Are you looking for a furry best friend that makes your day by wagging its tail and sticking its tongue out when you walk in after a long day?
There are many considerations when bringing a new puppy into your home. Think about where the puppy will sleep on its first night, who will be available to care for it, and whether or not you already have the necessary equipment.
Never get a puppy when you’re emotionally unprepared for one. Find out if you’re ready for a puppy and the right way to go about getting one. Learn what you can now to give your new puppy the best possible start in life.
This blog will serve as a beginner’s guide to taking care of your puppy and watching it grow into your best friend for life!
Consider the Finances Involved
Before deciding to get a puppy, it’s vital to assess your current financial standing, calculate the fees involved, and set aside money for the unexpected. There’s no getting around the fact that pet ownership is costly. Whether getting a “free” puppy from a friend or purchasing a purebred dog from a pet store, you should factor in the costs of owning a pet.
Costs associated with owning a dog include vet care, dog food, pet insurance, pet deposits on apartments, and other services like dog walking and dog daycare. Puppies are cute, but they can get into all sorts of mischief if you let them play with toys or leave them unattended for even a moment.
One common example is eating a sock from under the couch that nobody noticed the puppy had eaten. Costs like this can pile up quickly; if your dog is ill, they can be pretty costly. To help out with this, consider getting pet insurance or do some research on how to get the lowest rates for debt consolidation loans.
Determine What Kind Of A Dog You Want
You’ve thought long and hard about getting a puppy, and after considering all your options, you’ve decided that now is the best moment to make that commitment. Congratulations! You should now begin your search for your new pet. Where do you even start?
Pick a breed of puppy you think would do well with your family. Prioritize the qualities you desire, the ones you like, and the ones you can live without.
For instance, small dogs do better in more compact living spaces. Caring for a large or enormous dog costs, including food, supplies, and medicine, are higher.
To what extent are you able to facilitate physical activity? Also, do you want a dog that maintains its high activity level throughout adulthood, or would you prefer one that settles down after a year or two? These are some things you should think about before deciding on a breed.
Puppy-Proof the house
Before those excited paws set foot in your house, it is crucial to ensure that the puppy is safe to enter their new home. Once the curious eyes fixate on something dangerous, their safety can be at risk. So for safety starters:
- Make sure to hide all the electrical switches and cords by covering their track behind the furniture.
- Keep the items away from a dog’s reach if they are easy to swallow or chew upon.
- Hide the dangerous or toxicant plants, so they don’t end up chewing the leaves.
- Lock the rooms where their pee or poop can cause damage to the surroundings.
Personal Tip: Get to the dog’s eye level and stoop to look at any potential object that could seem interesting to get their paws on. It might sound silly, but it will ensure you don’t miss anything.
Reading Suggestion: Long Haired Akita Dogs a Rare Breed
Make a Budget for Your Puppy Supplies
Keeping an estimated budget for the recurring expenses will help the owner to decide the monthly expenses accordingly, as they range from $480 to $3470 per year, depending upon the vet visits, food, health treatments, and grooming expenses a dog might have.
Below are some of the essentials one might need to stock up on before getting a puppy;
- One or Two Dog Bed, one being the main and the second one being the fill-in if the first bed is dirty
- A dog crate for potty training and to keep them safe if you decide to step out for a while
- Adjustable collar and leash to kick-start their training period
- Stainless steel and ceramic food and water bowls
- Grooming supplies; brush, comb, and grooming mitt
- Puppy Food and Treats
- Dog Toys; squeaky, plushy, or a chew toy
Choose The Right Veterinarian for your Dog
Make an effort to find a registered and reputable vet, so you know who to rely on in an emergency. Make sure that the vet is located at a convenient location with budget-friendly prices.
Remember that after you get a puppy, you must set up regular appointments with their vets for monthly checkups and vaccine schedules. Educate yourself on the diseases your dog will likely get according to the breed you get and how you can prepare to prevent them.
Learn How to Raise Your Pup
As cute as puppies are, they require the same schedule, frequent toilet breaks, and training as babies. That may be too much to handle if you have a full schedule due to a job or other commitments.
Who will be taking the dog out for walks and feeding it? Establishing a routine with the puppy early on is important, especially if more than one person in the house will be responsible for training it. Also, ensure that all household pets are well-introduced to one another and kept under close supervision if there is more than one.
Conclusion
The abovementioned things should give you a fair idea of all you need to do before you get a puppy. It might seem like a lot, but you should know that getting a pet is not a walk in the park. You have to care for them, love them, be there for them, and they will be there for you. So, take care of these things, and be ready to bring your new best friend to the house.
