What to Expect When You’re Expecting a New Puppy
Making the decision to get a dog, + even more so, a new puppy, is a big commitment. Dogs truly become our best friends, but there’s no doubt they require a lot of work, time, + money. There are many different factors that go into deciding the who, what, when, where + why! I’ve broken down each of the considerations + shared my limited personal but realistic experience as a busy medical student raising my first puppy on my own + the four other puppies that I’ve fostered over the past few years.
Meet Louis (pronounced like Louie), my almost-one year old American Bulldog mix who is the most loving + curious boy, who will try to lick every inch of your face if you let him.
First things first…
Deciding on the Who (Breed):
For me, I started by writing down a list of things that I thought were important to have in a dog based on my lifestyle.
For example:
Energy level was one of the most important to me. I wanted a dog that could both go on a long walk or run but is also pretty easy going otherwise. To make it simple, try to find a dog that matches your energy level!
Trainability: Since I’m in healthcare, I had to consider my busy lifestyle + wanted a pup that would be easy to train given the limited time that I have + wouldn’t get bored while I’m at work during the day (bored = destructive).
Size: I knew that I wanted a medium-big dog. Do you live in an apartment or house? Do you have a yard or will you be able to exercise a bigger dog?
Age: I originally wanted to rescue a young dog (1-2 years old) to avoid the challenges of early puppy stage but throughout the search I just didn’t find the right one. Also know that the age of the dog that you get can bring with it some added challenges – especially if they have a history of abuse or neglect. There may be some unforeseen challenges that come along with that!
Breed specifics: These are things that I feel like are just important to know so you’re not surprised. Like I learned daushuands are notoriously hard to potty train? It’s also important to know about some of the health challenges that some breeds are more prone to. Health problems often = $$!
Deciding on the When:
Although I think dogs are such a joy in life, I wouldn’t recommend one to everyone for a variety of reasons. One being that if you aren’t prepared or don’t think you can commit to taking care of the dog for their entire life (financially, physically, mentally) I wouldn’t recommend one, obviously.
But! If you’ve already crossed all your T’s and dotted your I’s + know that you will one day get a dog (which was the boat that I was in), I think there are what I consider good times versus better times to get a puppy – I think there are more rarely “perfect” times.
For me, it was about having a chunk of time that I could dedicate to training the basics + not have to leave a puppy in the crate for extended periods of time.
Deciding on the Where (to get your puppy from):
Adopting versus buying from a breeder. There are pros + challenges to both. It’s a personal decision + think that it’s up to you to figure out which pup is best for you! But I will say for either, look beyond your city limits + don’t be afraid to travel to meet your pup.
Be patient – waiting for the right pup is worth it! For me personally, fostering puppies played an important role in my decision to get a puppy. I fostered 4 puppies throughout the first couple years of medical school. It’s a personal decision if you decide to go this route. For me, the experience opened my eyes to a lot of the needs + challenges of raising puppies of that age (all while I was in school) & sealed the deal on any question that I might’ve had about getting a dog of my own. Even if fostering isn’t the course that you’ll take, maybe you’ve raised another puppy or consider dog sitting sites such as Rover. Having the experience of raising a puppy without the commitment of having it for its entire life is definitely advantageous.
Bringing Your Puppy Home
As you prepare to bring your puppy home, start gathering all of the puppy essentials!
What You’ll Need to Start:
- Puppy pads: you’ll need a lot of these
- Crate with a divider or appropriately sized crate
- Dog bed + blanket
- Food bowls (+ consider a slow eating food bowl as they get to be a few months old)
- Leash + collar of appropriate size. I always felt like the shorter the leash the better when they are young for greater control
- A few dog toys until you discover which your dog likes best
- Puppy specific food
- Lickmats/Kongs/Treat dispensing balls to keep your pup busy
I’m convinced there is nothing cuter than a new puppy. But they are also A LOT of work. + If you’ve never had one, I feel like it’s important to know the responsibilities of a puppy just so you’re prepared.
For the first few nights, puppies usually cry. It pulls at my heart strings but they are adjusting to a new environment + it’s likely their first time away from their mom and littermates. If you let them cry it out, they will eventually adjust. I started off by crate training Louis – which means he would sleep in his crate at night + when we would leave the house. Puppies often learn to love their crates + will protect the space. You can also help this process by feeding them their meals in the crate, teaching them that the crate brings rewards.
For the first few weeks or months, they will sleep a majority of the day but will also wake up throughout the night often to go potty. They shouldn’t be left for extended periods of time as they need to go potty much more often than an adult dog.
Puppies are curious + they often use their mouths to explore. They will require constant supervision – even with their toys! The teething is real. Be ready to puppy-proof your space by hiding as many important + potentially dangerous things that they might be interested in (including plants – which many are toxic to animals). Support them with toys that they CAN chew + redirect their attention from things that are unacceptable (plants, furniture, your hands) to their toys. It’s important to remember never to leave your dog unoccupied with toys, especially overnight or when you leave them in the crate.
My Experience Raising a Puppy
With Louis as a puppy, I’ve tried to expose him to as many different things as possible. Sights, sounds, smells, experiences. Socialization is a super important part of your puppy’s young life. It’s recommended to wait until your puppy is fully vaccinated before meeting unfamiliar dogs or adventuring to public spaces, so I found it easiest to interact with friends + family’s dogs that I knew were healthy + vaccinated!
Since day one, we’ve gone on many car trips (short + long). I’ve taken him to restaurants + breweries where he gets to meet as many people (+ kids) as possible. Once he was old enough, we started going to the dog park + having play dates with dogs of all sizes. We go on daily walks + I let him take his time sniffing his way around – it’s their time to explore + learn about their environment! Raising a puppy is challenging + frustrating but don’t forget: they are a blank slate. They don’t know right from wrong – even where to go to the potty, so they rely on you to teach them everything. That requires a lot of patience + consistency on your part as they will inevitably make mistakes!
Incorporating Training into Our Day to Day
I know that we are all busy in different ways, so this is a fantastic way to take advantage of the activities you are already doing! Another thing that has worked well for us is incorporating training into our day to day routine. It has created good habits for us both + saves time on adding in a separate training session. For example, I don’t have a fenced in yard so I have raised Louis taking him out to go potty on a leash. With this has come some leash skills that we have learned over the past few months as well as other socialization + obedience training in a distracting environment outdoors. During meal times, he has also learned basic obedience + self-control though sitting + staying while I am preparing his food. He also will sit + stay on ‘Place’ while we eat our own dinner, to prevent any begging. Puppies are often food-motivated, so I have also incorporated his feedings into our training. Although these are just a few basic examples, you can incorporate training into your day to day activities.