We got a puppy before Christmas as an early Christmas present for the girls. It has been 4 years since our last dog that we had. It has been something that we have missed in our lives – having a 
dog, but acknowledged what a huge commitment it was to having a puppy and agreed to wait. This past year the girls have been asking for a dog non-stop. I wanted to wait until they were old enough to understand what it was to take care of a dog. We bought our dog Bailey (see pic – how cute is he?!), knowing that we wanted a bigger dog – a good family dog. We decided on a Labrador retriever and when we saw Bailey we fell in love. So we brought our new Chocolate Labrador home and our girls were thrilled! We came up with some must haves if bringing a new puppy home:
- Buy a Crate – Crate training from day 1 is a must. Our dog is crated during the night but is let out during the day when my husband is home. Getting him used to this was relatively easy starting it out from day 1. He knows that when we go to bed – so does he, in his crate.
- Buy Lots of fun toys – We went to PetSmart and bought Bailey lots of squeaky toys, rope/tug toys, Nyla bones etc. As a puppy they love to chew, so having lots of options available to him is essential. He has rawhides, Nyla bones, squeaky toys etc. He is a happy, teething puppy. No chewing on momma’s shoes!
- Invest in a clicker and training treats – We have only had our dog for less than a week but we have already started training. I bought pepperoni treats (breaking them into several bits) and a clicker from PetSmart and began the process of training. I tell Bailey to sit, and proceed with the clicker and a treat immediately when he does it. He has been learning very quickly and is essential for him to know the basics. I have had a therapy dog in the past and it is quite possible I might make Bailey a therapy dog to bring into hospitals and the like. I
- Put the dog on a schedule – Just like schedules are great for kids, schedules are great for dogs. They get used to the routine and will know when to expect something if it happens every day. This is essential especially with potty training. The dog should be taken out immediately after eating to help aid with potty training. Our dog within 5 minutes of eating is going to the bathroom. If he knows at certain times he/she will be going out, he will try to hold it until then.
- Keep treats in your pocket at all times – This helps in several situations – rewarding him/her when he goes to the bathroom outside, he gets off leash and comes to you, does something you wanted him to do – always keep a treat in your pocket for a reward. Positive reinforcement works wonders when training a dog.
- Exercise Your Dog – Make sure to take your dog out – play with him for a while, run with him, have him play with a ball – tire him out. This helps a ton with behavior. A tired dog is a well-behaved dog.
So we hope this helps if you are deciding to bring a new puppy home to the family. Dogs are a lot of work, they are a financial commitment and require a lot of time and attention just like children. Don’t forget that puppies are not the only route – adopting a dog from a local shelter is an awesome way of obtaining an amazing dog. The last dog we had, Maverick, was a border collie mix – one of the smartest, most well-behaved dogs I have ever owned. He was about 3 or 4 when we got him and was being trained by inmates in a local prison. He passed his Canine Good Citizenship Test and with me, he passed his therapy dog test and I was able to bring him to my job. When he passed away in 2013 I was a mess. It was a huge loss and something that took me a long time to get over. We are finally healed from that loss, and we are ready for this new adventure.
What are some of your tips for having a new puppy?
