So, you’re thinking of getting a puppy or maybe you’ve already picked out your puppy
and you need to prepare for their arrival!
There are a lot of little details and I want to help you prepare for your new arrival so
in this video we are going to talk all about what to DO and what to KNOW before you bring
a new puppy home
Michele here with How to Train A Dream Dog
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I’m going to break this video down into two parts
The first part is all the stuff you should consider before getting a puppy
The second part is all the stuff you should do before your puppy comes home
By now you may have already been scrolling through Pinterest or elsewhere on the internet
looking for cute puppy pictures
You’ve been making a list of the cutest ones and trying to find breeders
Whoa, hold up before you get all caught up with puppy cuteness lets consider this a minute
The initial puppy cuteness is going to wear off after about 3 to 4 months and your puppy
is going to come with some very specific breed characteristics.
Those characteristics are going to start shining through and you need to be prepared
Not to say your puppy isn’t still going to be the cutest little thing ever
but they are going to have a lot more energy and they will typically be entering the teething
stage
This tends to be a frustrating time for new puppy owners who find the behaviors that come
with that age not so cute
We are talking about BITING, barking, teething, chewing, jumping, and a few other unwanted
behaviors.
Lets get back to those breed characteristics… when you research puppies to adopt, you need
to dig deeper than the surface and initial cuteness you’ll see
In my dog breeds 101 video I talk about the different characteristics certain breeds have
and why some of these breeds aren’t the best for families with young kids
or for people that don’t have a lot of time to exercise their dogs
So for example dogs that naturally herd also nip a lot,
so to the dog, they see kids as critters that need herding and corralling
You can’t take a dog’s breed out of them just like you can’t take your nationality
out of you
so know why the dog you're about to pick was bred in the first place
Most dogs were bred for very specific reasons such as herding, working, or hunting
This means pick a breed that is going to best align with your lifestyle, schedule, and family
dynamics
Doing your research can help you determine if the dog breed is the right fit for you
and your family
Also, consider the maintenance and upkeep of a dog
Most dogs that don’t have super short hair need regular grooming, baths, nail trims,
haircuts and so on
Well all dogs need baths and nail trims but many dogs need to go to the groomer every
4, 6 or 8 weeks
Take doodles or poodle mixes, any doodle of any kind, labradoodles, goldendoodles, bernadoodles,
maltipoo, cavapoo, yorkie poo I could be here all-day
The point is these dogs need regular grooming to avoid snarls and mats forming in their
fur
Grooming appointments should be about every 4, 6, or 8 weeks depending on your groomers
recommendation
Without regular grooming appointments, you can bet your dog will get mats and the groomer
may need to trim your dog short, not because they want to but because they may have to
So this means you need to add regular maintenance grooming to your expense list for owning a
dog
Vet visits are a must with any pet and a dog is no exception
Your pup will need at least 3-4 vet visits within the first 3 to 4 months, another around
6 months
and then don’t forget a spay or neuter surgery sometime during the first year of their life.
Between routine vaccines, spay or neuter surgery, regular grooming appointments, food, supplies,
toys, and treats,
you’re looking at anywhere from $2500 to $4000 in expenses to own a dog just in the
first year
I tell you this not to discourage you from getting puppy
I tell you this #1 to help you prepare and #2 help you understand that adopting a puppy
is not something that you should do on a whim
Another thing to consider is the time it takes to raise and train a dog
Just about every new puppy owner I work with is shocked by the amount of time it takes
to raise a puppy.
Between potty training, crate training, teaching puppy new skills, commands, manners,
preventing them from eating your personal belongings, destroying the yard or things
in it
Providing them the right kinds and amounts of exercise
I can tell you that raising a puppy is like having an infant in the home
People always think they are bringing home this cute bundle of fluff that is going to
potty train in a day or so
and they think they will just teach it a quick command to stop any unwanted behavior
That’s not how it works
Training a puppy takes time, they are learning, growing, developing, and maturing
Even as an adult dog they will have the mentality of about a 2 to 3-year-old child
Don’t get me wrong raising a dog is one of the most rewarding experiences
and if you have the right mindset it will go a lot smoother
If your expectations are too high right out of the gate
you’re going to be beyond frustrated and your little pup will have no idea what they
are supposed to do instead
Studies show that dogs need lots and lots of reinforcement for doing the right behaviors
in various environments with various distractions,
hundreds to thousands of times before they are perfect at a particular skill in a certain
setting
After training for 20 years I’ve seen a lot and one of the most common mistakes I’ve
seen is
an owner expecting that their dog should know how to do something because they think they’ve
practiced that “something” enough already
I hear the phrase “well my dog should know this, they’ve already been taught this”
I promise you if they knew how to do it in that particular environment with those particular
distractions present they would do it
Dog don’t generalize, they can’t always take a skill they learned and apply it to
every situation, person, or another dog they encounter
If you want a dog to be most successful you’ll want to practice in each situation you want
them to be successful in
It’s a gradual process where we introduce new skills with the least amount of distractions
and gradually increase them as the weeks and months go on
I talk a ton about this in the free Better Puppy Behavior workshop I offer, you can grab
access to it from the link below in the description
While you’re at it you may as well grab the free New Puppy Starter Kit too.
