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Bringing home your first puppy is such an exciting time! But with all the puppy snuggles comes a lot of unknown territory for new pet parents. Puppy parenting is full of trial and error, stress, and overwhelming feelings. Before bringing home your new furry friend, there’s a lot you need to consider and plan for. Today I’m sharing 10 things I wish I knew before bringing home my first puppy.
One thing that many new pet parents don’t consider is the amount of time you’ll have to spend at home those first few months of your puppies life. Unlike adult dogs, puppies need frequent bathroom breaks, a lot of quality time with their owners, and constant attention to stay out of trouble.
After bringing home your puppy, plan to spend plenty of time at home for the first month or two. Of course, most working adults don’t get get “puppy leave” from their jobs, however, you should try to arrange to have a few days off when you first bring them home.
The first few months of owning your puppy is critical time for bonding and training. Avoid weekend trips, vacations, and even long nights out to spend that quality time with your new furry friend.
If you’ve never owned a dog before you may be unaware of just how many supplies they need. Be sure to purchase everything you’ll need for your puppy before you bring them home. I have a full “new puppy checklist” already up on the blog but some of the most important supplies include:
Make sure you have everything you need before you bring home your puppy so you aren’t stressed and stuck without it later.
You may think the obvious first stop for puppy supplies is a pet store chain such as Petsmart or Petco but new dog parents should skip the big box pet stores. Stores such as Petsmart sell supplies for extremely high prices and you’ll end up spending way more than you should.
Check out your local Home Goods or TJ Maxx. These stores have huge pet sections with everything ranging from toys to treats to collars and leashes for incredible deals. chewy.com and Amazon are also great places to shop for pet supplies. Chewy specifically has huge brands and every supply you’ll ever need for fantastic prices.
Typically, puppies aren’t considered fully vaccinated until 16 weeks of age. Until that point, your puppy cannot touch the ground in public locations. Dog parks, pet stores, and even your neighborhood sidewalks are dangerous for unvaccinated puppies.
The biggest concern with unvaccinated puppies is parvovirus. Parvovirus is a virus that spreads through dogs feces and can live on surfaces and in the soil forever. If an infected dog pooped on the grass 20 years ago, the virus can still be alive in the soil and infect unvaccinated dogs. Parvovirus is incredibly contagious and is often fatal in puppies.
Work with your vet to get your puppy on a vaccine schedule that works for them. Your puppy will likely need multiple vaccine boosters before they are protected enough for public places. Until then, keep your pup inside and only around dogs that you know are healthy and vaccinated.
There’s no denying that puppies are cute. Puppy dog eyes are real and it’s easy to give into everything your dog wants because of it. However, remember that your tiny puppy is one day going to be a full grown dog and therefore training is a must. Anything you don’t want your adult dog doing should be corrected when they’re puppies.
Puppy bites seem harmless, but adult dog bites are not. Chasing a puppy who stole your shoe is cute, but when they’re bigger and faster than you, it won’t be so much fun. As soon as your puppy comes home correct any “bad” behavior to avoid them in the future.
While breed characteristics can play a large part in your dogs behavior, everything they’re exposed to as a puppy plays an equal part. Expose your puppy to any and everything from day one. Your dog should experience all different types of animals, people and places before their first birthday.
Puppies are really unlikely to sleep during the night the first week or so at home. Imagine being taken from your mom and siblings and brought to a strange home with new people that you’ve never met before. It’s scary for a puppy to go to their new home! You’re likely going to be woken up frequently at night by a crying puppy and you’re going to be tired. Luckily, it doesn’t take long for puppies to adapt and form a routine. Within a few weeks you should be back to those 8 hours of sleep.
Puppies also can’t go all night without using the bathroom like adult dogs so be prepared to take them out for bathroom breaks once or twice every night until they’re older.
