Simple Tips for Your New Puppy

Getting a new puppy might be one of the most exciting moments in your life. For us dog lovers, it's the equivalent of having a child. We shop for them, make target runs, and order toys like crazy for our special pup. Unfortunately, with great power comes great responsibility. We used the Puppy Finder at Preferable Pups to find our newest puppy. When you adopt a new puppy, you need to work hard to make sure the puppy is trained, behaves, and that you lead the pup in a great direction.

Here are some tips I have used to have the best possible outcome with a puppy.

1. Shop till you drop!

This has to be my most exciting step, and you get to go shopping with your new pup. I remember the minute after I left the breeder's house. I ran to PetSmart and pushed my new puppy around in their shopping cart. We both toys, treats, dog food, and some grooming products.

2. Get Puppy Insurance!

I cannot stress this enough, puppy insurance saves lives and your wallet. Just like humans, dogs can get sick too. You don't want to be stuck with an expensive bill right after getting a new puppy. That creates a negative experience. Most puppy insurances are only $20.00 per month, and the benefits can pile up quickly.

3. Name your pup!

Picking a name is my favorite step; some people even have the name picked out before they adopt. IF you don't spend a day or two getting to know the puppy, look for traits that remind you of something and pick the best name that flows together. It's ok if you take longer to pick the name. You want to feel confident with the name that you have chosen.

4. Start working on training your puppy.

They say puppies learn the most at the earliest stages. It's always a great idea to start familiarizing the name for you and the puppy early. This will set you up to train the puppy on other commands. There are so many resources online that provide free education on puppy training.

5. Decide where the puppy will sleep.

Ask yourself a couple of questions. Where is this puppy going to sleep? Will he or she sleep in my room? In my bed? Or in a crate? If you are like me, all of our dogs sleep in the bed with us. That's just the kind of bond we have with our pets. If you have the puppy sleep in a crate, please just make sure it's a comfortable bed. I hate seeing new puppies in metal crates without padding.

6. Housebreak your puppy

This might be your first challenge with your puppy. Housebreaking is not an easy task and takes a little effort and dedication. You want to be as consistent as possible, so the pup picks up the behaviors quickly. A pro tip, reward for good behavior, and don't punish for bad behavior. There was a study showing that dogs respond to rewards over punishment. Kinda like us, humans, we love rewards.

7. Enjoy your new pup!

Spend lots of time with him or her, take photos and really incorporate into your "pack," he is now apart of your family. I have always found dogs respect me when I respect them back. Sure, no matter what, your pup is going to love you with all of his heart, and I bet you will love him back. I would recommend sharing your photos on social media profiles and let everyone see the star that he or she is.

I really hope these tips helped, and if you need more resources, Vocal media has an entire pet section to study.