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PUPPY PRIMER: 10 Steps for New Puppy Parents
By Dr. Ruben Castro
Adding a new puppy to your home requires significant planning and preparation for everyone. People often ask me what they can do to take care of a brand-new puppy. Here are ten tips to consider if you plan on getting a new puppy:
Do your research—consider your family’s lifestyle. If you are an active family, a Shepherd, Retriever, Husky, Weimaraner, Pointer, Vizsla, Poodle, Dalmatian, or Jack Russell Terrier might be right for you. For a less active lifestyle, a Chihuahua, Maltese, Bullmastiff, Bichon Frisé, Mastiff, Miniature Pinscher, Dachshund, Pomeranian, and Newfoundland may be a good option. Allergy issues, dogs that don’t shed include Bichon Frisé, Poodle, Maltese, Irish Water Spaniel, Afghan Hound, Yorkshire Terrier, Shih Tzu, Scottish Terrier, Miniature Schnauzer, Standard Schnauzer, Giant Schnauzer, and Boston Terrier.
Carefully plan the date you will get your puppy. If you work or have kids in school all day, the best time to get a puppy would be during Thanksgiving break, Christmas break, spring break, or summer vacation. Being at home will give you sufficient time to bond with your new puppy and teach it your house rules.
Puppy-proof your home. Look for anything that could harm them, such as small objects they could choke on, exposed electrical cords, sharp objects, toxic plants, and medications. Also, block off certain parts of your home; they should not have access to your entire house. Showing them the whole house can cause sensory overload. Have your new puppy in the areas of your home where people usually spend the most time, such as the living room, family room, and kitchen.
Purchase the proper supplies. This includes bowls, brushes, wipes, shampoo, towels, dry dog food, treats with chicken as the first ingredient, a leash, a collar, puppy pads, and a crate explicitly for the size of your puppy.
Take your puppy to a veterinarian as soon as you can. Puppy breeders get vaccines for their puppies from feed stores, which are not usually stored at the proper room temperatures, making them ineffective. Please use a licensed veterinarian.
Crate train your puppy. Your puppy should eat, drink, and sleep in its crate to positively associate with it and not mind being there. Take your puppy frequently and consistently outside to its designated area, and if you do this right, it will catch on to a potty routine in about 2-3 days.
Always supervise your puppy. Never let them have free reign unsupervised. They will get into trouble.
Do not let your puppy sleep in your bed. They should sleep in their crate close to a pack member or nearby.
Use your puppy’s name immediately. Speak slowly, cheerfully, and clearly when addressing your puppy; it will learn its name sooner than you think.
Set a routine and stick with it. Dogs need follow-through and consistency to succeed.
We have a new puppy at home since both our dogs passed away, and I have been implementing all these things. Puppies can take up to 3 weeks to adjust to you and your home. Just be patient.
Dr. Castro is a proud Catholic who is a husband, father, and educator born and raised in the RGV. He is a graduate of Northcentral University with a doctorate in Education with a specialization in Educational Leadership. He also holds a Master of Science in Sociology from the University of Texas-Pan American and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology, with a minor in Psychology from the University of Texas-Pan American. Dr. Castro’s current research focuses on Education, Crime and Deviance, and Race and Ethnicity. He is also the owner of the K&B Dog Learning Cener, Inc. www.kbdoglearningcenter.com
