Top 5 Things to Do When Bringing Home a New Puppy
Did you recently bring home a new puppy? This blog mini-series is for you! In this post, we go over the Top 5 things you should do when bringing a new puppy home for the very first time. The brand new puppy in the pictures is Logic, the newest addition to the Zurborg family!
#1 – Show Your New Puppy Where to Go Potty
Where your new puppy goes potty for the first time is very, very important! Your puppy will go back to the first spot they choose over and over again. It’s a good idea to let your puppy explore the desired potty area thoroughly. If they don’t, bring them back to potty here every 2-3 minutes or so until they finally go. You should not let them wander the house too much on their own until they go potty! Carry the new puppy around until they have their first potty in the place that you want them to. Carrying them lessens the chances of them going potty somewhere you don’t want!
#2 – Introduce Your New Puppy to Your Other Animals
You should introduce your new puppy to your other animals in a safe manner immediately. If possible, we recommend introducing your new puppy to your other dogs in a neutral space, like a nearby park down the street. Pay attention to your other animals and make sure the puppy is not overwhelming them! You can limit their interactions to give your other animals a break from the puppy, but do introduce them right away.
#3 – Provide a Variety of Toys
Puppies get bored easily. They have short attention spans – puppies are taking in a lot of new information every second! Make sure to give your new puppy a variety of toys, including Nylabones, squeaky toys, and tennis balls. One of the biggest mistakes people make is only getting a few puppy toys. We prefer a basket full of toys and bones!
#4 – Show Your New Puppy Where to Sleep
Your puppy takes lots of naps throughout the day, so make sure to show him or her where to sleep. Give your new puppy his or her own bed and blankets. We recommend putting chew toys on your puppy’s bed. Puppies like to play, potty, chew, sleep… in that order!
#5 – Give Your Puppy His or Her Own Space
It’s a good idea to set up an area where the puppy can be left alone. X-pens (exercise pens) and crates are both excellent options. Getting your puppy used to confinement takes training and time. Get the area ready ahead of time and make it a fun place! Your puppy should eat his meals and play with toys in this area so he or she associates the space with good things. New puppies shouldn’t really be left alone for at least the first week, so you can work on this a little every day.
If you have any questions about puppies, feel free to contact us or sign up for a puppy group class!
HI KATIE NAZZARIO
I’ve found this article to be very useful and informative. I already have a dog and lately, I’ve been thinking to bring a new puppy home. Your mini blog series helps me out a lot in many dog related matters. I have a few queries though – How could I introduce them in right away? I am a little bit worried; as I don’t want to see them fight each other.
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Stepheny! Thanks for your comment. It depends, but as long as your current dog doesn’t show any signs of aggression towards other dogs or puppies, you should introduce them right away in a neutral setting if possible. If there is a park nearby your house, you could have them meet there for the first time and then walk home all together. I would pick up any toys or food before letting your new puppy explore the house/yard, just in case your current dog is protective over them. Puppies are just learning their manners and social cues, so it’s good to observe them closely together for the first few weeks to make sure your puppy isn’t being too “rude” to your other dog! When they first meet each other, encourage polite butt sniffing – it’s how dogs shake hands and greet each other politely. Believe it or not, nose-to-nose greetings are actually considered rude to other dogs! It’s a good idea to read up on dog body language so you can better understand how comfortable or uncomfortable your current dog is around the puppy. It’s also good to give both of them their own space, so make sure you have a comfy crate or exercise pen for your puppy!
Thank for the reply. Hope to see more great stuff from you soon! 🙂