When you’re planning on bringing home a baby you spend months if not years making the preparations mentally and physically but when it comes to bringing home a puppy it can often be done on a whim. This means that there is no preparation in place and you find yourself playing catch up for the first few weeks or even months. 

Photo by Torsten Dettlaff from Pexels

Even simple things like the lack of a crate, puppy pen or puppy training pads can make housetraining impossible and stressful. 

A clever dog owner-to-be will but a lot of effort into their pre-puppy preparations. Not only can it add the excitement and allow you to prepare as a family it also means you are giving your puppy the best start with any introductions into your home.  

The preparations you need to make fall into three categories: 

• Equipment and Supplies

• Sevices

• Routines and House Rules

Let’s have a look at them in more detail below: 

Supplies and Equipment

You may think it’s as simple as having a food bowl and a dog bed before you bring home your puppy, however, there is a lot of things you need to source in order to keep your new puppy comfortable and happy while he learns and becomes part of the family. It’s a good to source everything you need before you bring them home, this way you won’t be left making a mad dash to the store and risking not being able to get what you need. Places like Time for Paws have everything you need all in one place. 

Some items to add to your list include: 

• Crate

• Puppy pen/exercise pen

• Tether

• Collar, ID tag, leash, and harness.

• Seat belt

• Clicker

• Treats

• Longline

• Toys

• Balls, interactive toys, fetch toys.

• Grooming tools

• House cleaning tools

Services 

Before your puppy even arrives with you, it’s a good idea to research all the nearby puppy service requirements. This way you are well informed and organized for things like arranging puppy training or their first trip to the vet. Have a look at references, take recommendations from friends, and find the right services for you.

Some to consider include: 

• Vets

• Grooming 

• Puppy Classes

• Socializing 

House Rules and Routines

Routines and rules are important in your household, especially if there are children living there. In order to integrate your new puppy to your home it’s important to create a set of rules and a new routine that includes the care and attention that the new puppy is going to require. 

Think about things like: 

Your regular routine, getting up, working hours and bedtime, etc

Feeding times 

Grooming schedule

Daily exercise 

Veterinary trips 

Weekly puppy class

Always remember that you new puppy will need to fit into your routine as well as you ensuring you have the time to provide the care that they need. If you aren’t likely to have someone at home for the majority of the day then introducing a new dog may not be the right thing to do. 

It might sound like a lot to think about, however, with some careful consideration and planning, you should be well on your way to being ready to introduce a new puppy to your family home. Have you introduced a puppy to your home? What did you do to prepare?