Are you getting a new puppy? Make a plan before your puppy comes home!
Bringing a puppy into a fully planned system makes transition much easier.
- Plan for where your puppy will go potty, keeping in mind where you want your adult dog to relieve themselves. Proper puppy potty training starts with a clear plan.
- Plan where your puppy will sleep and who will be responsible for taking them out to go potty during the night. Establishing a consistent puppy sleeping routine helps your dog feel secure.
- Plan feeding locations and schedules, and decide who will feed your puppy. Creating a puppy feeding schedule supports healthy growth and digestion.
- Plan a complete socialization schedule ahead of time. Create a checklist of everything your puppy has been introduced to and note any fear reactions. Early puppy socialization is critical for raising a confident dog.
Introduce your new puppy to their new life.
Whether you plan to hike, camp, or simply relax at home, introduce your puppy to the sights, sounds, smells, and surfaces they will encounter. Introduce new things slowly and one at a time, and watch for any fearful behavior. If your puppy shows fear, such as freezing, growling, cowering, running away, climbing on you, or trying to escape, you may want to get professional puppy training help.
What does fear look like?
Fear can be freezing in place, growling, cowering, running away, trying to climb you to get away, or any escape behavior.
Agree on house rules in advance.
Getting everyone in your household to agree on the house rules will save your new puppy years of confusion. Will your puppy be allowed on furniture? Allowed in the kitchen or dining room when there is food present? Allowed to jump on people or lick faces? Sit down as a family and make sure everyone understands the rules. Clear puppy house training rules set your dog up for success.
Use our Private In-Home Training as a Puppy Prep Pack
If you need help setting up a system and house rules, give us a call. During a one-hour consultation, we will help you decide the best potty, sleeping, and eating spots for your puppy. We will help you set up potty, eating, sleeping, and socialization schedules. Have questions? Get them answered before your puppy arrives.
Once your puppy arrives, we will start eight thirty-minute training sessions. You can use these sessions to continue working on potty training, manage naughty behaviors like chewing, biting, and jumping, or begin obedience with commands such as “come,” “leave it,” and “sit.” Our expert puppy obedience training ensures your new family member grows into a well-mannered adult dog.
Enjoy your new puppy!