Five things to do BEFORE you bring your puppy home.
ONE - Understand appropriate puppy socialisation - read about it, learn about it, plan for it. Socialisation is about introducing your puppy to the world in the most positive way possible. Letting them experience novel things in a way that makes them feel comfortable and confident.
Up until your puppy is 12-14weeks old you have a unique opportunity to socialise your puppy when they are more open to new experiences and more curious. This article is definitely worth a read to understand this vital part of puppy raising and if you have time the book by the same writers is a must ‘Puppy Socialisation - What is it and how to do it’
TWO - Puppy proof a space in your home. Not your whole home, not even a room or two but a space within a room. Your puppy needs a space where they can safely be a puppy. We should be setting up a puppy’s environment in a way which prevents them practising unwanted behaviour, rather than trying to stop it when it occurs.
Too much freedom opens up the possibility for mischief, inappropriate chewing, chasing, toilet accidents. Baby gates; play pens; crates can all form part of a strategy to manage how much access your puppy has to the home. If you can set up a small puppy safe space to contain your puppy when they are not being supervised you will prevent many behaviours becoming a problem; introductions to other pets will be more successful, and children and puppy interactions won’t end in tears when an overexcited puppy starts mouthing.
THREE - Shopping buy what you need well before your puppy arrives. Lots of pet stores allow dogs to visit but this will be overwhelming for your puppy when they just leave their litter and move in with you.
Plan for a trip to a pet store with your puppy when you don’t need anything so you are okay with leaving if the trip isn’t going as planned. Enjoy shopping for your puppy before they arrive. Check out our puppy shopping list.
FOUR - Understand behaviour - what is normal behaviour for puppies, how do puppies learn, what does my puppy’s body language tell me about how they are feeling. Your puppy is learning how to live with you from the moment they come home.
Arm yourself with the knowledge to assist them to become the perfect housemate and their best doggy self. Check out these great resources - ‘What is positive reinforcement in dog training?’ Zazie Todd and ‘Doggie Language’ Lili Chin www.doggiedrawings.net.
FIVE - Book into puppy school - good puppy schools book up fast. Did you know your puppy can attend a puppy school providing they have had their first vaccination. So they can start as early as 8 weeks. The one closest to your home may not be the best option for you. Ask questions about what type of training is offered, do they promote rewards based training and use food as reinforcement, how do they manage dog interactions, do they allow dog play and if so how is this managed, how do they handle nervous, quiet or high energy puppies? Looking into puppy school ahead of getting your puppy will give you greater choice about where you go.
