Bringing home a new puppy is a very exciting moment. Here are a few things you can do to prepare for your new addition:
1. Puppy proof your home
Puppy-proofing is very similar to baby-proofing. Puppies explore the world with their mouths; anything you don’t want in your puppy’s mouth should be safely secured and out of reach! Cords, cables, valuable objects, anything that could potentially be dangerous to your pup and/or expensive to replace, should be inaccessible to them. Remember, just like a toddler, it only takes a second for a puppy to grab something.
2. Implement a confinement protocol
Before your puppy arrives at your home, you should have an established confinement area for them. This personal puppy space should be small (to prevent any accidents from occurring), have a crate, and an implemented gate/playpen system if necessary.
3. Determine your long-term house training goals
House training your dog comes with a variety of challenges, depending on the size of your new pup (and home, for that matter). Wee wee pads are one method that can be effective, but be aware that transitioning to fully outside potty may take a bit longer or be a bit more complicated. We recommend utilizing them only if you:
- Live in a high-story apartment where access to the outdoors is far
- Have a dog under 20 pounds
- Expect to be away from your home for prolonged period of time during the day
Wee wee pads also don’t need to be used forever; you can wean your pup off wee wee pads after they get into a better potty routine. If you do plan to use wee wee pads long-term, make sure to keep the pad in one consistent location, rather than having pads scattered throughout your home.
Overall, If you aren’t intending to use pads for the long term, consider whether you want to introduce them at all.
4. Separation practice
Many puppy guardians choose to take time off work to spend with their new puppy. This is a great way to bond with your pup and build a routine. However, it’s important, even if you are spending most of your time at home, to practice separation from your puppy. To do this:
- Practice feeding your puppy their meals out of a work-to-eat bowl or puzzle toy, while leaving the room for 1-2 minutes at a time. This will help build up separation endurance.
- Make sure you’re occasionally leaving the home, with your pup safely confined.
- Set-up a camera or other monitoring system to watch your dog, and make yourself feel confident that they are okay.
- Practice disengagement. This means being near your puppy, but not directly interacting with them. Do this multiple times throughout the day.
Being comfortable with separation is crucial for puppies – we know they’re adorable, and you want to be near them all the time, but it’s vital that your puppy learn to self-soothe and relax without you, in order to prepare them for times when you need to be away.