Be prepared before bringing your puppy home
Before you even bring your puppy home, there's a lot you can do to prepare! Remember to make sure to get all the supplies you need first - our new puppy checklist can help you decide what to get.
Bed/chill out area
First of all you need to choose where your puppy’s bed and personal space will be. This will be an area they can go and take naps in, chill out in when they want a bit of alone time and generally feel safe in. All the family needs to know that this is the puppy’s space, and to leave them alone when they are in it.
If you do decide to get your puppy a crate, remember they might not be used to one so you will need to take your time introducing them to it to make sure they are comfortable and happy with it. Take a look at our guide on crate training for more advice.
Food and water area
Your puppy’s food and water area should be somewhere they can easily get to at all times. Growing is thirsty work, after all! Ideally you want this near to their quiet area and bed.
Set some ground rules
Before your puppy comes home, you have some decisions to make. Will they be allowed on the sofa? Are there certain rooms they can’t go in? Are they allowed on the bed?
You need to set some rules and make sure everyone at home knows what they are – and sticks to them! Consistency is key when training any dog and your puppy will be learning all the time. You need have these rules set and make sure they aren’t broken. Imagine how confusing it will be for your puppy if they’re sometimes allowed to do things like sit on the sofa but other times not! Just like for us, it’s much harder for your puppy to break a habit than make a new one.
Puppy proof your house
Make sure anything that could be harmful to your puppy is well out of paws’ reach – our list of poisons and hazards is a good place to start if you’re not sure what could harm them.
Putting in baby gates can be a great way to slowly introduce your puppy to the rest of the house and keep them out of rooms they’re not allowed in. It can also help to keep your puppy away from potential hazards, like stairs, before they’re ready to deal with them.
