Raising a Puppy: What You Need to Know

Puppies are beyond adorable, but let's face it — raising a puppy is fraught with challenges. If you've never had a puppy before, the task before you can seem quite daunting, and once those big puppy eyes capture your heart, there's no turning back. Here are some helpful tips to get through the puppy development stage and ensure your new four-legged baby grows up into a happy, healthy, well-adjusted dog.

Raising a Puppy: Things to Consider

Puppies are little bundles of energy who are often intensely curious about their surroundings. Life with a puppy is not that different from life with a human toddler — you'll need a lot of patience as you watch over your pup to keep them out of trouble, instruct them in appropriate behavior and safely teach them about the world.

The good news is that puppies sleep a lot, although they don't always sleep through the night, and your pup may wake the household whining and barking to express their displeasure at being left alone. Puppies are also driven to chew a lot as their adult teeth come in, and may see the doggie version of a teething ring in the living room rug, the couch, your favorite pair of shoes and even your hand. If you become frustrated with your new pet, it's important to remember that the task of raising a puppy is temporary. They'll be all grown up by their first birthday, and they'll leave most of their puppy tendencies behind as they settle into adulthood.

If you just got a puppy or are getting ready to go pick up your little bundle of joy, you need to be prepared for the new responsibility that is another life. This means taking time out of your busy schedule to tend to their needs. So, if you are planning on getting a puppy, it is a good idea to do so when you can take time off work, or work from home, to spend with them. This will allow you to let them out to do their business frequently, as well as monitor behaviors that they might try to engage in when you're away from the home.

Puppy-proofing Your Home

While you do your best, it's practically impossible to provide constant supervision for your energetic, curious pup, so it's important to puppy-proof your home before their homecoming. Secure electrical cords and move potentially toxic plants or substances, such as cleaning supplies and insecticides, out of reach. It's a good idea to crawl through your home to get a puppy's-eye view of their surroundings. Remove anything they might be tempted to chew or swallow, and close off vents, pet doors or any other openings that might allow them to become lost or stuck. Not only will this help keep them safe, it will also ease your anxiety that your new pup is lost.

You'll need to be ready to start house training your pup as soon as you bring them home. If you plan to crate train them, have the crate ready. Make it comfortable by lining it with blankets or a dog bed, but make sure it's large enough that they'll have plenty of room to stand up, turn around and lie down. Slowly introduce them to the crate by leaving the door open and letting them explore it on their own. You can help tempt them to go in by throwing in a toy or a couple of pieces of food. The more comfortable they are with going into the crate, the easier it will be on both of you during training.

If you're forgoing a crate, prepare a small area, such as a powder room or a corner of a kitchen or laundry room, where they can be confined and kept away from other pets and small children. Be sure to provide some puppy training pads to catch any accidents, and include a dog bed, their food and water dishes and a toy or two. This area will serve as home base, a safe space from which they can slowly be introduced to the other members of your household and that provides a retreat when they become overwhelmed or need a time-out.

Supplies You'll Need

You'll need to stock up on a number of supplies to keep your puppy happy and healthy.

• Food and water dishes; typical kitchen bowls are not safe for rambunctious puppies
• High quality puppy food and healthy dog treats
• Fresh, clean water
• A collar with ID
• A leash and possibly a dog harness for walking him (this comes in handy when leash training your pup)
• A crate or dog carrier
• A dog bed
• A dog brush or comb
• Puppy-safe shampoo
• Nail trimmers
• Dog toothbrush and dog-safe toothpaste
• Puppy-safe toys
• Poop bags (you can also recycle used grocery bags or sandwich bags)
• Travel bag to keep his necessities when you travel
• Pet-safe home cleaner (unless you're the very first puppy parent to never experience an accident in the home; congrats if that is true!)

Puppy Nutrition

Puppies have different nutrient and energy requirements than adult dogs. Look for a high quality puppy food that is specially formulated to support puppy development and growth. The proper quantity of food depends on factors like age, size and breed. It's a good idea to consult your veterinarian about how much and how often to feed your pup.

For some small breeds, it can be best to free feed young pups to ensure they receive adequate nutrition. Toy and small breed dogs reach physical maturity faster than larger breeds, and can be switched over to adult dog food and adult-sized portions between 9 and 12 months of age.

Larger breeds can take a full two years to reach physical maturity, and have different nutritional needs than small breeds. They should be fed puppy food specifically formulated for large breeds. Talk to your vet about the best time to switch your growing large breed dog to adult food. They should also be fed multiple meals each day with controlled portions to prevent complications, such as stomach bloat. A structured feeding schedule for your larger breed pup could look something like this:

• Six to twelve weeks old: Four meals per day
• Three to six months old: Three meals per day
• Six months and up: Two meals per day