Before Bringing Puppy Home
You have made your decision and now the wait! Now is the time to plan and prepare your home to bring home your new puppy!
Here are a few things to take care of that will help make your "Gotcha Day" run as smoothly as possible.
1) Schedule appointment with the vet so that you can get your puppy in withing 3 business days from lea
ving Doodles on Rock Creek.
2) Puppy proof your home. Remove/hide cords. Put away anything that is of value to you (just in case!). Consider removing rugs (these are a pee temptation). Ensure there are no poisonous chemicals where puppy can reach. Ensure your fencing and dog door is secure. Figure out where the dogs food and water dish will be placed.
3) Purchase puppy food. You will be sent home with a small amount of Diamond Naturals Skin and Coat. It is highly advised to not switch puppy right away, as stress from leaving puppy family can cause loose stools, and changing food can exacerbate this issue.
4) Purchase small crate and/or playpen (both if you can swing it). Puppies should be given only enough room to lay down, otherwise you risk accidents. Puppies typically will not lay where they sleep. If you purchase a larger crate, make sure you can divide it and only expand it as puppy grows.
5) Purchase the fun stuff! Leash, harness/collar, toys, bed, water dish, food bowl, brushes, shampoos, toothbrush and toothpaste. This is time for you to determine the puppies style! I also HIGHLY recommend a "snuggle puppy," a stuffed toy with a heartbeat to help with those early days of crate training.
6) Consider where the puppy will sleep. There are no rules for this, what works best for you for right now can always change. When I brought my first puppy home, I started out sleeping in our camper! I did this so I could let her out and not disturb the family. It may not be ideal for everyone, but it worked for me! And looking back, it was precious time for she and I, and I enjoyed watching the stars. This lasted about 2 weeks, until she was sleeping through the night, and then I moved the crate to the laundry room, where it remains today. Now, the doodles think the laundry room is their own personal space and willingly go in when it is time for bed. (I won't go into a lot of training advice here, but when taking pup out for those in-th-night potty visits, please just don't talk, or play, just encourage straight out to do business and back inside to settle back to sleep)
7) Consider purchasing items to help continue to desensitize puppy for the groomer. An electric toothbrush rubbing over the puppy helps mimic the sound of clippers. Continue playing with the feet, and rub between the toes, open the mouth and play with the ears and tail. It will be time to groom before you know it, and continuing to work with puppy will help with that first visit.