You’re going to need it, since you’ll be bringing a new puppy home
the digital kit has lots of really great tips for new puppy owners
There’s a potty training lesson and some printable resources you’ll find super helpful
in there too
Since we are on the topic of potty training… make sure you have your puppy potty plan set
up ahead of time.
Know where you’re taking your pup outside or if you’re using Fresh Patch the real
grass patch to work on potty training.
We discourage the use of pee pads completely so avoid them at all cost
Here’s the video on this topic here
Ok, We talked about a few mindset things for all new puppy owners now lets switch gears
and talk about what you should DO before your new puppy arrives
Everyone wants to go shopping for all the toys and beds, and cute puppy accessories
but hold up let me save you some money
Before you make a mad dash to the store and spoil that little fluff ball before they even
arrive I want to cover a few of the most important items you should have on your shopping list
Now the basic stuff would be a leash, collar and some dishes and some chew toys but you’ll
also need a crate, a gate, a puppy pen or 2, a snuggle puppy, Adaptil and maybe even
a baby monitor or pet camera
I listed out all these supplies in the description below this video
You’ll need a crate to keep your puppy safe when you’re away or when they are sleeping
and taking naps
The inside puppy pen allows a smaller space to play than giving pup access to a room they
aren’t ready for and will have accidents in
The outside puppy pen will help your pup stay on track when you take them out to potty.
I have an entire crate training playlist here on my YouTube channel and a potty training
playlist so if you need some help in those areas check out those videos
The heartbeat dog I mentioned a moment ago mimics the mother dog or littermates heartbeat
and can be comforting and soothing to a new puppy
The Adaptil product is a pheromone scent similar to what the mother dog gives off to calm her
pups
This can also be comforting for your new puppy
You see, when your new pup arrives they will be overwhelmed, they may not eat a lot, may
not want to play, and they will likely have several accidents.
You’re also going to need Natures Miracle it’s an enzymatic cleaner for accidents
Be patient with them.
They are going through a very big transition when they arrive at your place.
If you haven’t peeked at the puppy expectations video here, you can do so when you’re done
with this video.
Lots of valuable tips and insight in that one
While you’re preparing for your pup’s arrival be sure to start calling around to
vets offices to find out which one will be the best fit for you.
Ask about how they handle new patients, cost of office visits, routine vaccinations
It can be a little bit of a sticker shock at that first vet visit if you haven’t planned
ahead
Oh I almost forgot, ask your breeder or the rescue group where you're adopting your dog
from what food they are currently feeding the puppy you're about to bring home
Get a bag to have on hand so you’re not guessing when puppy arrives
It never fails either the breeder only gives enough to get you by for a few days or none
is sent
You want to make sure that for the first few days or week you feed your pup the same food
as what they had been eating
We never cold turkey transition a puppy to a new food
You should always slowly transition foods so you don’t upset your pup’s tummy
Puppies have sensitive tummies and can easily get sick so be sure not to introduce tons
of treats and new foods into their diet when you first bring them home
Now before I share my last tip with you be sure to hit that subscribe button so you never
miss a new video release
Ok, you’ve picked out the right breed, you’ve got the right mindset, you know what to prepare
for, you’ve got the right supplies
You’re going to need the actual game plan and training blueprint so you can start training
as soon as your puppy arrives
Yes, we absolutely can start training right away, even if it’s the simple things like
potty training, crate training, getting them used to wearing a leash and collar
And of course, they can start to learn their name, and basic commands
So don’t forget to look at the online puppy training program we offer.
You can watch, learn and train from the comfort of home and if you need extra help or have
questions there’s an option to have access to the trainers as well
The 30 Days to Puppy Perfection program uses game-like training techniques to teach you
and your puppy all the skills they will need to learn throughout the first year of their
life
Leave it, coming when called, leash skills, manners, and tons more are all covered in
this 4 module 50+ video course
For more info you can check out the link in the description below this video
For now, start setting up your home for a new puppy, get your mind prepared for puppy
This means you’ll likely have a few sleepless nights
You’ll need to take pup out to potty in the middle of the night
And recognize your pup is little and needs to learn what you want him or her to know
how to do, puppy won’t come to you with an understanding of words, or commands
In the comments below tell me what breed you’re thinking of getting and do you have everything
set up ahead of time?