Is there a new puppy in your future? Are you ready for the sweet kisses and cuddles from a fluffy ball of fur? It’s important to get prepared before your new fur baby arrives home so you know the best way to take care of a puppy. Incorporating your puppy into a calm and well-equipped home is a valuable feature to ensure a successful integration into the puppy’s new environment.
How to Take Care of a Puppy: The First 48 Hours
- Essential Supplies for Your New Companion: It’s important to have age-appropriate supplies and toys for your new puppy. Plan ahead so you can enjoy the first 48 hours calmly. These supplies include:
- Carrier/Crate for Transport and Sleeping, Dog Bed
- Harness/Leash, Collar, Poop Bags, Brush/Comb, Shampoo, Paper Towels
- Pet-ID Tag with Your Contact Information
- Puppy Food and Pet Treats, Food/Water Bowls
- Safe Chew Toys
- Pet First Aid Kit
- A Vet Appointment for First Check-Up
How to Puppy Proof Your House: Room by Room Security
- Balconies and Stairs: Balconies can present a fall risk, especially for a small pet who could easily slip through the rails. Use wire mesh or plywood to cover the rail openings. For houses with multiple levels, use baby gates at the top and bottom to prevent falls and limit roaming.
- Indoor and Outdoor Potty Options: Training a puppy to use turf grass patches or potty pads can come in handy when it’s not convenient to access the outdoors quickly. Keep your puppy leashed in a pet relief communal area. For backyards, ensure there are no gaps in fences and that gates close automatically.
- Noise Reduction: Limiting puppy yapping or barking in an apartment is the neighborly thing to do. Rugs, sound machines, and dog crates can help muffle the noise from a playful puppy.
- Securing Electrical Cords, Chemicals, and Valuables: Puppies love to chew on anything and can get into trouble pretty quickly.
- Electrical Cords: Limit electrical cord exposure with plastic cord protectors or spiral cable wraps. Run cords under or behind furniture. Use safety plugs on outlets.
- Chemicals: Keep all hazardous chemicals, cleaning supplies, and yard pesticides safely out of reach. Use childproof latches on cabinets. Don’t allow access to storage sheds, closets, or garages.
- Personal Property: Don’t leave purses, shoes, socks, wallets, passports, keys, remotes, money, and other valuables out.
- Protecting Upholstery and Furniture
- Cover furniture with blankets or throws, use bitter spray deterrents, and block access with baby gates. Keep the dog bed in the den or family room and offer chew toys to keep a puppy occupied.
- Crates/Playpens: Crates and playpens offer a safe, controlled environment for curious puppies left unsupervised. Crates are often used for the puppy’s sleep time or when a pet owner leaves the home for a while. Crates offer comfort, protection, potty training, and quiet time while it keeps the puppy out of trouble. Getting a puppy acclimated early to a crate is crucial to his acceptance of it. Rewarding with a small treat can be helpful. The crate size should be just large enough for the dog to stand, turn around, and lie down.
- Playpens offer a supervised play area while keeping the puppy confined to a specific area in the house, preferably where the family is. Safe toys, food, and water can be put in the playpen, as needed.
- Food Bowls and Feeding Area Set-Up
- Heavy or stainless steel food bowls with rubber bottoms or placed on a rubber mat will keep the food bowls from flipping over or sliding. Wash food and water bowls out daily. Keep water bowl filled with fresh water. Feed the puppy alone if other pets live in the house.
How to Prevent Pet Suffocation: Hidden Dangers in Your Home
- The Danger of Snack Bags and Food Packaging: Snack bags and other food bags and packaging pose serious suffocation risks to our pets, especially curious puppies who want to get into everything. Pet suffocation happens daily and within minutes. Many of these chip and snack bags are made from a strong mylar-like material (like a balloon) which helps keep snacks fresher. When a curious dog puts his head into the bag, it creates a vacuum-like seal around the dog’s neck. As he tries to breathe, the bag tightens around his neck, cutting off the oxygen.
- Types of Food Bags and Containers that Pose Suffocation Risks.
- Any type of bag or container can be a suffocation risk to your pet, especially one that contains food. These include chip bags, snack bags, cereal bags, cheese bags, plastic bags, and pet food bags. Containers and jars including peanut butter jars, yogurt cups, kibble containers, cookie containers, plastic jugs, and cat litter bins/containers can trap your pet within minutes.
