5 Tips for Every NEW Dog-Parent

Welcome to being a dog-parent! Bringing home a puppy is going to be a lot of work. You will get no sleep, have to replace new shoes, clean up dog poop on your bed, and oh did I mention no sleep? Who knew puppies were like having a new born baby. Are they cuter than a baby? I’ll let you decide that. Trust me, after the puppy stage, it is all worth it. I’ll help you make this easier on yourself with these 5 tips.

My sister Amber and her puppy Juniper! 

1.     Invest in a puppy pee pad.

You will thank me for this!  You will want to place the pee pad by the door that is used to let the puppy outside to go the bathroom. It will make it easier when the puppy is ready to move on to peeing ONLY outside.  Be careful, you don’t want your puppy only getting use to peeing on the pad. Make sure you enforce peeing outside verses the pad.

2.     Crate the puppy when you are not home. 
Crating the puppy is very important in the beginning. You do not want to give your puppy free range of the home in case they get into something, or eat something that they shouldn’t. Make sure you have toys for them to play with. Puppies always want to do something, unless they are sleeping.

3.     Walks are your friend.

Walking you puppy will help make them tired. Puppies do not have to be walked as long as full-grown dogs, so take a 10 to 15 minute walk around your neighborhood. They will be ready to be the sweet little angel you know they are.

4.     Enroll in puppy obedience classes.

This tip to me is one of the most important. Being enrolled in a puppy obedience class will build a strong relationship between you and your dog. They will get to socialize with other puppies, learn basic commands, and will be easier to handle.  

5.     Enjoy them!
Right now, you might be thinking that getting a puppy was a bad idea. You are so tired. It wasn’t a bad idea. I promise! They grow up so fast that you will be missing how little they were. Take a lot of pictures, and enjoy them being a puppy. Once they are big, they aren’t your little baby anymore; they are your big baby!

Have any puppy stories to share with our new dog-parents? Comment your story below!