Preparing For Your New Dog
Hi you guys - how is your May going? Mine is FLYING by. Literally - it is crazy around here. WHY? I’m not sure other than it feels like we are wrapping things up, putting the finishing touches on projects, school, soccer seasons, training, etc. Then summer comes and Ahhhh, it feels so good. Anyone relate?
In thinking about that, I know when you get a new dog or puppy it feels similar. It is BUSY! There is a fair amount of thinking, planning, stress, excitement, all wrapped up in one that can be a bit overwhelming. So for today’s podcast I thought we would talk about PREPARING. We coach thousands of families through bringing a new dog into their home and how to best go about it. We have an entire learning module dedicated to preparing for your puppy (or dog.)
We help you set up your house and yard, puppy proof things inside and out, make training and socialization plans, give you travel advice for the car or plane ride home, set up realistic expectations when it comes to puppy biting, barking and jumping as well as give you proven strategies to do.
Knowing what to do BEFORE it happens is super helpful! We find our clients who get into our online puppy school early - 3-4 weeks BEFORE they bring their dog home - feel less overwhelmed and are better able to enjoy their dog FROM THE GET GO because they are prepared. You know the saying about if you are prepared you need not fear? So true when it comes to raising a canine.
Let’s go through each of these a bit more in detail so you leave today feeling that - more prepared.
First, let’s talk about your home and yard.
Are there any mouse traps lying around that need to be picked up before your puppy gets trapped in one? It's amazing all the things your puppy will find - so do a walk through and look for all those things you want to eliminate as puppy temptations that have the potential to turn out painfully negative!
Hide any open electrical cords if possible to prevent your puppy from getting a shock. For example, tuck them behind furniture, place them under rugs, or unplug and set them on top of something else where possible so your puppy will not chew on them. Ideally, you will be watching your puppy if and when they are out and about anyway (RIGHT?) so this should not be a problem, but for the times they get away playing, it is a good idea to put these things out of sight.
Your puppy’s young joints are growing and developing so take extra caution allowing them to bound down stairs, to jump off of couches or beds, as well as any other high places - the impact can do serious and unfortunate damage. When in doubt, choose to carry them down the stairs and keep them off of things where they may fall and or jump down. For example, if you want your new puppy to sit on the couch with you, plan to simply lift them down when you are done. In short, be aware of the dangers in your home to help prevent your puppy’s access to them and as needed, use baby gates to prevent hazards!
What's more, it is helpful to have several places inside your home where you can place your puppy in order to contain them when you cannot watch them. For example, I have a crate in my kitchen where my puppy sleeps and takes naps, a small laundry room where I can use a baby gate to keep them in while I work in there, and a movable pen I will arrange in other rooms as needed depending upon what we are doing as a family. Likewise, I close bedroom and bathroom doors as a way to further control their access to areas when they are out and about playing with us. Some people attach hooks to their baseboards in random spots throughout their homes as tie down options as well. In summary, consider options to contain your pet and that work best for you in order to prevent the unintended consequences.
Remember to check your floors to make sure they are clean and free from small items or toys your puppy might swallow. Further, it is always a good idea to do a quick sweep of your anticipated play area prior to letting your puppy out to pick up any items you do not want them to chew on, such as socks, toys, magazines, books, stuffed animals, etc.... if they are out, they will find them!
Also important to note, certain plants and foods are toxic when ingested by dogs. I have found it best, especially during the puppy stage when they want to chew on everything, to put any plants on a shelf where your puppy does not have access to them. Likewise, it is a good idea to know the common toxic foods for dogs and educate family members to keep your puppy safe. Dangerous foods for dogs include: alcohol, avocado seeds, chocolate/ coffee/ caffeine, citrus, coconut, grapes/ raisins, macadamia nuts, onions, garlic, chives, xylitol and yeast dough.
Additionally, if you are not in the habit now, it is a good time to start clearing off your counters and keep food in a pantry, or other closed area in order to prevent any counter surfing as your puppy grows - do your best to eliminate the temptations as a way to prevent bad habits you won't want later on.
Training treats are very useful as positive reinforcement for doing specific behaviors and as a way to help your puppy want to achieve success. I have them readily accessible around my house and strategically place a jar of yummies by my back door for when my puppy needs to go outside to go potty, by my front door to help me reward their good behavior with visitors - also easy to have my guests feed my puppy a treat when they sit to be greeted, in my kitchen or another room where a lot of time is spent and other places as appropriate to build and reinforce desired behaviors. In short, I have rewards where I know I will need them most so I am ready to reward the instant it is deserved. While this isn't necessary, it sure helps!
Choose an ideal spot for a water bowl and always keep fresh water available for your puppy while they are out playing - do not put water in the crate with your puppy.
