Preparing Your Home for Your Puppy

Congratulations on your new puppy! To make your pup’s transition as smooth as possible, there are a few important things to consider.

Toys

Toys are essential not only because your puppy can chew on anything other than your furniture and fingers, but also because toys offer valuable enrichment to keep your puppy comfortable and stable.

Having a number of toys can keep your puppy happy and have an enjoyable way for him to interact with you.

Consider rubber toys that can be filled with food to keep your puppy entertained, as well as long toys that allow for simple play-tugging.

Be sure that the toys you buy are not too little so that the dog does not chew on them. Balls, long-lasting “warm” toys, and chewable such as rawhides are also entertaining choices for your new puppy.

The Potty Spot

Choose a safe, secure place for your puppy that you won’t mind visiting many times per day.

Being consistent with a potty location can make potty-training easier.

To positively reinforce going to the potty place, hold weather-proof dog treats nearby.

A Safe Place

If you’re using a cage, consider where it will go, and if you’re not, make a secure, enclosed space with enough room for your dog to walk around and be relaxed enough to rest and sleep.

It is important to have a stable spot for your puppy to sleep and recover because it helps your puppy to feel comfortable and get lots of rest while helping you to complete tasks without thinking about their welfare while they are out of reach. I

t is preferable to have this warm, protected area out of direct sunlight to help your puppy sleep.

Making sure this quiet spot is away from doors and windows will result in less interruptions to your puppy’s precious sleep.

If you have multiple crates, you can strategically position them in your home (for example, one on each level) in case you need to quickly place your puppy there when taking care of something.

These tips will help your puppy feel safe and stay entertained while making the transition to their new house easier on both you and your puppy.