Part 1
Prep work and research are two of the most essential steps you need to take before you bring your new puppy home for the first time.
Learning about puppy behavior and dog body language is essential in helping you read the signs when your puppy wants/needs something,
is frightened, sick, tired, or reserved for any reason.
Before you bring your puppy home, there are a few items that you need to stock up on. The essentials include:
- Puppy food and feeding bowls - Puppy bed and/or dog crate -Dog toothpaste and puppy shampoo
- Grooming tools specifically designed for dogs - Potty pads - Adjustable puppy collar and leash
- And most importantly, puppy toys! Toy balls, squeaky toys, chew toys, and kong toys with puppy rewards in them, will help your new puppy keep busy and have fun at the same time.
Puppy proofing your home is a very important step that you cannot skip.
There are objects and places in your house that you might not want your puppy to lay paws on.
Puppies are notoriously eager to chew everything in sight. Their gums itch and they want to relieve that pressure by chewing everything they can reach.
So, you will need to make a few slight changes. Ask yourself these two questions:
What don’t I want my puppy to chew on or break? What objects are dangerous/not safe for my puppy?
Once you have the answers to those questions, it’s time to make the necessary changes.