Hi.
I'm Kathy Santo with Iams. Today we're going to talk
about what to do when you bring home your new puppy.
We'll cover everything from supplies and preparation steps
to the car ride home, the first few days--
how to introduce him or her to your family, and more.
Before you bring your puppy home, prepare yourself with
the following supplies.
Premium puppy food to get your new puppy off to a good start,
stainless steel non-tip food and water bowls,
identification tags with your puppy's name and your contact
information.
A collar, and a leather or nylon six foot leash that's
1/2 to 3/4 inches wide, stain remover for accidents.
Brushes and combs suited to your puppy's coat, dog
shampoo, toothbrush and toothpaste, high-quality safe
chew toys to ease teething.
Flea, tick, and parasite controls.
Nail clippers.
A room, or at least a place he can call his own, like a cage
or a crate that will fit his adult size.
And of course, treats.
Once you have the supplies, it's time to
puppy-proof your home.
Raising a puppy is a lot like raising small children.
They get into everything.
Some of what they get into can be hazardous to their health.
So start preparing for your puppy's arrival long before
the actual date.
You'll thank yourself later.
A helpful tip: Get down on your hands and knees to view
the world like your puppy will.
It may help you to find things that you wouldn't have seen
otherwise--
electrical wires, small objects hidden under couches
and chairs that could be swallowed, or hiding spaces
where a small pup could get stuck.
There are sprays that can be applied to furniture legs,
woodwork, and other immovable items to help deter your puppy
from chewing on things you don't want him to chew on.
Are they rooms your puppy should be restricted from
entering until he's better trained and more reliable?
If so, install a baby gate, or keep the doors to those rooms
closed until your puppy matures.
Exercise pens are excellent for when you're home, but busy
or unable to fully dedicate yourself to
supervising your young pup.
If you're about to make dinner, for example, rather
than crating your dog or locking him in a puppy proof
room alone, set up an exercise pen in the kitchen with you.
This will allow him to get used to being around your
family's routines while also staying out of the way.
It will also allow him to feel like he's part of the family.
Once your house is ready, it's time to bring your new family
member home.
You're wanting to do your best at keeping this from being
overly stressful experience for your puppy.
So it may not be the best idea to bring the whole family,
especially if you have excited, young kids.
Also, keep in mind that the vibration, sounds, and the
movements of your car can be very scary for young pup and
make them nervous.
On the first trip home it's OK to have a passenger hold your
puppy in a soft blanket or towel on their lap.
After the first trip home, you should begin using a crate to
travel for both the dog and the other passenger's safety
in the car.
Try purchasing a dog seat belt that's specifically designed
to restrain and protect your companion
in case of an accident.
The ideal time to bring home a new puppy is when
the house is quiet.
Do your best to minimize the number of visitors stopping by
the first few days so you can establish a daily routine by
following these steps.
Step one.
Before bringing him in the house, take him to the area in
your yard that will serve as his potty and spend a few
minutes there.
If he goes, praise him.
If not, proceed into the house, but be sure to take him
to this spot each time he needs to go to the bathroom.
Step two.
Take him to the room which will service as his new den,
and if using one, set up his crate.
Put bedding and chew toys in the room and let him
investigate.
If he chews or urinate on his bedding,
permanently remove it.
Understand that a young puppy is not like an adult dog.
Treat him with patience and constant supervision.
The way you interact with your puppy at this age is critical
to his socialization.
Use
these tips: One.
You should spend a little extra time with your new puppy
on his first day home, but you want to acclimate him to your
regular routine quickly.
If necessary, hire a dog walker or ask a neighbor to
come take him out at regular intervals during this training
period, and going forward as your pup grows up.
Two.
Supervise your puppy at all times and
interact with him regularly.
Three.
Be alert for signs--
sniffing and circling--
that he has to go to the bathroom.
Then take him out immediately.
Four.
Establish your routine.
A young puppy has no bladder control and will need to
urinate immediately after eating, drinking,
sleeping, or playing.
At night he'll need to relieve himself at
least every three hours.
Five.
Don't punish an accident.
Never push his nose in the waste or scold him.
He won't understand and might learn to go to the bathroom
when you're out of sight.
Six.
Praise your puppy every time he goes to
the bathroom outside.
Seven.
Feed your puppy a formula designed for puppies.
Like a baby, he needs nutritious,
highly digestible food.
Eight.
Have the contact info of your local veterinary office
readily available in case of an emergency.
For those with children, another extremely important
part of bringing home your new puppy is making sure your kids
know how and how not to handle a young dog.
If your children are young or aren't familiar with how to
handle puppies, you need to spend some time with them
during these first few days explaining commonsense rules
on how to play with the puppy.
For example, tell them that dogs have sensitive hearing,
so it's important not to shriek or yell.
Puppies in particular need a lot of rest, just like a
growing child.
Limit puppy-children play sessions to 15 to 30 minute
periods two to three times a day.
You need to keep an eye on a puppy.
An excited puppy can be strong when he jumps, and play bites,
which can be too rough for young children.
Always supervise interaction and separate them
if play is too rough.
If you have other pets, you'll also need to spend some time
getting them used to having each other around.
At first it's best to keep resident pets separated from
your new puppy, but only for a few days.
After that time, let pets smell and touch each other
through a slightly open door.
Do this several times over the next few days.
After that, give the resident pet access to the den area
with your new puppy.
Supervise their meeting and go back to through-the-door
meetings if trouble arises.
Exercise pens can also help old and new pets get used to
each other's presence in a restricted and safe manner.
Lastly, what you'll need to do is get the puppy in to a
veterinarian for an initial puppy examination to make sure
he's in perfect health.
I'm Kathy Santo for Iams with Howdini.
I hope that you found this helpful as you welcome your
new addition into your family.
For more information on puppy care and training, visit
iams.com/puppy.