THE DOG GRAPEVINE 
Dedicated To DOGS and The PEOPLE Who Love Them
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Preparation For Your Puppy:
Get your shopping list together and be ready for your puppy when it arrives. Here are some of our Top Ten suggestions:
1. Food that the Breeder / Shelter are currently feeding - You should always begin feeding your puppy the food they are used to. If you decide to change it, wait a few days and then slowly introduce the new food.
Puppies may have sensitive stomachs, and even adult dogs should be gradually introduced to a new food. Sometimes puppies may be finicky and it is really important to get them to eat. We have used a little baby food to get them going. If you try this technique, just be sure you ween them off of it quickly.
2. Hard Sided Crate for Crate and Potty Training -From the very first night you bring your puppy home, it is a good idea to get it used to a crate. You will want a metal or hard sided crate so your puppy can not chew through. When they mature, you can purchase a soft sided or collapsible crate. As far as training with a crate, NEVER use the crate as a punishment location, but more as a comfort zone and den. Make the crate comfy with towels, blankets or a Fleece Crate Bed . Make sure there are plenty of dog toys available.
Never leave the puppy in the crate for more than a couple of hours at a time. They will need to relieve themselves frequently, and you want to set them up to succeed not to fail. In the beginning you may want to keep the crate door open so they have the freedom of moving in and out on their own. ALWAYS make it a positive experience, even if they go near the crate give them plenty of praise and a quick reward. On a side note, you will find if you carry treats with you all day long you can reward your dog quickly for positive behaviors.
Whenever you take your dog out of the crate, immediately take it outside to do it's "business". I can't emphasize enough the importance of getting over the top excited when they go potty in the right location. If they should have an accident, don't scream, yell no, or put their nose in it..... just give them a little "uh oh" and then say go outside, and take them there. Be consistent, and you'll have a well trained puppy before you know it. Just don't lose your "cool".
4. Cleaning Solution - Be ready to clean. Accidents are going to happen and you really need to clean well to remove any residue or smell that occurs with accidents. I don't work for the company (I should have stock in it for the amount of their product I've used over the years), but from experience, I can highly recommend Nature's Miracle Stain & Odor Remover . We had a dog with diabetes that had troubles controlling her bladder, so I was cleaning all the time. The Nature's Miracle really cut the smell and cleaned our white carpets! Slowly introduce your new puppy to all members of the family. Try not to overwhelm your new family member with too much stimulation the first night it is home. Remember everything is strange to him/her and every experience counts toward the future shaping of your puppy's personality.
5. Plenty of Chew Toys - You can find a big selection of Dog Toys at PetSmart.com. I highly recommend things like "Kongs", they can be filled with treats or kibble and will keep you puppy busy for hours. A little trick I found was adding just a touch of cream cheese or peanut butter to make it more difficult for them to get things out of the inside. If your puppy is chewing toys, then it's less apt to chew your things. Be fair to your puppy and don't leave anything laying around for it to get into trouble with. Again, set it up to succeed not to fail.
6. Doggie Blanket /Bed or Towels - You want to keep your puppy warm and comfortable. Just be sure you realize that whatever you use, will probably get chewed up. You will want to put the blanket/towels in the crate, and the bed in a location near you during waking hours to give them a place to call their own. As an option, you may want to move their crate from location to location, wherever you are.
7. Food and Water Bowls - From day one it is important to put the food and water bowls in one location that the puppy can count on for their food and water. It will be their "dining area". Always have fresh water available, if possible filtered or bottled is best.
8. Baby Gates - Just as you wouldn't want a toddler walking around the living room, you wouldn't want your puppy to either. Get as many baby gates as you need to keep your puppy and your things protected. When your puppy becomes a "reliable" citizen and is potty trained, and no longer chewing things, it can have free run of your house.
9. Doggie Toothbrush and Toothpaste - It's never too early to start good health. You can start by getting your puppy used to you touching their mouth. It is necessary to introduce them to the toothbrush as early as possible. Please be sure to use ONLY dog toothpaste. Anything else is not safe.
10. Collar and Leash - I would recommend an adjustable quick release collar for your puppy. It's a good idea to get them used to it and for safety reasons it gives you a place to grab them if need be.
Get Your House Prepared:
Baby (Puppy) Proof ANTYHING that looks intriguing. Watch out for electrical cords and things laying around the floor. Everything will be interesting to your puppy. Don't set it up for failure by leaving these laying around that it can chew up. Put up baby gates everywhere you don't want your puppy to go. Remember, they don't come trained. ;-)
Bringing Puppy Home:
With your shopping list of items ready and your house prepared for the new arrival, your puppy is ready to start it's new long and happy life with you. Enjoy the journey!
Recommended Reading: Before You Get Your Puppy