Photo: Good Housekeeping<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

1. Puppy proof your home<\/h4>\n

Now it’s an obvious thing to baby-proof your home before giving birth. What many pet parents don’t think of before bringing home a furry friend is puppy-proofing.<\/em> Before your new puppy arrives, it\u2019s important to puppy-proof your home. Look around your home from a dog’s eye view.  Be sure to pick up anything you wouldn’t want him to claim as his own. Remember, puppies like to explore (and they also LOVE to chew). Be sure to remove houseplants that are toxic to dogs. Use child safety locks wherever you store cleaning supplies or food.<\/p>\n

2. Create a safe space<\/h4>\n

This is another thing that is typically overlooked when bringing home a new furry friend. You’ll need to designate an area of your house where your puppy will stay for the first few weeks. This is to help your puppy adjust to his\/her new home. Be sure to set up this area prior to bringing them home. Remember, you should keep your pup crated when you’re not home.<\/p>\n

Some people are not fond of crating their animals, but it helps a new puppy adjust to his surroundings. It also serves as a great way to potty training too since dogs won\u2019t soil where they sleep. A crate will become your pups safe space. To help them get used to the crate, place an indestructible toy inside. This will help keep their mind occupied and satisfy their instinct to chew.<\/p>\n

3. Be prepared with food and food dishes<\/h4>\n

If you don’t mind your new friend destroying your personal dishes, feel free to use them. If not, ceramic or stainless steel water and foods bowls are an excellent choice for your puppy. They are super easy to clean\/sanitize and you can find them at nearly every pet store.<\/p>\n

It’s second nature to switch your pup to your preferred brand of pet food, but it’s important not to do so immediately. Keep them on the same food they’ve been eating as sudden changes of food can cause stomach upset and diarrhea. If you decide to switch foods later, transition slowly over a period of seven to 10 days.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

4. Teach Them the Basics<\/h4>\n

While you are more than welcome to immediately get your pup signed up for training classes there are a few things you can do on your own. Get a short leash so you can teach him polite leash manners. Designate an area outside as your puppy\u2019s potty spot, and establish a daily routine right away. You\u2019ll also want to start getting your puppy used to grooming routines right away \u2014 like brushing, bathing, tooth brushing and nail trims. The early you train them, the better adult dogs they will be.<\/p>\n

5. Schedule an appointment with the veterinarian<\/h4>\n

It’s very important to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian within the first week of bringing them home. You’ll need to get a routine checkup and discuss your puppy\u2019s vaccination schedule, spaying or neutering and proper nutrition. You can also ask for suggestions on when to begin socializing your puppy.<\/p>\n

6. Get the Essentials<\/h4>\n

Follow this handy check list of the food and supplies that you’ll want to have on hand when you bring home your new puppy:<\/p>\n

\n
• Puppy or dog food (dry, moist or canned)<\/li>\n
• Food and water dishes<\/li>\n
• Bed and bedding and\/or crates<\/li>\n
• Poop scooper and plenty of waste pick-up bags<\/li>\n
• Carrier<\/li>\n
• Toys to teeth on and\/or keep him occupied<\/li>\n
• Medications as needed, prescribed by a veterinarian<\/li>\n
• Leash and collar\n
  \n
  • With a tag that includes identification information, including your pup’s name and your name, address and telephone number<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    7. Get some of these other handy additional supplies:<\/h4>\n

    \n
    • Vitamins and supplements: Always consult a veterinarian first<\/li>\n
    • Wire slicker brush and wide-tooth comb for longhair dogs<\/li>\n
    • Bristle brush and fine-tooth metal comb for shorthair dogs<\/li>\n
    • Dog nail clippers<\/li>\n
    • Cotton balls and swabs<\/li>\n
    • Dog toothbrush and toothpaste<\/li>\n
    • Puppy shampoo
      \nFlea & tick control<\/li>\n
    • Dog gate or partition for blocking doorways<\/li>\n
    • House training aids<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Preparing for your puppy\u2019s first few weeks in his new home will make his transition a happy one. Be sure to stop by the local pet store and see if they have any coupon books for new pet owners. Pet stores like PetCo and PetSmart have new puppy kits that are loaded with coupons to help ease you into being a dog family.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Adopting a dog is a very fun and exciting time for both you and your new pup. The first question that probably comes to mind is, “do I have everything you need for your new puppy?” If you\u2019re thinking of adding a puppy or dog to your family, here are some basic tips and some recommended items you’ll want to have on hand before you bring him home. 1. Puppy proof your home Now it’s an obvious thing to baby-proof your home before giving birth. What many pet parents don’t think of before bringing home a furry friend is puppy-proofing. Before <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":10252,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[16],"tags":[661,662,663,664,660],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/centrecourt-apts.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10247"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/centrecourt-apts.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/centrecourt-apts.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/centrecourt-apts.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/centrecourt-apts.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10247"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/centrecourt-apts.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10247\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12085,"href":"https:\/\/centrecourt-apts.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10247\/revisions\/12085"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/centrecourt-apts.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10252"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/centrecourt-apts.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10247"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/centrecourt-apts.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10247"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/centrecourt-apts.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10247"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}