What You Need To Know Before You Get A Puppy

Yay! We got a puppy! Oh no! We got a puppy! This is how I feel about our current situation. Puppies are ADORABLE and can be a lot of fun. Puppies are a lot of work and a long term commitment. Before you are convinced by the cuteness to get a puppy, here are some things you should know.

Our beloved dog, Reese, passed away this summer. She was 12 years old when cancer took her. My kids and I were heartbroken. After Reese I wasn’t sure I wanted another dog. They are a lot of work and a long term commitment. Although I missed the companionship of a pup, it was nice to leave the house without worrying about getting home to let the dog out. However, 3 months after our pup passed I saw my daughter playing with someone’s dog and she has pure joy on her face. I decided that my kids needed to have a dog in their lives.

By December I had found a pup that would be ready to come home just before Christmas. She was adorable and we couldn’t wait for her to come home. But when she got here I remembered just HOW much work a puppy is to raise. So I thought I would share incase you were thinking of getting a puppy to help you prepare.

Things you should have for a puppy

• A crate the correct size for when your pup is an adult (if you are planning on crate training).
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• Dog bowls for food and water – it’s good to get bowls easy to clean and not easily broken. Anti-skid is also a plus!
  
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• Puppy food – something specifically made to meet your puppy’s needs as they grow
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• A collar – You will probably purchase several of these over the lifetime of your pup so size for what you need at the moment. It is important for a puppy’s collar to fit correctly. If a pup slips the collar before it is trained it could run away or get hurt by cars or other animals.
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• A dog harness and leash – You should train your pup to walk on a leash and a dog harness is better for your pup than a collar. Pups like to try to walk their owner and a harness makes it so the leash isn’t pulling on the pup’s throat.
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• Dog toys – Puppies chew incessantly! Make sure you have a variety of toys to occupy your pup and to encourage them to chew the toy, not your furniture or other things.
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• Small training treats – puppies need lots of training and treats make it very clear what you want them to do. At first treats should be used for training and then decreased as the dog learns the behavior. You don’t want your pup to expect a treat every time they listen. After they learn your commands it is great to reward them every once in awhile for being a good pup. Remember, too much of a good thing is bad. Too many treats will harm the health of you pup. Instead of always rewarding with treats, love on your pup with a good petting session or a game of fetch.
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• A bed – Whether you crate train or not, a pillow or dog bed is great for giving your pup a space to feel safe and that they know is theirs. Again, size accordingly. You will most likely purchase several of these throughout the life of your pup so start with a smaller bed for a puppy and then replace it with a larger one when they get older.
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What you should know before your puppy comes home

• Puppy proof your home! Puppies chew and eat EVERYTHING! Anything that is small enough for a pup to eat must be picked up and put in a place the puppy cannot reach. Puppy proofing is very much like kid proofing a home. If you are not crate training it would be a good idea to have a baby gate that give the pup a safe area to be in when you cannot keep an eye on them. This protects your puppy and your stuff.
• Understand that a puppy needs constant supervision. From training them to go to the bathroom outside and keeping them from chewing/eating what they shouldn’t, you always need to be watching you pup. If you can’t watch your pup, they should be in the safe area or crate.
• Understand a puppy takes A LOT OF TIME! Not only do you need to keep an eye on your pup at all times you need to train your pup to behave. You will spend hours bonding with your pup, teaching it to come when called, to sit, stay, lay down, drop whatever is in their mouth, and to walk on a leash. And those are just the basics.
• Decide on the commands you will use and what is allowed so that everyone in the family is consistent with the puppy.

Now, I know that I have listed a lot of things that may make having a puppy feel overwhelming, but it can be if you are not prepared. However, if you have the time and are prepared a puppy is a lot of fun and the bond you will have with you dog throughout the years is special. Your pup is a member of your family and will share love, companionship and loyalty with you for many years.

Our pup is full of energy, my kids are learning how to care for an animal and we are making memories.