Puppies cost a lot of money. Plan to spend a few hundred dollars on supplies and even more on vet bills. The first year of your dogs life is full of a ton of vet appointments for vaccines and check ups to ensure they’re healthy. Getting them spayed or neutered is another few hundred dollars you’ll have to spend.
Puppy food, crates, toys, and other supplies add up quickly. And if you want to enroll your pup in training classes, that’s going to cost you a pretty penny.
Getting a puppy is a huge financial decision that should not be taken lightly. If you don’t have the funds to provide your pup with everything they’re going to need, it might be better to wait until you’re in the proper place financially.
One thing I wish I had been more prepared for when bringing home my puppy was all the unwarranted opinions from those around me. Family, friends, and even strangers are going to have opinions on the way you raise your puppy. While many of these opinions come from a place of love and wanting the best for you and your puppy – it can be annoying.
Just know that only you and your vet can truly determine what is best for your puppy and as long as they are healthy and well cared for, you’re doing just fine.
Bringing home a puppy will change your entire life for the foreseeable future. You’ll no longer be able to go on a spontaneous trip or stay out all night. You’ll always have to have a pet sitter for vacations and time blocked out in your day for walks. Your clothing and furniture will forever be covered in fur and dog food is always going to be on your grocery list.
Despite all the work that owning a puppy can be, it can be incredibly rewarding. I mean, they aren’t called mans best friend for no reason!
This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own.
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Mental stimulation is just as important for a dogs overall well being as physical exercise. Dogs need to exercise their brain daily to keep from being bored, which can lead to destruction. One of my favorite ways to stimulate my dogs brain is with a lick mat. The lick mat is a perfect enrichment toy to keep your dogs brain busy and let them enjoy a yummy treat as well. Today I’m sharing 35 toppings for your dogs lick mat.
A lick mat is a grooved mat, typically made of silicone or rubber, that is designed to encourage your dog to lick. The textures and grooves on a lick mat lock the food in place so that your pup has to actively work for the treat, rather than gobbling it up in one swift bite.
Lick mats have a variety of uses from stress relief, mental stimulation, distraction, and encouraging slower eating. They’re the perfect distraction during baths or nail trims or they can be used to slow down meal time for a dog who typically eats too fast. A dog who does not get enough mental stimulation in their daily routine can become bored or even stressed, lick mats help relieve that stress and give their mind something to work on to avoid boredom.
There are multiple different types of lick mats on the market from flat mats to bowl shaped ones. Choose the mat that works best for your dog in terms of size, shape, and texture.
Lick mats allow you to get as creative as you want when it comes to toppings. You can stick to the basics, like peanut butter, or get creative with multiple topping combinations.
When it comes to choosing a topping, be sure to provide a variety of flavors and textures to keep your pup engaged longer. Freezing your lick mat is a great way to make your dog work even harder to get their treat.
The options are endless for topping ideas for your dogs lick mat. Here are 50 of my pups favorite lick mat treats
Play around with these foods to create different combinations to top your dogs lick mat, the possibilities are endless!
This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own.
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Do you have a picky pup? Finding the perfect dog food that a picky eater will actually eat can be incredibly tricky. My Siberian Husky, Luna, has been a picky eater her entire life. Sometimes she would go multiple days in a row without eating! There are many different types of kibble toppers on the market but they tend to be pricy for what you get. Luckily, you can cut down on the cost and the stress of owning a pup who won’t eat with this homemade kibble topper for picky eaters.
It’s pretty common for a dog to scarf down their kibble at meal time with no problem. In fact, many pups can eat the same food every day forever and never turn their nose up at it. However, a picky eater isn’t all that rare either! There are certain dog breeds that are known for being picky such as the Husky, German Shepherd, Maltese, and Poodle – and I can’t quite say I blame them!
Dog’s don’t want to eat the same food every day! Like humans, they crave a variety of flavors for their daily meals. As dogs have evolved to be pets, and we formed a habit of feeding them one food and sticking to it, they’ve learned to adapt. However, if you want your dog to truly thrive, a variety of foods is necessary for their diet.
