Bringing Home a New Puppy Tips: How to Survive the First Month

Congratulations! You are a new pet owner. Bringing home a new puppy is one of the most exciting times. Hopefully, you did a lot of research on what breed would be best for your family and you have set rules for the entire family about how to treat and take care of the new puppy.

There are a few other bringing home puppy tips you should keep in mind to make this time go smoothly and to make it easy on everyone, puppy included.

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I’ve always had a dog in my life since I was 5 years old. My first dog was Muffy and I still remember the day I got her!

I have a lot of experience raising puppies and I have learned a few things to make the first couple of months an easy transition for everyone involved.

Bringing Home a New Puppy Tips

Give Puppy their own Space

You can block off a laundry room or some other spare room that will be your dog’s own little area. I highly recommend getting a puppy a crate.

A crate not only helps with house training but it gives them a smaller “den-like” area where they can go to feel safe.

I have a crate for my smallest dog and he loves it. We leave the door open when we are at home and he goes in there on his own when he wants some alone time or wants to get away from my crazy toddler.

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Let them Sleep with You

I like letting a new puppy sleep in the same room as I do for the first couple of nights. A new home is a big change for a puppy and you want them to feel secure.

I will bring in their crate and let them sleep beside my bed. You can also use a little box filled with a blanket if that is all that you have.

Make a Vet Appointment

The first week that you have your new puppy, you need to make an appointment with your vet. They can give your puppy a thorough checkup and make sure they don’t have any kind of illness that you weren’t aware of.

Your new puppy will also get the recommended shots.

Get them micro-chipped while you are there. It is usually around $30 and it will give you peace of mind in case your puppy is ever lost.

Survive the First Month with a New Puppy

Start Grooming Early

Even if your dog is a short haired breed, start touching their paws, belly, neck, ears, and tail so that they won’t be so aggressive when they are getting groomed later.

Get a good pair of nail clippers and start clipping their nails. This will save you both so much stress the earlier you can get them used to it.

Sign up for Dog Training

Sign up your dog for obedience classes. They will learn basic commands and will also get to learn social skills. This will help them be less nervous around new people and other dogs.

It’s also a great way for you to get more comfortable being the leader.

Block off Areas

Block off areas you don’t want them roaming with a dog gate. You have to keep an eye on your puppy at all times so keeping them in one area is a lot easier.

Trust me, they will chew on anything and everything. This also helps with house training since you can watch them for any signs that they need to go outside.

Things to Have on Hand for a New Puppy

Invest in Pee Pads

Puppies will have accidents, it just happens. I like using pee pads in case they have to go and I can’t let them out right away.

You can keep these by the door or anywhere that there isn’t carpet. It’s a lot easier to clean up a pee pad than to clean a stain out of your carpet.

If you do get stains on your carpet Nature’s Miracle stain remover has a lot of great reviews. I have heard people rave about this!

Puppy Proof!

Just like you baby proof your home for an infant, you have to puppy proof your home for a new dog. They will chew on cords, shoes, furniture, etc. If you don’t want it chewed up, get it off the floor!

Make sure you have at least 2-3 puppy toys that they can chew on to keep themselves busy. My dogs love the hidden treat toys, it really keeps them entertained.

If you want to have everything that your puppy will need sent straight to your house, check out PupBox. Every month, your little fur ball will get treats, toys, accessories, and training tips for you.

They send you supplies based on your puppy’s age so this is a great surprise for dogs of any age. You can even use code PUP50 to get 50% off our first box.

I hope that some of these tips help you and your puppy become comfortable and leads to many years of happiness. Let us know about your little fur baby in the comments below!