{"id":2125,"date":"2019-08-07T20:01:06","date_gmt":"2019-08-08T00:01:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.smokymountaindoodles.com\/?p=2125"},"modified":"2019-08-07T20:01:06","modified_gmt":"2019-08-08T00:01:06","slug":"top-tips-when-bringing-home-a-new-puppy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smokymountaindoodles.com\/?p=2125","title":{"rendered":"Top Tips When Bringing Home a New Puppy"},"content":{"rendered":"

It has been said that bringing home a new puppy is a lot like bringing home a human baby\u2014the puppy is hungry all the time, poops a lot, cries, and keeps its people up all night. On the other hand\u2014or paw\u2014a new puppy is entertaining, loving, delightful, and a source of sunshine in\u00a0 our homes, which makes up for all the other stuff. And you\u2019re gaining a new best friend. The keys to a successful embark<\/em><\/strong>ation on your lifelong love affair is preparation (LOTS of preparation), organization, and establishing routine. Here are our top tips when bringing home a new puppy.<\/p>\n

Start Preparing Well Before\u00a0<\/em>Puppy Comes Home<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Make Key Decisions NOW So There Isn\u2019t Confusion Later<\/b><\/h3>\n

The last thing you want to have happen is for the children to upset the puppy by fighting over his care. Decide NOW where the puppy will sleep, who\u2019s in charge of feeding\/watering, and where in the house the puppy can and can\u2019t go.<\/p>\n

Have Everything Ready at Home So You Don\u2019t Have to Stop at the Store<\/strong><\/h3>\n
    \n
  • Food\/water bowls<\/li>\n
  • Crate<\/li>\n
  • Bed<\/li>\n
  • Collar\/leash<\/li>\n
  • Chew toys (LOTS of chew toys)<\/li>\n
  • Baby gate or \u201cplaypen\u201d lockable enclosure<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Create your Puppy\u2019s Separate Living Space<\/b><\/h3>\n

    Until your puppy\u2019s house trained, he shouldn\u2019t have free run of the house since he might have potty accidents, get into something toxic, or even get hurt. That living space should include his crate. When you can\u2019t be with him, he should be in that living space.<\/p>\n

    Make Arrangements for Puppy School, Puppy Home Care, and Vet Care<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    If the puppy will be at home alone for significant amounts of time each day because you\u2019re working, you may want to research options and then arrange for a dog walker who can give your pet company and strengthen their house-training lessons. While you\u2019re at it, make sure you have reserved a spot for puppy school and lined up your new puppy\u2019s veterinarian.<\/p>\n

    Bringing Home your New Puppy: First Things First\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Keep It on the Down Low<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    As much as you\u2014and your human kids if you have them\u2014want to play with your puppy, keep the exuberance level to a minimum. Remember, he\u2019s in a strange place and hasn\u2019t gotten used to home yet. Rather than overwhelm the little one, keep things quiet and calm.<\/p>\n

    Training Starts on Day One<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    This means getting used to his crate, establishing a routine for house training, and learning good manners. Consistency and positive reinforcement on your part are the keys to getting your puppy\u2019s training off on the right paw.<\/p>\n

    Routine, Routine, Routine<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Like with people, routines make puppies comfortable and are reassuring to them. The big world becomes less scary for a little creature when they know what to expect from day to day. Stick to a schedule as much as possible when it comes to meals, walks, potty breaks, and playtime. You can start mixing up their activities more as they get older and more confident, but in the beginning, it\u2019s all about reassuring them with a familiar routine.<\/p>\n

    Tip of the Tail<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Bringing home a new puppy is a big deal, so being ready with a plan just makes sense. But sometimes a curve gets thrown into even the best-laid plans, so be prepared to adjust a little. \u00a0Happy puppy-ing!<\/p>\n

    Borrowed from DDC Veterinary Services<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    It has been said that bringing home a new puppy is a lot like bringing home a human baby\u2014the puppy[…]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2114,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[58],"tags":[72,22,78,90,91,12,18,54,27,44,8,41,47],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smokymountaindoodles.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2125"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smokymountaindoodles.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smokymountaindoodles.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smokymountaindoodles.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smokymountaindoodles.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2125"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.smokymountaindoodles.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2125\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2126,"href":"https:\/\/www.smokymountaindoodles.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2125\/revisions\/2126"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smokymountaindoodles.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2114"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smokymountaindoodles.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2125"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smokymountaindoodles.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2125"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smokymountaindoodles.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2125"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}