Welcoming a new puppy is an exciting and extremely rewarding experience. You and your family need to plan ahead before acquiring a puppy.
Aesthetics should not be the only criterion, you must take into account the composition of your household (children for example), your pace of life (how much time can you devote to it each day), the presence of other animals, the space you have available for them (apartment or house with garden)…
Depending on the breed, dogs will have specific needs that you will have to meet or risk creating frustration or worse, behavioral problems.
If you are well prepared, you can help your puppy settle in faster and it will be nicer for you too!
Be ready to welcome your puppy:
Adopting a puppy requires much preparation in order to guarantee ideal conditions to welcome it into your home. In addition to buying the necessary equipment, it is also essential to prepare your home. Here are some key things to consider to ensure a good start.
In nature, the dog evolves in a social group. Very quickly, he must learn to control himself and to
communicate within the group. The first weeks of his life are essential for his learning of the world, they build his behavior. Your puppy is able to adapt very quickly to your family and home. However, he is a unique individual who has already begun learning his life skills thanks to some experiences and the lessons instilled by his parents, brother, sister and us. This must be taken into account to avoid bad starts and to continue learning and education.
Space management:
As soon as he arrives at your home, the puppy must have a place reserved for him, where he can rest as soon as he wants to, because a puppy sleeps several hours a day so choose a quiet place without too much traffic.
Cleanliness:
Take your puppy out immediately after each meal, as soon as he wakes up and as soon as he plays. If you notice him spinning and fussing, take him outside. These few precautions will allow you to quickly obtain results, as soon as he does it is necessary to not forget to accompany him by saying “pee time” or “pee outside” this will allow him to make the association.
If he “forgets”, do not put his nose in it, nor reprimand him because it remains totally incomprehensible for him especially when he has not been caught in the act, he risks associating the fact of doing his business to wrongdoing. Clean up out of his presence, to avoid associating this with a way of attracting your attention.
On the contrary, if he performs, make him understand your satisfaction by your attitude, voice or a reward each time he defecates in the appropriate place.
Vigilance :
Puppies are curious and always on the lookout for exploration. You must therefore secure your home before welcoming them.
Your home:
In an apartment, the balcony must be protected with a screen or a small fence, for example, so that your puppy cannot stick his head out, get stuck or jump.
Block access to the stairs to prevent the puppy from falls which can cause serious growth problems.
The garden, fence and gates:
Your puppy will love spending time outdoors, so you’ll want to make sure your yard is safe so he can explore it.
Check that the fences and the gate of your garden do not have any passage through which he could try to sneak. Also check that your puppy cannot dig or climb to escape.
Plantes d’intérieur toxiques :
Many common houseplants are very dangerous for dogs and puppies, including lily, aloe vera, ivy, dieffenbachia, caladium, pothos, zamioculcas, cyclamen. It’s best to keep all houseplants out of your puppy’s reach or check that they don’t pose a threat to him. Also pay attention to outdoor plants such as ‘le portier rose’ and also to toxic products, insecticide…
The cage :
We strongly advise you to invest in a cage or crate, size M for small breeds, size L for medium breeds. This cage will also allow you to transport it safely. A cage is not a punishment but a place where the puppy must feel safe for that you can give him his meals inside to get him used to it.
Sleep:
Pick a bed that’s easy to clean and will work for your pup as he grows and into adulthood.
Water and food bowls:
Stainless steel bowls are great as they are resistant to chewing and easy to clean.
Plus, they won’t rust, chip or break.
Food designed to support puppy growth:
You must start feeding your puppy with the food adapted to its needs and the quality this throughout its life. We recommend the Proplan range that we also use, see the section: “Food”
Toys:
Choose the right size toys, balls or treats for your pup. Rubber dog toys are often more durable. We recommend toys from the “kong” brand because they are extremely resistant.
Be careful to adapt the size of the toys to your puppy then dog because a toy that is too small or that deteriorates can become a risk of “intestinal obstruction”.
Collar and leash:
Choose a collar that will accommodate your puppy’s growth. And check that it is snug enough not to slip on his head.
We strongly advise against the use of harnesses on a puppy because he may get into the habit of pulling during walks and stick out his elbows.
Grooming:
Brush your dog with a curry comb once a week and more often during shedding to remove dead hair and speed up hair regrowth. You will also need nail clippers designed for dogs.
There is no need to wash your dog and even less to use ‘human’ shampoos which could alter the protective layer on your his skin.
Buy products only and specially designed for dogs.
You can also use a professional groomer.
Hygiene and parasites:
Protection against ticks will be provided on the advice of your veterinarian for the most suitable product (eg Advantix, nexgard, bravecto), but it is recommended to avoid “anti-tick” collars whose effectiveness is limited and which breaks the hair at the neckline, if ingested it is toxic.
If necessary, regularly clean the ears with a cotton ball soaked in ear milk sold in supermarkets, pet stores or from your veterinarian.
Insurance:
Check with your insurance company to check that your puppy is included in your home and civil liability contract.
Health Insurance:
Also find out about health insurance which will cover certain healthcare expenses.
We advise you to consult our partner “animasolution”, they are experts in the field and they have several formulas to offer concerning the guarantees of accident, illness, coverage of veterinary costs, etc…
