What You Must Do Before Bringing a Puppy Into Your Home
Your children have probably been begging “When can we get a puppy?” Owning a dog is a big responsibility and it can be a perfect venue in which to teach your children. However, there are a few things to consider before adopting a dog into your family. You and your family will have to come up with a game plan in advance and agree to what your new furry family member can and cannot do in your home.
First of all, you must make sure your house is dog-proofed. A great way to do this is to get on your hands and knees and look for hazards like dangling electrical cords that would be perfect for chewing; retrieve toys and other small objects off the floor that could be harmful if swallowed; remove chemicals, paper bags, plastic items and even plants away from the prying jaws of a puppy. Area rugs should be removed while your new pet is being house trained. He shouldn’t feel that this is the perfect spot to eliminate!
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Purchase a baby gate to stop your dog from entering forbidden areas of your home. It also could also be used to cordon off a special place just for him. This is particularly helpful when it comes to housetraining. As well, puppies are particularly curious and like to explore. To prevent your dog from chewing your shoes and clothes, make sure that he can’t access them. Make sure your bedroom and closet doors are closed.
Dogs love to chew so make sure you buy some chew toys or rawhide bones to curb his gnawing instincts. While your puppy is teething, make sure he has safe toys to chew on so he won’t be tempted to chew on objects around your home. As well, buy lots of toys to keep him amused. Bored dogs can be destructive! Plush toys, tug ropes, rubber balls, and squeaky toys are particular favorites of dogs. Similar to human children, pet toys should be age-appropriate. Also, buy enough toys so that you can rotate them periodically so that your dog doesn’t become bored.
Prior to bringing your puppy home, you should make sure that the house rules are in place. Can he jump onto the furniture? Will he be allowed in your bedroom? Where do you plan for him to sleep? You will want to know that in advance so that you can put his dog bed there. Are you prepared to be flexible and shuffle your game plan around a bit? Occasionally, dogs will take a liking to a favorite area in the home and if it is your bedroom, you will either have to teach him to sleep elsewhere, or allow him to sleep on his dog bed in there. Just like people, dogs have their own individual personalities. You will have to be flexible.
You should also have a game plan in place for obedience training. An obedient dog is a great family member. Plus, you will gain so much more out of the doggie-human relationship if you invest in dog obedience training. Do your research and decide if you can tackle the job yourself or if you want to find a training school to help.
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You also need to plan for the times when you are away from the home? What about a veterinarian? Would you hire a dog sitter or board him in a kennel if you had to travel? Is your yard large enough for your dog to be able to romp in? What about exercise? Do you intend to walk your dog so he can socialize with other dogs? All of these are important matters to think about BEFORE adopting a family pooch.
