THE CHOCOLATE DOG BLOG: Getting a new puppy



Getting a new puppy

I have decided I have a great amount of knowledge to share simply because I have been through the battles, sleepless nights and growing pains of raising a puppy from day 1. I would like to start sharing those tips and ideas with people who may be thinking about a new dog or who have just gotten a new puppy and are looking for help. So this will most likely be an ongoing thing so please check it out. 10 things to have prepared for the trip home.
  1. A crate/kennel that will fit your dog when he/she is fully grown.
  2. A quiet space for the kennel and the dog to sleep. I kept Bosco in my bedroom and that worked out fine. I do not think a busy room is ideal in the beginning.
  3. Decide on where the bathroom is going to be for your dog, outside or on paper. The sooner the dog knows where to go to the bathroom the better.
  4. Treat it like you are bringing a baby home and baby-proof your place. A dog will chew and chew and chew and anything you do not want wrecked, keep them away from it.
  5. A few toys or a towel or an old shirt that smells like you is nice for the kennel. It makes it easier when you are not around, the dog will still have your smell.
  6. Pre-plan the food and water area and have it set up. Dogs are all about routine so the sooner it is set up and they know where it is the better.
  7. If possible take a few days off of work or pick your dog up on a weekend so you can be there in the beginning. You don't want the dog to feel abandoned right away.
  8. Start small with boundries. At first Bosco only had his kennel and then I built a wall a few feet around his kennel and over the weeks this grew to half my room and so on. Eventually he had the run of the whole place. I found going slow is a great way for them to learn where they can and can't go. Just opening your place up for a free roam is a bad idea.
  9. Get ready for sleepless nights. It took about a month for Bosco to stop crying in the night and I usually had to lay next to his kennel (falling asleep most times). The lights outs and not having the mom and brothers and sisters around is hard in the beginning.
  10. Finally the biggest thing you need is PATIENCE. I will promise you all the hard work and sleepless nights in the beginning makes the job so easy after the first year. Setting routines and exposing your dog to as much as you can early is the best way to go. They learn fast and sometimes faster than we think. I know they are not children but raising them with the same ideas is a good plan.
Next time, what to do that first time you think they are sick.
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