Are you preparing to get a new dog? If you are a first-time dog owner, there are many things you will need to prepare for in order to get your new pet properly settled into their new home. We’re here to help with a first-time dog owner checklist.
Having a new dog can offer companionship, love, and happiness. However, they do require quite a bit of work. Be prepared with this helpful guide.
Set Time Aside and Start Training Right Away
The best time to get a dog is during a time in your life when you have the ability to spend time with the dog when welcoming it into your home. Take some time to gather all the dog necessities before bringing your dog home. Your dog will need food, bowls, toys, a leash, harness, and crate if you are planning to crate train.
You want to make sure that the first week or so of welcoming the dog into your home is pretty low-key so that you have time to watch over them and train them. It’s important to remember that training your dog should begin as soon as you bring them home so that they can get adjusted to their new environment. Consider what house rules you want to set before bringing your dog home, such as not allowing the dog on the furniture, before bringing them home to start implementing house rules right away.
You want to make sure you set up a consistent routine with your dog right away. Dogs do best with routines, so feeding and bathroom times should stay fairly consistent to get your dog on a schedule that works. Additionally, before bringing your dog home, look around your house for areas that they could get into and ruin or harm themselves.
Dogs are curious creatures, so if there is anything you don’t want them getting into, find a solution for it.
Socializing Your Dog
As we stated, the first week or so with your dog should be calm, low-key, and consistent to get them acquainted with their new surroundings, house rules, and schedule. However, once you feel that they have mastered this stage, it’s very important to socialize your dog. You want to start slow and avoid the dog park initially.
The dog park is an open space where you can lose control over your dog. Also, you are likely not yet sure how well your dog does with other dogs. You want to learn more about their behaviors and playstyles before heading to the dog park. Instead, start small by inviting family or friends over to come to meet and play with your new furry friend, and then take it from there.
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First Time Dog Owner Checklist
Before bringing a pup home, make sure that you are prepared with this first-time dog owner checklist.
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