Start out with a positive attitude…
The first weeks of your new puppy’s life with you will be busy and demanding. There may be times when you wonder…What was I thinking? Things will go better if you have patience and keep your sense of humor.
Remember that puppyhood only happens once. The extra effort you put into it now will pay off in the future. Remember we are here if you need us.
What you’ll need:
Wire or plastic dog crate. A 24″x30″ or 24″x36″ are a good size/- Easily washable, hard-to-destroy bedding material, imitation sheepskin works well. Leave an area that your puppy can go to if they get too hot.
- Ceramic or hard plastic, tip-proof food & water dishes work best. Large enough for their head but small enough they can’t put their front paws in it while eating. Stainless steel can cause “tear stains”.
- Buckle puppy harness/collar & lead. I like the soft harness types. You might want to look at the “Puppia Harness” you can find them on line. I love them and have owners that love them too! **We suggest just getting a small 6″-12″ inch size puppy collar and then measuring for a good puppia harness once you have your little one at home. The size harness they will need will be either an XS or a S (with Puppia brand) at first if you want to buy both and take the one you don’t use back.
- ID Tag with your phone number to wear on the collar/ harness. If you buy a harness you don’t need a collar.
- Only buy high quality & safe chew toys: Puppy Approved Toys, or bones and sturdy stuffed squeak toys. We don’t recommend nylabones as our beloved Lucy choked and died on a piece of one. Be very careful with what you give your little one and beware that their teeth are very sharp! Monitor or check often to make sure your puppy has not bitten through something or has destroyed it and is able to get pieces he or she could choke on. Check for damage to the toys/chew things often.
Grooming supplies: brush, nail clippers, shampoo (we use Hartz puppy shampoo), Tooth brush, gently brush teeth and the gum line at the bas eof the teeth once daily to help prevent tarter and gum disease.- A quality brand of dry puppy food. We use Victor “all stages” food, Ocean Fish Formula. So, if you change foods be sure to do so gradually. We have never had any food allergies with our French bulldogs and we happen to love the Eukanuba but if you want to switch to something you feel will be better do this slowly over a few weeks time.
- “Bitter Apple”, a safe spray-on product to discourage chewing on inappropriate objects.
- A wire, wooden or plastic “baby gate” for blocking doorways/steps. Depending on your house size and layout you may need several of these baby gates.
- A good book on puppy care & training. Read through before bringing your puppy home. My personal favorite is Dog Training for Dummies by Jack & Wendy Volhard