Things to remember when you are bringing home a puppy!

When I was looking online for some suggestions on being a puppy owner I found a lot of helpful resources that were free online. So I thought I would contribute to those resources. Here are some suggestions I have for first-time puppy owners.

1. Know that choosing to bring a puppy home is only the first and most exciting step to raising a puppy.

There are a lot of breeders out there putting litres of puppies up for adoption and I would recommend looking at a couple before deciding to go with one. A lot of shelters also have puppies that they need to find homes for so make sure to check them out in your area as well. I cannot think of a better feeling than finding by puppy Pablo and I hope that when you find your puppy you feel twice as lucky as I did. With all that being said puppies are a lo of work so make sure that you have time and space in your life for one.

2. Make sure you have an appointment for a check-up with your vet.

It might seem unnecessary for you to get an appointment before you even bring your puppy home. However, trust me when I say you will have very little time to find a vet after you bring home your puppy. Another suggestion I have is making sure you have pet insurance because if anything happens to your puppy you will want to make sure you can give them the proper medical attention it needs.

3. It could be helpful to have a dog bed in the vehicle you are bringing him home in.

When I brought Pablo home I had a dog bed, but I was so excited I was not willing to let him out of my arms. It is good to sart training you puppy early on staying in its seat while driving so that it does no distract the driver. You can also put the puppy in a dog cage. Dog cages are every helpful when it comes to travelling so it would be helpful to train your puppy to get comfortable with travelling in a dog cage.

4. Have your home puppy-proofed because the puppy will be curious and stick its cute little nose into anything and everything.

Make sure you cover up and put away anything you value because the puppy will want to play with everything. You want to make sure places in your home that you do not want you puppy to enter are closed off. I cleaned and put away my valuables before I brought my puppy home, but I didn’t effectively plan what I should have done with my chargers. This resulted in Pablo stealing and playing with my phone charger. So I hope you plan out how to keep your home intact while raising a puppy.

5. Have some toys ready to go for the puppy to play with as soon as the puppy comes home.

I suggest creating toys out of used materials as that is the most sustainable option not to mention better for you wallet. For Pablo I grabbed all my stuffed animals and gave it to him. I also tied up some rope so we can play tug of war which was his favourite toy. At the end of the day you can make anything a toy for your puppy, but make sure you train your puppy to show them what is their toy and what is not.

6. Lastly and most importantly have fun and make sure to spend lots of time bonding with your puppy.

You and your puppy are going to have lots of fun together and I am so excited for you. Remember as scary as it to hold a puppy in your hands you are going to be an amazing puppy parent.

I wish you all the best and hope you and your puppy are as happy together as Pablo and I are.

Philomina Carmel Jose