This is a misconception for most dogs. Dogs who don’t have underlying health issues should be able to digest a large variety of foods without issue. Providing your pup with a variety of different proteins, produce, etc. will help them keep a healthy gut.
Of course, if Fido has been fed one type of kibble every day for 12 years, introducing something new without a proper transition is likely to cause loose stool or even vomiting. It’s best to introduce your dog to a large variety of meals at a young age whether this be different flavors of kibble or fresh foods with every meal.
Short answer, yes! A high quality kibble has the nutrients that your dog will need to be generally healthy. However, fresh foods provide so many good vitamins and minerals for our pets that they can’t get from a strict kibble diet.
All of the ingredients used in my homemade kibble topper have helped keep my dog healthier and happier than she was on a dry food only diet.
Chicken Thighs
The number one ingredient in my homemade kibble topper is chicken thighs.
Bone in, skin on, chicken thighs not only provide extra protein for my dog, but also contain a good amount of cartilage. All of the fat and cartilage in chicken thighs help to nourish a dogs bones and joints. This is why I prefer chicken thighs to another part of the chicken, such as the breast.
I have found Costco to be the best place to buy chicken thighs to get the most for your money. I buy the party pack that comes with 6 individual, frozen packages of thighs. One of the individual packs will last me a week so the entire package lasts me about a month and a half. Typically the whole package only costs me about $11!
Sweet Potato
I love including sweet potato in my kibble topper because they are relatively inexpensive and a great source of carbs. If you’re looking to put some weight on your pup, sweet potato is the way to go!
Sweet potato is a great source of fiber while remaining low in fat. They are rich in vitamins A, B6 and C and also contain calcium, potassium and iron. Not only are they healthy for your pup, but they taste good too! I have never met a dog who didn’t enjoy sweet potato.
Carrots
My dog suffers from KCS (dry eye) and also has cataracts so her eye health is very important to me which is why I make sure to include carrots in my kibble topper each week. But dogs with healthy eyes can benefit from them too!
Carrots are a great source of vitamin A, potassium and fiber. As you’re chopping them up to add to your crock pot, toss your dog a raw one! Raw carrots are a low calorie treat for dogs that are great for their dental health as well.
Green Veggies
I always add a green veggie to my kibble topper for some extra color and nutrients. My personal favorites to add are kale, spinach, and broccoli. All of these veggies contain vitamins and minerals that are great for your dogs overall health.
You can switch any of the veggies in my kibble topper out for whatever vegetable you have in your fridge or is on sale at the store! Most vegetables (with the exception of a few!) are safe for dogs to eat and provide them with plenty of vitamins and minerals.
The best part of this kibble topper is that it is SO easy to make! Everything is able to go in the crock pot and be forgotten about for the day.
I add my chicken thighs, sweet potatoes, and carrots all to the crock pot with a tiny bit of water and let it cook on high for several hours until the chicken is cooked through and the veggies are mushy.
Once the chicken is cooked through, remove the bones and throw them out and then add your green veggies. When I’m using broccoli, I’ll add it about one hour before it’s done. When using spinach or kale I add it 20-30 minutes before it’s all done cooking.
Once everything is thoroughly cooked, I mix it into one big mush and toss it into a Tupperware container for storage! Keep it in the fridge to keep it fresh or make a giant batch and freeze some for later use. My dog gets 1/2 a cup of the homemade kibble topper added to her dinner each night, and this recipe will easily last me one week.
And that’s it! It’s so simple and takes very little time out of my week. When I break it down, it only costs me about $5 a week and the health benefits for my pup are priceless!
Note: always talk to your vet before changing your dogs diet. When giving your dog new foods, monitor him closely for signs of illness or discomfort.
Many people choose to adopt a puppy or young dog when adding a furry friend to their family. This is for many reasons such as wanting to be in control of training from the beginning or hoping to get as much time with them as …