Are you totally excited that you’re bringing a puppy home for the first time?
I get the feeling you are! and I’m excited for you.
Tips For A New Puppy
I miss those good old puppy days (well ok, maybe not the middle of the night potty time, lol).
They sure do go by so fast.
Bringing your new puppy home for the first time can seem to be a little stressful. So, You’ll want to have everything ready for your new bundle of joy and a good routine in mind for your new pet.
Remember the puppy is leaving his or her Mother for the first time (who would keep them on the beaten path).
The new pup will need to adjust to his or her new home- so do all you can to make their transition a good one.
In this post, I will go over everything that has worked for me over the years, and if you follow these new dog owner tips, starting with your puppy’s first night -you’ll then have yourself a stress-free puppy who will show you their love and appreciation for years to come.
Let’s dive in:
*Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links, meaning I earn a commission if you use those links at no cost to you. I always only recommend brands I trust and ones I think you’ll love.
How To Prepare Your Home For A New Puppy
Learn from some of my earlier mistakes.
Starting with your home.
For example:
One day I went to charge my laptop and then realized I couldn’t because the wire was all chewed up by my new puppy at the time. (Yes, that happened to me).
I have to admit I was a little mad but then realized that was my own fault for not thinking about these things before bringing a puppy home.
Ok, I didn’t think much about preparing my home when I got my first puppy, but I learned a lesson that puppy preparation is important… I knew that the next time I brought a puppy home, it wouldn’t happen again.
“Being prepared is key to a successful arrival”
Here are some things that you will need to do around the house in the days just before the puppy’s arrival.
- Remove all wires ( you don’t want to deal with getting a new wire like I had to)
- Use cleaners in the house that are pet-safe ( puppies love licking things)
- Remove all plants out of their reach ( certain plants are poisonous to our pups)
- If you have children, put away any small toys that a puppy could choke on.
- Remove all breakables or move to a higher location
- Get Gates and a pet playpen for the home from amazon (Puppies shouldn’t have free run of your home)
Also, need tips on bathing your new puppy?
Read More Here: 11 Tips on How To Bathe Your Dog at Home [Easily]
When Bringing Home Your Puppy For The First Time.
Your new puppy is most likely going to be a little scared. I know I would if I was going home with people I just met.
But don’t worry, you got this!
They’re just like babies, so hold them on the car ride home to make them feel safe, or if bringing home a puppy in a car alone, get a dog small dog crate or carrier and keep it right next to you, so this way the pup knows you are right there.
Make sure to have some puppy toys and a blanket with you. The best thing really is to have the breeder give you a toy and blanket with the scent of the puppy’s Mother and littermates on it.
Most good breeders will already know to do this. It can definitely help calm your pup by having that familiar scent with them – Use it on the car ride home and then at home in your puppy’s crate at night for sleeping.
Pro Tip: If your breeder doesn’t give you any toys for the car ride home, bring some with you just in case. I recommend my favorite items for puppies in my new puppy shopping list article, plus you can download a free printable of the list there. So, be sure to check it out.
What Is The First Thing You Do When You Bring A Puppy Home?
As soon as you arrive home, you need to do something important.
Start a routine with your puppy and stick to it.
I know, I know it will be hard to stay on a schedule. You’ll probably want to play with the puppy all day. I get it, but in the long run, this will be best for the whole family. It doesn’t mean you can’t spoil them with love.
It just means that without a schedule, chaos can happen. That isn’t good for any family, right?
Sticking to a schedule is how you’re going to raise a well-behaved lovable dog from the start.
Check out the schedule I go by… I wrote all about it in my post – A Daily Puppy Routine (Why You Need One To Stay Sane.)
You see:
Dogs love routines. By repeating the same things every day (even at the same time), they’ll know what to expect. It will lead you to have a calm, well-behaved puppy.
It will take time – so make sure you stick with it.
Focus On These Areas To Start With The New Puppy
- Potty time – take your puppy out at the same time every day and night – this will help with your potty training. I took my new puppies out every hour in the beginning after getting up, eating and playtime for sure. Here is a good article that talks about a good timeline for potty time. Also, you want to bring them to the same area outside. They soon realize this is their potty spot. You will adjust this schedule as your puppy grows.
- Feeding time – Puppies will eat three times a day and then move to 2 times as they age. When you feed them their dog food at the same time every day, they will develop a so-called built-in clock. They soon will be reminding you with a look like, “Hey Lady, where is my food.”
- Playtime – Getting them on an everyday routine is not only great for exercise, but it’s also great for bonding with their new dog owners. They learn to trust you, and keeping to a schedule lets them know that you’re there for them. Keep it to the same time every day, even if you only have 10 minutes 3-4 times a day.
- Sleeping time – A routine for sleeping is essential for keeping your puppy happy and healthy, plus the rest of your household will be happy too. They start to know when you go to bed at night they have to also. It especially helps with crate training when you have a routine.
Latest Products We Love!
Dog Toys
Dog Beds
Dog Health
Dog Lover
Puppy Adjustment Period
Now you can focus on the fun, joy, and all those puppy kisses since you”ll be following a routine that gives them structure and just an extra word of advice.
Make sure everyone in the household follows these tips we talked about – you don’t want all that hard work to backfire.
Just be consistent, and everyone in the household will benefit from that. Remember to give it time for the routine you put into place to work – probably about two months.
Final Thoughts: Tips For New Puppy Owners
Your days ahead will continue to be exciting and busy as your pup grows and learns new things every day, but you will see how it’s all worth it from that endless love you will get from the puppy- heck, who knows after bringing a puppy home for the first time it might lead you to want to get a second one. (Hint, Hint) 🙂
P.S Let me know how it goes in the comments. I would love to hear from you. Also, share this post with anyone else that might need these tips.
If you found this blog post useful then please consider taking a few seconds to share it to Pinterest or another social media platform!
Thank You!
Until next time,
Have a paw-some day!
Great article! Definitely a lot to think about!!
Thank you, I’m glad you liked it. Yes, it’s a lot to think about..:)
It really helped to read the part of your article that stated that 3-4 play sessions of 10 minutes each are enough for a new puppy. The puppy I always wanted to get for my first pet would be one of those energetic ones since my son would also like a new friend to play with at home. Knowing how often to play with it will definitely help us make it feel welcome, so I’ll keep this in mind when I find a puppy breeder in the area that can help us adopt our first one.