Prepare a place for your puppy to sleep, preferably inside a crate, at least in the beginning. You could place the crate in your room close to your bed for the first couple of nights to help with crying or whining, which is not only normal, but expected for the first 3-5 nights. Then each night following, you can move the crate closer and closer to its final destination which will allow him to have his space and everyone to sleep uninterrupted, such as a bathroom, laundry room, kitchen, etc. Choose a size that is approximately two inches longer and taller than your puppy's current size. You may ask your breeder to give you measurements. We want your puppy to be able to stand up without his head touching the top, turn around and lie down with no extra room to pee.
Buy a full size crate (see DIGGS for a great option) that comes with a divider to fit your puppy's current size for daytime use. As your puppy gets comfortable in your home and sleeps through the night, you can move them to this larger crate with divider more permanently. The plastic crates are nice for moving around but they come in set sizes so you may need to buy several or borrow from friends until you buy the correct adult size. The ideal situation would be to have a full size crate with a divider and a small puppy size plastic crate to move around during the initial crate training time.
Similar to doing a walk through of your home, as described above, it is important you likewise walk outside of your house, looking for things your new puppy could theoretically get into, but shouldn't, as well as items they may climb upon and or jump off of that may be dangerous. Obviously, while doing your walk review, make the necessary adjustments to puppy proof the outside of your home in order to compliment the safety that can now be found within!
Choose a place where you would like to be your puppy's dedicated potty spot to be and remember to ALWAYS take your puppy to this particular spot (on leash) to do their business... On leash for at least the first six months to help create a strong habit, as well as being right there ready to properly reward them for going when and where you wanted!
Secure a contained exercise run, large kennel or other play area for your puppy to run around outdoors. This could be an exercise pen for small breeds, a sturdy dog run or another space defined by temporary fencing, an enclosed deck, etc. This is especially important if you live in tight quarters, close to busy streets or in areas where your puppy could easily get lost. If you live in a rural area, you can decide how much freedom to give your puppy while maintaining their safety as that should always come first!
For car and or plane travel tips, checkout our previous podcast episode #71.
Socialization is VERY important to think about when your new puppy comes home. We socialize throughout our dogs’ lives but this critical window between 3-16 weeks is important to know about and recognize. We want your puppy to feel comfortable around new things. So daily we introduce our dog to a new smell, sound, challenge, surface, person, animal or place (we carry our dogs until fully vaccinated.) We want them to feel comfortable around things they will experience in their everyday life. We do this positively by keeping it short, fun and rewarding our dog along the way.
As for training prep, what is it you want your dog to do? This is an important question. If you have no reason to train your dog to stay for two hours, then we don’t need to spend our time doing that. Some of this answer will come once your dog arrives and you start to learn about what THEY like to do. In your prep, you’ve probably researched different breeds and hopefully chose one for a reason that fits with your lifestyle well. As the two of you spend time together, you’ll find things you enjoy doing together as well as be able to better identify your goals with training. However, it is still beneficial to think about this beforehand and start to map out important skills you’d like your dog to learn. Get the family together and discuss house rules, what will we allow the dog to do and what will we ask them not to do? Basics to start with in my opinion are teaching a dog patience, how to wait and ask nicely for something they want. We as trainers are happy to help coach you through this part of the prep work. Simply click LIVE HELP in our members area to schedule a call.
Lastly, let me give you a few quick tips for common puppy behaviors. Knowing your puppy will do these things helps you prepare for it and know what to do in the moment rather than reacting and then second guessing yourself.
When it comes to dog behavior, we do our best to set them up for success. I can anticipate when my puppy runs over to me, they will most likely jump or bite at me - puppies who want attention try to get it in these ways. As I see my puppy running to me, my job is to show them what I want them to do instead. Do not wait for the biting or jumping to start. As they are running to me, pop out a target hand. The movement attracts them to your hand, hold it just above their nose so they look up, then mark YES and reward them when they sit. Now, with the toy you already have in hand (see what I did there?) give them the toy and start to play gently with them. Don’t drop the toy. Keep it exciting by moving it around. Then drop it, walk away and repeat. When your puppy runs to you, pop out the target hand, lure them into a sit, mark yes and reward, then play again. Drop the toy, walk away and repeat.
Now you’ve started teaching your puppy when they run to you, SIT gets rewarded. We’ve eliminated the jumping and biting. Use this same technique if your puppy barks at you for attention. If you know why your puppy is barking, you can help them get what they want (attention for example) BEFORE they start barking. A lot of puppy barking goes away as we teach our puppies that patience works. Stay work is helpful with this.
I know you can’t keep repeating this all day long. When you are ready for a break, your puppy can go in their crate or pen where they learn to settle, self-soothe and get chances to sleep. Puppies need 16+ hours of sleep a day. That is a lot of sleep! If you have a rambunctious puppy who has a hard time redirecting, listening or focusing, they are most likely tired and need a nap. Let them sleep - even if it is 8pm - give them that evening nap.
Well that was fun! I hope you learned something new and will feel a little more READY when your puppy comes home. Have a great week! Happy training.
