Welcoming your puppy home

Adopting a puppy is a life-changing event, especially if it's your first time. You'll have to change your lifestyle to give your new friend everything he needs. You'll need to think about a lot of things, not just puppy training once you get home, but also all the preparation work you'll need to do before your puppy arrives. Here, then, are the crucial steps to flawless preparation!

Cleaning house to welcome your puppy

First of all, the house needs to be cleaned. Once the stress of the new environment has passed, your puppy will want to explore every nook and cranny of his new home. So it goes without saying that the house needs to be clean to prevent your puppy from finding little morsels to eat. At the same time, you'll probably discover some corners that are a little more dangerous for your new friend, and you can try to resolve the situation. For example, if you don't want your dog to eat your plants, you may have to place them high up. The same goes for counters! At the moment, Pitou is small and can't reach the food. But as he gets older, your dog will quickly realise that he can jump on the counters and find food! It's best to put everything away!

Take care:

Plants that are sometimes toxic
Leftover food that can poison your puppy (e.g. chocolate)
Electric wires
Household products and medicines that are potentially dangerous for your dog

Purchasing supplies and accessories

Another important step is to visit your local pet shop and buy everything your puppy will need as soon as he arrives. This includes food and water bowls, a bed, toys, a collar and a lead. Don't hesitate to ask for advice.

You'll also need to buy his food: some pet shops sell Easy Barf, check their website, there may be one near you!

Preparing your family for the arrival of your puppy

Once the house has been cleaned and the accessories purchased, you also need to make sure that everyone in the house is on the same wavelength. It's a good idea to discuss the new responsibilities with your family. Once you've discussed them, you can draw up a checklist of the roles everyone will have to play.

Some tasks you shouldn't forget are: walks, food, stock management and even grooming. Don't forget that dog grooming can involve a number of different steps on a daily basis that you shouldn't neglect.

However, training is a collective task that falls to all the members of the family to ensure that it goes smoothly.

It's also a good idea to draw up a list of vocabulary that the whole family will use when talking to the dog. This way, you'll avoid confusion and your dog will learn much more quickly than if one says "Here" and the other "Come".

Setting restrictions

Finally, the last stage of preparation is to establish the restrictions that will be placed on the dog. For example, will the dog be allowed on sofas? Several restrictions of this kind need to be clarified to ensure that the dog's training goes smoothly. If you have a second floor or basement, will the dog be able to access it? These restrictions are all the more important if your puppy has destructive tendencies.

For example, you should consider banning him from your kitchen unless you're thinking of renovating it. What's more, that room may contain his food and crumbs of yours on the floors, which could be harmful to your fur-ball's health.

As with tasks and vocabulary, the important thing is that everyone in your family knows what to encourage and what not to.

In conclusion, the arrival of a new puppy is a wonderful thing. However, there are a number of steps you need to take to ensure that everything runs smoothly. The first few days can be stressful for both your dog and your family, and the tips above will help you prepare for this. Now all you have to do is enjoy those first few days with your new best friend.

Sources: tomorrowdemaitre

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