You've decided where you are getting the puppy from, picked out the perfect breed for you and your family and brought the puppy home! Now the hard work begins, and the first months of a puppy's life are the most important to ensure a long life of good health and good behavior. Read more below!
1. The puppy should be seen by your veterinarian within the first 24-48 hours after bringing the puppy home
You want to be sure your puppy is healthy and there are no obvious problems with it. Puppies adjust to their new home the best when they are healthy. It is also a good time to discuss a vaccination schedule as well as a feeding program to make sure the puppy is getting adequate nutrition. The relationship with your veterinarian will be very important this first year!
2. Purchase a crate
Purchasing a crate for your puppy is very important! The crate will provide a "safe place" for the puppy to voluntarily sleep when it's tired or overwhelmed by a lot of activity in the house. It is also the best way to ensure that the puppy will not chew shoes, scratch doors, or other destructive behavior when you are away. A puppy may whine when you first put it in the crate, but with time and repetition, the puppy will adapt and actually go in the crate on their own. If your puppy will be growing quickly and doubling or tripling in size, get a crate that has a divider that can be adjusted as the puppy grows. This is important to prevent the puppy from going the bathroom in the crate.
3. Decide how and when you are going to begin training
Training your puppy is crucial and something that will make a difference years after today. Positive reinforcement and reward-based training, known as "nothing in life is free", is a great way to encourage puppies to want to do the right thing. It is never too early to begin training, but it will need to be continued throughout the first years of life. Ask your veterinarian for recommendations of local training programs for your new puppy.
4. If you have other pets at home, plan out how you are going to introduce them to each other
For introductions to other dogs: Find a neutral place, in the yard or other place outside the home. For multiple dog homes, introduce the puppy to them one at a time. A lot of fights occur over toys, a rawhide or over food at meal time. Make every attempt to prevent these from happening. It may help to feed the dogs in separate rooms and make sure that if they fight over a toy, remove the toy from the room. If the other dog in the home is a geriatric dog, the puppy may be exhausting or too rough when playing. It is important to ensure the older dog still has enough time to rest and if needed, the puppy may be to be separated for periods during the day to give both dogs time to relax.
For introductions to cats: Begin the introduction with the puppy on a leash or in a crate, so the puppy cannot harm the cat. This will also provide the cat the opportunity to get away if it wants. Having a room or floor of the house where the cats can play, eat, and sleep without the puppy. The new puppy should not have access to the cat's food or litter box and the cat should not have to pass in front of the dog to get to these things. Desensitizing a cat to a puppy may take a considerable amount of time and you should not become frustrated if results are not immediate.
The first year of a puppy's life is the most important. Work closely with you veterinarian to ensure it get the best start!
