How to Survive With a New Puppy

Adding a new furry friend into your life can be fun and exciting until you notice that your favorite shoes have bite marks in them. If you've recently added a new puppy into your life or getting ready to, it's essential to protect your belongings to enjoy this excellent adventure fully.

Puppy-proof your home. 

Objects such as shoes, wires, and pillows can be a puppy's playground. Before committing to this addition to your family, it's essential to prepare your home to protect your things. It may require getting out of the habit of taking off your shoes at the door and start putting them inside a closet where the puppy can't access them. You may also want to consider hiding any exposed wires to reduce the risk of chewed up wires and broken electronics. Another area to be concerned about is curtains and pillows. During the youthful stage of your puppy, make it a point to keep curtains off the ground and pillows off of furniture. They can be expensive to replace, so for the time being consider putting them out of reach.

Start training.

As soon as your furry friend comes home, start the training process. Start with potty training, crate training, and simple commands. If you plan to enroll your dog to school to get professionally trained, he or she should already know how to sit, stay, and come. If you plan on fully training your pet yourself, then be sure to educate yourself on effective methods and fully commit to the process. It can be a long process, but it is definitely worth the overall investment.

Set boundaries.

The earlier you start setting boundaries, the sooner your puppy will practice them. If you do not want the puppy in certain parts of the house, put up a fence or start the habit of closing the doors. Be sure to enforce these boundaries as soon as possible and don’t let up on them no matter how adorable those puppy eyes are. 

Let your dog be a dog. 

Having a new dog in the home can take up a lot of time. In order to give your puppy an appropriate outlet for its energy, take it on regular walks, trips to the dog park, and set aside time to play. When you don't make time for your furry pal, it will find another way to let its energy out, and that usually results in something being chewed up. If you're away from your home for a large portion of the day, hire a dog walker or sitter to play with your puppy while you're gone.

Adding a new pup to your home can be exhausting in the beginning, but with the right tools and commitment, you’ll start enjoying its company. If you’re having problems training your puppy, contact a local dog training school and enroll them as soon as possible.