- Safety Tips to Help Prevent Pet Suffocation in your Home, Yard, and Vehicle.
- Keep all chip/snack/pet food bags safely stored away from your pet.
- Tear or cut up all chip bags, food bags, and food packages after use.
- Put lids back on jars and containers when disposing of them.
- Store chips/snacks/pet food in resealable plastic containers.
- Serve chips and snacks in glass bowls or containers instead of in food bags.
- Keep all trash can lids tightly fastened, locked, or behind a cabinet.
- Keep the kitchen pantry door closed.
- Don’t store food bags on top of counters or appliances where a cat can easily reach by jumping.
- Don’t let your cats play with plastic bags or food cartons.
- Do not allow your pets to roam freely in the house while you are away.
- Check the house before leaving for any pet suffocation risks.
- Don’t store pet food bags in the garage.
- Check your vehicles for chip/snack/food bags and drink cups.
- Don’t leave your dog in the car alone with fast food bags, snack bags, or food and drink containers.
- Learn CPR for pets.
- Practice these guidelines whether you own a pet or not – it helps protect stray dogs, feral cats, and wildlife.
- Alert all your friends and family about the pet suffocation dangers of food bags.
- Teach your children not to leave snack bags and food in their backpacks or bedrooms.
- Educate dog walkers, pet sitters, and babysitters about pet suffocation prevention.
- Remind overnight guests not to leave food bags and snacks in their luggage or purses.
- Be extra vigilant during family and holiday gatherings.
- Choosing Safe Toys and Avoiding Small Choking Hazards
- Chew toys offer safe activities to keep your puppy busy while he teethes. Use tough rubber chew toys without small parts that the puppy can safely nibble on. Some chew toys can be filled with frozen treats like kibble and peanut butter to keep the puppy more engaged. Always supervise your puppy with new toys. Check toys often for damage. Discard any broken toys.
- Avoid toys and plush with small parts, especially flimsy plastic. Make sure all toys are bigger than the puppy’s mouth so he can’t swallow or choke on it.
- Proper Storage of Garbage and Recycle Bins
- Keep all trash can lids on garbage cans or recycle bins tightly fastened, locked, or behind a cabinet whether the trash can is inside the house, garage, or yard.
- Adding child safety latches or magnet locks to cabinet doors adds extra security.
- Empty trash cans frequently to remove the tempting smells of discarded foods.
- What Should I do If My Puppy Swallows a Plastic Bag?
- If your puppy swallows a plastic bag or any type of bag or object, call the vet immediately. Be prepared to take them right away to the vet or nearest ER Animal Hospital. Plastic and other bag materials like mylar can cause dangerous bowel obstructions or choking. Do not induce vomiting unless your vet tells you to. Monitor the puppy closely for any signs of vomiting, lethargy, or discomfort. Have the pet emergency numbers set in your phone and posted for family members or pet sitters to access.
Diet and Nutrition: What Can Dogs Not Eat?
- What foods are Toxic to Dogs? A Quick Reference List:
- Foods that can harm your puppy or cause digestive issues include chocolate, grapes, Xylitol, corn, onions, mushrooms, raw meat, avocados, citrus fruits, nuts, salt, caffeine, and raw meat. Discuss with your vet other potential harmful foods. Learn about these toxic substances and keep them safely out of reach of your pets. Keep numbers for your vet and Poison Control handy.
- Common Household Plants that are Poisonous to Puppies
- Plants to keep away from your puppies include Sago Palms, Lilies, Oleanders, Mums, Aloe Vera, Daffodils, Tulips, Poinsettias, Geraniums, Hydrangeas, and Holly Berries. Don’t let your puppy eat twigs and leaves. Always check his mouth for hidden objects.
- Why Grapes, Chocolate, and Xylitol are Dangerous
- These three items are extremely toxic to dogs and can cause fatal metabolic issues that dogs are unable to process. Xylitol is an artificial sweetener that induces a rapid insulin release that can lead to fatal low blood sugar and liver failure. Chocolate has theobromine that can cause seizures and heart failure, especially dark chocolate. Dogs are also not able to metabolize the caffeine in chocolate very well. In addition to being a choking hazard, grapes and raisins cause unpredictable and acute kidney failure.
Integrating a new puppy into your home and family can be a very rewarding, long-term experience. Being properly prepared beforehand will help ensure a healthy puppy and a happy homelife.
