Preparing For A New Pup!

If you’re thinking about getting a puppy for the first time, you may be wondering how best to prepare your home to ensure your new family member has a smooth transition. Here are three easy and important things new puppy parents should do to provide a safe, loving, and healthy home.

1. Puppy-proofing 

Once your pup gets home they are going to want to sniff and chew their way through every corner of the house. Make sure to put away any items like electrical cords, small objects, loose socks, or plants within your puppy’s chomping distance. It can be frustrating always trying to keep your puppy from getting into everything, so it’s helpful for you and your pup to set up a dedicated area where they can play freely, like a playpen or fenced-in backyard. They’ll need tons of rest from all of their running around, a safe space like a crate is a great place for them to sit back, relax, and feel at home. 

2. Routine

A consistent routine allows for puppies to feel safe, secure, and cared for as they grow. Make sure to create a schedule that works for your puppy’s development, as well as your lifestyle, including potty breaks, playtime, meals, and of course lots of time for snuggles and belly rubs. Beginning a routine early will help later on as they begin learning basic obedience training since your pup will have already begun to listen, trust, and love their pet parents! 

3. Nutrition

When you bring your puppy home it is important to remember that they’re used to nursing whenever they need to and will need to be fed more often as they wean. You should feed puppies between 4 and 12 weeks old at least three meals per day. Once your puppy reaches three months old, you can cut back to two meals a day and continue that schedule through adulthood.

If you’re not sure how much you should be feeding your pup, you can take our quiz to see how much food your puppy needs as they grow! 

Feeding your dog food formulated especially for growing puppies and serving up multiple, portioned-controlled meals daily will help them grow into happy, healthy adult dogs who will have a long life full of love and loyalty. (P.S. You will need to keep updating their weight on our site to ensure their calories increase as they grow!)