieve themselves before continuing on our journey back to where we call “home.”
  • Prepare for accidents: If it’s a long journey back home, you definitely want to pack paper towels and line their crate with puppy pads. Have an enzyme cleaner ready in the event of smelly accidents.
Tips For New Puppy Owners
Tips For New Puppy Owners

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 vet bed, or absorbable, washable blankets – these are also great for traveling or when your dog needs some privacy.
  • A play pen connected to the crate (place a puppy pad at the furthest end from the crate) so that he can have his own space inside.
  • Puppy training pads.
  • Food and water bowls.
  • Purchase the correct puppy food.
  • Washable bedding and a suitable sized puppy bed.
  • Plenty of safe chew toys, puzzle-type toys and soft squeaky animal shaped toys.

Tips For New Puppy 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 do; this is completely 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.
  • Lots of new smells, that smell suspiciously like home but are probably unfamiliar, too.
  • New people and maybe even other pets.

Your pup needs plenty of love and care in order 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 puppy 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 from 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 after some time spent together everything should settle down.
  • Help your puppy know where they should go to the toilet by providing them with a designated area. For example, you may want to have an outdoor space or a special pad dedicated in 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, play time 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 quickly as possible.
  • Your adorable puppy is going to be a lot of fun, but you should prepare yourself for the inevitable—chewing and destroying things.
  • Make sure to take your new puppy for a check up with the vet. I recommend that all pet owners make an appointment at their nearest veterinarian clinic when they get a new pup in order to schedule vaccinations and other treatments, as well as 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 happening in a short space of 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 the pup’s permanent sleeping place.
  • Ensure puppy is eating the correct amount of food and has access to water 24/7.
  • Never feed puppy any food from fast food restaurants.
  • Ensure puppy gets enough sleep.
  • Do not over exercise a young puppy.
  • Do not take a puppy to a dog park. Puppy could catch a disease or even be hurt by a larger dog.
  • Resist the temptation to show puppy to friends and neighbors.  Other than seeing the vet for the first vet check, puppy should stay at home until the puppy course of vaccinations is complete.
Tips For New Puppy Owners
Tips For New Puppy Owners

Important Puppy Care Tips

1. Regular visits to the vet. Every dog needs an annual physical and updated vaccines the same  as people. However, dogs age faster than people so it’s better to have a vet visit every six months. Regular vet visits may help your vet notice problems that can indicate disease or sickness.

2. Dog training. If a dog is taught to behave properly, he’ll be welcome just about everywhere. If you don’t know how to train your dog, attending an obedience class together will help both of you learn what’s acceptable and what’s not. It’s vital that you teach your pet to heel, sit, stay and come. If he tries to run into the road, one of these commands may actually save his life.

3. Feed your dog properly. If you give your dog the best quality food possible, he’ll stay healthy and active for a long time. Being stingy and buying the cheapest food you may save money in the short term but that choice could end up costing a lot more money down the track. Dogs who have diabetes and/or are overweight can be very costly when it comes to vet bills and other elements required to care for him.

4. Neuter your pet. It’s critical that you have 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 contracting many of the common dog cancers.

5. Groom your dog. A dog feels wonderful after he has been groomed, in much the same way as people. Give his coat a regular brush, even if it’s short. His nails should be properly trimmed regularly so he can walk without any problems. If you wish, you could brush his teeth with a specifically designed toothpaste and toothbrush to avoid him having any dental issues.

Final Thoughts on New Puppy Do’s and Don’ts

The amount of responsibility that comes with raising a new puppy can be daunting, but it also makes for some adorable moments.  When you get home from work and the first thing your pup does is jump on you to say hello, 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 long without any breaks–but there are many other things that make our four-legged friends genuinely content too! Did you know that playing games like tug o’war helps build trust between owners and their canine?

Finally, but certainly not least, is to give your new best friend a lot of attention and love. If you play it smart by following all the tips in this article, then both of you will be enjoying each other for many years.

Copyright CaninePals.Com. All Rights Reserved.

 

Author

    by
  • Denise Leo

    My name is Denise Leo, and I hail from Australia. My journey with dogs, especially with the delightful Pomeranian breed, has been a lifelong passion extending over 50 years. I have had the honor of breeding and exhibiting close to 100 Pomeranian Champions, dedicating many years to the intricate art of dog training across various disciplines. Beyond the show ring, my experience stretches to the pastoral fields as both a Dairy Farmer and Beef Cattle Breeder, where working with dogs of all breeds has been an integral part of my daily life. This diverse exposure has deepened my understanding and appreciation for these incredible animals. I firmly believe that dogs are the most extraordinary beings in our universe, capable of offering us unconditional love that surpasses even their own self-interest. The countless wonderful dogs that have shared my life over the years have not only brought immense joy and companionship but have also profoundly enriched my existence in ways I could never have imagined. About us page