Bringing home a new puppy is such a joy!
There was a lot I was ready for when it came to my new pup, but there were a few things I didn’t expect.
What I learnt when bringing home a new puppy
I was so excited when I decided to get my pup. I did my research beforehand to find out which breed would be best suited for apartment living and someone who works full time. I’d gotten the collar, lead, a bed and even a few little outfits.
Despite all my research and prep, I forgot to take a car restraint with me when I picked up my pup, which shows even when you’re prepared things still pop up. Thankfully I did take the carrier I bought just in case, so he was safely in there for the car ride home.
There are so many guides and advice blogs about bringing home a new puppy, but I wanted to share a few things I learnt that surprised me.…
1. You’ll Lose Sleep
I didn’t even think about how the puppy would need to adjust to their new surroundings.
I remember my pup’s first night at home. I was trying to crate train him, so I put him in his crate, covered it in towels and went to bed. He cried and cried and cried. I then got up and laid on the couch next to his crate with my arm hanging inside the crate to try and comfort him. It worked, but I was uncomfortable.
In the end, I took him to bed with me.
I covered my bed with pee pads to protect it and even used a baby nappy on the second night, thankfully these precautions weren’t needed.
2. Alternate Collar
I had a nice dog collar for my pup, but it was a bit big. And then my flatmate and I noticed we kept almost stepping on the pup because even on my wood floors we couldn’t hear his paws when he walked. To help counter this and help us not step on him, I got him a cat collar because they come with bells. It worked a treat.
By the time his paws were making enough noise to not need the bell on his collar, he was big enough to fit the original collar I had bought for him.
3. Record Everything
I take a lot of photos and videos of my pup, he even has his own Instagram account. But I do regret not taking more photos the day I picked him up.
If I could do it again, I would take photos from as soon as I picked him up with his siblings, as well as him in the car on the way home.
Bringing home a new puppy is one of the most exciting things in the world. The key to maximising the fun and minimising the stress is preparing yourself and preparing for the unexpected.
