Bringing a new puppy into your home can be both exciting and stressful. When looking forward to your new arrival, you may wonder if you have everything you need. Is your home safe? How will your pup respond to his new environment? How will your existing family and pets respond to him? What kind of training will your little guy need to be happy, confident, and well behaved? While I can’t provide you with everything you could possibly need, or prepare you for every possible scenario, I do hope to provide some tips and resources to get you and your sweet puppy off to a great start. This will be the first of several articles that will cover many of your new puppy’s needs.
Preparations for a new puppy should begin weeks before your pick-up date. A walk through the local pet store or a scroll through your preferred online retailer can seem overwhelming. Questions like, what do I really need, is this product safe, or which item is better, may cause trepidation. Your pup will need to eat. Find out what food your breeder is currently feeding their dogs and more importantly, your puppy. Make sure you ask them “why” they chose that food. Make a commitment to feed your dog the best food you can afford to provide them. Providing good food with top quality ingredients will produce a healthy dog and will save you money on vet bills in the future. At Pemberley House, we feed our Australian Labradoodles top quality kibble from manufacturers such as Life’s Abundance and TLC. Don’t undermine your top tier food with low quality treats. Many treats on the market are not much more than junk food. Treats like snack food should be used sparingly. Good alternatives to commercial dog treats are things like small pieces of cheese, small bits of deli meat, or even individual pieces of your dog’s regular food. Just like humans, your dog will be healthier and happier if he receives proper nutrition for high quality food.
When selecting food and water bowls, look for bowls that are the correct size and made for proper materials. A bowl that is too large, especially when the pup is young, may encourage your puppy to put his paws in the bowl and scatter the food or splash the water on the floor. A bowl that is too small may make it difficult for him to get his muzzle in the bowl or get the food out of it. He may become frustrated and knock the bowl over in an attempt to retrieve the contents. Plastic or rubber bowls should be avoided. They can be difficult to clean and sanitize, thus harboring bacteria and food that can cause sores on your dog’s mouth or make him sick. Glass, metal, or ceramic bowls are the superior choice, though you should be sure to clean them regularly. A rubber base, a mat, or tray can help keep the bowls where you put them.
Hopefully you've find this information helpful as you begin to prepare for your puppy. In the next article, I will address toys, crates and cleaning supplies. We recommend Baxter & Bella for online dog training. Their first module covers preparation for bringing a puppy home. If you use promo code "Pemberley" at checkout, you will receive 25% off of your lifetime subscription to their program.
If you have any questions about our breeding program, or any of the information contained in this article, feel free to reach out to us. We love talking about dogs and helping those who share the same passion.