Bringing a new puppy home
Getting a new puppy can be an exciting and busy time, but it’s always important to be prepared. Here are our top 7 essentials to help make your puppy’s experience of their new home as smooth as possible:
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A water and food bowl - we recommend a stainless steel one, it's more durable, easier to clean bowl, and won’t become a chew toy.
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Bedding and a crate - make sure it is the right size for your puppy.
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Toys - only allow access to toys when supervised; choose reputable dog-safe toys suited to your puppy.
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Grooming tools - grooming your puppy regularly familiarises them with being handled by people and will make the task of grooming easier down the track.
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Puppy toilet pads or other toilet training aids.
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Appropriate collar, lead and harness.
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Feeding a premium puppy food that is nutritionally complete and balanced, and backed by science, like PRO PLAN, is the perfect way to ensure your puppy is getting the best start in life.
It can be easy to forget other important things amidst the business of your puppy’s arrival! Fear not, here’s a couple of things to keep in mind if you haven’t already prepared them beforehand:
- Make sure you have copies of any vaccination certificates, worming history, etc., to take to your vet on their first visit.
- Consider pet insurance as, unfortunately, accidents and emergencies can happen.
- Choose a designated location in your house to keep their bed/crate. Start by keeping your new puppy in a small, quiet and secure room; a laundry, bathroom or spare room is perfect.
- Your puppy will be microchipped. It’s essential to confirm that your puppy’s microchip registration has been transferred over to you.
- Contact your local council about registration requirements.
New to being a puppy owner? Don’t be nervous; it’ll be a life-long learning process. To help prepare you, here as some of the common mistakes pet owners will make when they bring a new puppy home:
- Failing to puppy-proof their home and backyard before the arrival of their new family member. Keep all electrical cords, indoor plants, medicines, cleaning products, etc., out of your puppy’s access!
- Trying to do too much, too soon. Your puppy needs time to adjust to different sights, smells, its new environment, and other pets and animals.
- Failing to establish a routine and not starting basic puppy training early on.
- Unsupervised play with other pets, animals and children.
- Switching over their diet without a 7-day transition period, which may result in abdominal discomfort, diarrhoea and/or vomiting.
Once your puppy is settled in, it’s important to give them the best chance of becoming a good canine citizen. Ensuring they are well trained, socialised and have various experiences will help in the long-term by assisting their development into a well-adjusted adult dog.
Remember to:
- Book an appointment for your new puppy to have a wellness check with your vet as soon as possible. A good first visit to a vet clinic will hopefully help make future visits less stressful. Ensure vaccinations, worming and flea treatments are kept up to date.
- Take things one step at a time. Don’t overload your puppy with stimulation. Your new family member needs time to become acquainted with you and their new surroundings. The same goes for training and obedience.
- Positive reinforcement is essential and the key when it comes to training and new experiences. While exposing your puppy to new experiences is vital, those experiences and any training must be backed up with rewards (play, food or affection) to reinforce desired behaviours
- Part of your responsibility as a pet owner is to help your puppy get used to the world and feel confident in new situations. You can help to socialise them by gradually introducing them to new experiences, taking them to puppy preschool, dog parks and doggy daycare centres for supervised socialisation.
- Every puppy’s pace of development is different, so never force your puppy to try something they’re not comfortable with.
- Seek professional help from your vet if you have any concerns or notice any behavioural or training issues.
We hope these lists helped and weren’t too overwhelming! It’s easy to be caught up in the excitement of a new puppy, but a little preparation can make both your lives a lot easier in the long run!
Best of luck with your new family addition!