Preparing Your Home For a New Puppy

It should go without saying that a puppy should be well planned for and never purchased on a whim. The breed should have been researched, as should the breeder. There are some things that can be purchased before bringing home the pup. Ideally the pup itself can be selected and remain at the breeder, shelter, or seller, while the owner-to-be purchases the needed supplies.

Things to Buy Before getting the Pup

Food. Ideally the breeder will provide a bag of food to go with the pup but if not a bag should be purchased in advance and should be the same kind of food the puppy is currently on.

Bowls. These should be stainless steel or ceramic. Plastic bowls cannot be properly disinfected and will allow bacteria to grow.

Toys. Puppies need several toys of different textures. They should have some soft, stuffed toys, very hard teething toys, and some textures in between. The toys should be size appropriate, if they are too small the pup might choke on them, and if they are too big the pup might not be able to chew or carry them.

Crate. Crate training is one of the most effective ways of house training a puppy, but even if the crate is not going to be used for this, it is also one of the safest ways of transporting a pup. Every year dogs are killed by being loose in a vehicle (usually when thrown as the result of an accident), additionally in some areas it is illegal to transport a dog unless it is restrained some way.

Collar. The puppy can learn right away to wear and accept a collar. The leash can be purchased before the puppy but it is important to note that the puppy should not be walked anywhere other than within their owners fenced yard until after it is fully vaccinated.

Bed. This is an option for purchase and is simply a place where the puppy will sleep.

Dog House. While it is important to note that a puppy should not be left outside alone for long a dog house is good to have for times when it wants to find shade, and should be acquired sooner or later.

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Things to Prepare Before getting the Pup

The house and yard must be puppy proofed. In the case of the house, it might be best to select a few rooms where the pup will spend most of its time and use baby gates or doors to block off other areas of the house, including stairs. Most people find it best to keep pups off carpeted areas and on tile.

Pick up things that the pup might come across and chew, such as shoes or kids toys.

A sleeping area for the pup needs to be planned. Some people enjoy having the pup in their bedroom with them but others find this is not the ideal. For crate training many people find keeping the crate by their back door works best, as such this area needs to be prepared. Please note, crates are not used for punishment.

The yard must be prepared. Holes in the fence should be repaired and the gates should be checked so they latch securely. If there are holes where a pup can squeeze, as under a deck, these should be sealed. Kids toys should be put away and any garden chemicals should also be contained safely.

Prepare Everyone for the Pups Arrival

A puppy should never be a surprise gift for anyone, it is important to let the family know that you are bringing home a puppy and what their role will be in caring for it. This means telling children that a puppy is not to be smothered when it wants to be left alone.

If there are other dogs in the home they should be vaccinated and dewormed prior to bringing home the pup if they are not already up to date medically.

Other Reading

Finding a Reputable Dog Breeder

How to House Train a New Puppy

The Worlds Most Unique Dog Breeds