Congratulations! You’ve decided to get a dog. Or have you? Still not sure? That’s totally fine. That’s why you’re here. Before you start learning how to prepare for your puppy (or a dog for that matter), there are a few things you’ll need to decide. The good news is that’s why we’re here. We’re long-time dog enthusiastic and pet parents and are here to answer all, and any dog and puppy questions. Still not sure where to begin? Let’s dive in and get you ready.
How to Prepare for a Puppy: Are you Ready?
Am I ready for a dog (or a puppy)?
Before you starting purchasing puppy chow, googling breeders/dog shelters, prepping your home for a new furry friend, and overall learning how to prepare for a puppy, you need to decide if you’re ready to take on the responsibility. So are you? Here are a few questions that you and the rest of your family or housemates need to ask.
- Do I have enough time in my schedule for a puppy or a full-grown dog?
- Regardless of whether your heart is ready for a dog, your schedule may not be, and that’s ok. My wife and I waited for years before we adopted a pup. Not because we didn’t desperately want one, but because we knew we weren’t ready. I’ll make this easy for you. If you can’t answer yes to all the below questions about whether or not you are ready to take on the responsibility of caring for a dog, then wait. Your future dog and the thousands of dog shelters across the country will thank you.
- Am I ready to make space in my home for a dog or puppy?
- Am I ready to give up some social activities to take care of a dog or puppy?
- Do I have extra cash in case my dog or puppy has an emergency?
- Do I mind dog hair or drool?
- Do I mind giving up some personal space for an animal in my home?
- Do I have the patience to take care of a puppy or dog?
- Does my job allow me enough time to care for an animal?
Didn’t say yes to all of the above? Then you might not be ready. Said yes to five or six? Keep reading!
Should I adopt a dog or a puppy?
If you’ve made the decision that you’re ready to take a leap an adopt a fur-baby, let’s continue. Next on the list on our list of how to prepare for a puppy or dog is to decide whether or not you should welcome a puppy (aka a younger dog) or a full-grown dog into your home. The two biggest things to take into consideration are:
- Do I have a packed schedule?
- Do I mind cleaning up after a dog?
Let’s chat a little about time and poop. If you don’t have enough time to be home to properly train a puppy and housebreak them (though full-grown dogs can often need this too), then you best go with an older dog.
Next, how squeamish are you? If you hate scooping poop off your white carpet—or even have a white carpet—a puppy is not for you. Let’s be real. Puppies and dogs have what we call in our home, leaky butts. They are cute, but not always the cleanest. If you’re type-A and not willing to wipe a dog’s toosh, go for an older already-housebroken doggie.
How to decide if you want a puppy
When deciding how to prepare for a puppy, just because you have enough time (and stomach) to lovely take care of a young dog, doesn’t mean that is the best match for you. You need to take some time to decide why you are deciding to welcome a dog into your home.
When it came to my wife and me, we knew that we just loved animals, especially dogs. I’d grown up wit ha dog my entire life and my wife had quickly fallen in love with my parents’ dogs and then, pretty much any other dog she’d ever met. So to us, it wasn’t really one specific reason. It was just an overall feeling that we’d always shared. The one thing we did know, is that we wanted to adopt a dog that came from a shelter and I knew I didn’t want to have to clean up too much hair. Beyond that, we knew that as soon as we had one dog, we’d probably always have at least one.
But lots of other people adopt animals for a variety of reasons. A few I’ve heard are as follows:
- I’m getting a dog as a stepping stone for having a child. (Note: Not my favorite reason because I’m pretty sure dogs and kids are pretty different.)
- I like the idea of giving a rescue dog a home. (LOVE this reason!)
- I love animals, they bring such joy!
- I’m older/live alone and would love a companion.
These are all great reasons to open up your home. But if you’re 80-years-old and looking for a buddy versus 30-years-old and deciding on whether or not you want kids. The kind of dog you’ll get will vary drastically. You get the picture…
What kind of dog should I get? Where should I adopt a dog from?
On your next stop to prepping your home for a dog or pup. We need to address both deciding what kind of dog you should get and where this dog should come from. First and foremost, if you’d decided to adopt a puppy from a shelter, we’ll touch on this more in-depth later, you may not have much of a choice to what kind of dog you adopt and their age. But for argument’s sake, let’s just say that when you do welcome a dog into your home, you have the option of any breed (or non-breed).
Dog breeds vary drastically. A dog is not a dog, is not a dog, is not a dog. Make sense? Certain breeds definitely have certain characteristics attached to them. For instance:
- Some dog breeds are very affectionate such as: Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers and Sheepdogs.
- Some dogs need more exercise such as: Australian Shepards and Border Collies.
- Some dogs need less exercise such as: English Bull Dogs, Chow Chows, Basset Hounds.
Get my point? Just like some people like chocolate and others like broccoli, all breeds, and individual dogs are going to be different.
How to puppy-proof your house
Puppy-proofing inside checklist:
- Electrical cords
- Put away all cleaning fluids so they are out of reach for your puppy
- Same with medications, make sure they are out of reach to your dog
- We know it’s hard to stick to this, but it’s important that you only give your puppy, dog food. Some food you need to make sure they never have such as chocolate, raisins, almonds, sugarless gum, etc.
- Close all doors to bathrooms, and lower toilet lids
- Put away and stow all small objects so your puppy or dog won’t choke
- Close all door to this outside and windows
- Tuck cords away so puppies aren’t straggled
- Cover all trash cans
- Put away pointy and sharp objects so puppies aren’t harmed
- Put away pesticides or insecticides
Puppy-proofing outside checklist:
- Never leave your puppy alone outside if you don’t have a fence
- If you’re able to fence in your yard, make sure it’s high enough that your dog can’t jump over and that there are no loops are holes for it to scurry under
- Fence off all ponds or pools
- Make sure your dog stays away from fertilizer, pesticides or insecticides
- Don’t leave your dogs out when it is hot, especially without water
- Always clean up after your dog, especially if you live in the city, you don’t want your dog or another dog eating dog feces
Things to buy for your pup
This part can be overwhelming. We understand. But before you start filling up your Amazon cart, make sure you have a few key items for when your puppy or dog is first brought home:
- Dog food or puppy chow
- Collar, leash, harness and ID tag
- Food and water bowl
- Dog crate
- Dog bed
- A few fun toys
- Dog treats for training
- Dog shampoo and brush
- Dog baggies for poop
Find a vet you trust
Even if your new furry friend is in perfect health and up to date with all its shots, it’s always best to find a veterinarian right away. Here are a few steps to take in order to find the perfect vet for your new best friend:
- Search online for vets in your neighborhood
- Investigate their qualifications, how long they have been in practice and what breeds or types of animals they specialize in
- Ask vet for references and talk on the phone or meet up for a puppy playdate
- Find out when the animal clinic is open, make sure their hours are extensive enough or have a neighboring vet that covers for them when they are closed
- Meet with each vet
- Have your dog meet each vet, see who they like and bond with!
Make a space in your home for your new dog
Last but not least. Find a cozy place that you think your new pup would like to curl up and call home.