set up for success
preparing for puppy
Raising a puppy is one of life’s most fun and rewarding endeavors. But it’s not easy. Doing it well requires a lot of time, preparation and work—patience, understanding and a sense of humor, too.
Before taking the plunge, make sure you’re ready for everything that comes with puppy parenting, not just all the good times and love—responsibilities and expenses, lifestyle and schedule adjustments, and at least a few challenges and a little frustration along the way.
To be a top-notch puppy parent, you’ll need
some vacation time from work
plans to stay home/not travel for several months
acceptance that you’ll lose sleep for a while
willingness to change furniture/layout temporarily for puppy safety
ability to take your puppy outside to potty frequently and meet her other basic needs (three daily meals, fresh water, daytime naps)
dedicated time throughout each day to socialize, enrich and train your puppy
enrollment in puppy school as soon as possible after bringing your puppy home—sign up beforehand for Social Puppy and Good Puppy (classes fill several weeks to a month in advance)
strategies for staying on course as your puppy gains her full puppy power and moves through the development stages—imprinting, juvenile, adolescence and maturity
You and your puppy get just one puppyhood. Know what you’re getting into—and make it wonderful!
Set the stage before bringing your puppy home. The key props:
management measures so your puppy can’t practice or find reinforcement for unwanted behaviors
a game plan for teaching your puppy good behaviors
quality service providers who share your dog care and training philosophies
Here’s a pre-puppy prep list to get you started on your way to puppyhood success:
1 | crate (nighttime sleeping spot)
Make sure your puppy's crate is the right size—just large enough for her to stand up, turn around and lie down comfortably. We recommend a wire crate; most come with a divider you can move as your puppy grows.
Arrange the crate in your bedroom so your puppy is close to you. She’s just left her mom and littermates for the first time and probably has never slept alone. Hearing, smelling and seeing you will provide comfort and promote better, longer sleep. Having the crate next to you also will enable you to hear her right away when she wakes up in the middle of the night and needs to go potty.
2 | exercise pen/baby gate (daytime home base)
Put your puppy’s pen/gated area where she’s close to the action but not necessarily in the middle of everything, and where you’ll be able to supervise her while doing everyday tasks.
Set it up with a resting place, play area and, if needed, potty spot.
Make sure it’s sturdy and tall enough to last your puppy as she grows.
Puppy proof the area so plants, books, cables, shoes and furniture are beyond your puppy’s reach.
Establish a separate zone for kids so your puppy can nap while the kids play.
3 | tethers + supervision
You’ll have to supervise your puppy a lot in the beginning to prevent her from finding reinforcement for—and practicing—unwanted behaviors.
As you move about the house, use a leash to keep your puppy close. Never leave her unsupervised with children or out in a yard.
In areas where you want to have your hands free but don’t want to puppy proof the entire space (living room, kitchen, yard… ), you can set up tether spots. This will limit your puppy's ability to wander off or chew on inappropriate things. Use tethers only while you have eyes on your puppy!
4 | puppy proofing
Anything your puppy can reach probably will go into her mouth. To prevent your puppy from rehearsing and finding reinforcement for unwanted behaviors, and to keep your puppy and your stuff safe,
remove ALL things you don’t want your puppy to grab, play with and/or chew such as shoes; books, magazines and important papers; kids’ toys; eyeglasses; remote controls, mobile phones and other electronics; electrical cords on or near the floor; lamps; cushions and pillows; furniture you want to protect; and house plants, especially ones that are dangerous if ingested
avoid leaving things out on tables and chairs, and get in the habit of closing doors and putting things up high out of your puppy‘s reach—and sight (out of sight means out of mind for most puppies)
install baby gates or kid-proof locks for doors and cabinets at ground level (if needed)
give your puppy a good supply of appropriate things to play with and/or chew on in all locations of your house where she spends time
5 | house rules
Talk with everyone in your family and others who’ll be interacting with your puppy so you’re all on the same page. Consistency is key when raising a puppy.
Be clear on what to do if your puppy jumps, chews or play bites.
Agree on house rules such as where your puppy is allowed to be—on the furniture? all of it?
Divy responsibilities for potty training, walks, socialization, vet visits and everyday supervision.
Discuss what you ultimately want to do with your puppy—hike, swim, sit at the cafe…, all of the above—and make sure everyone’s on board to work together to make puppyhood as productive toward those goals as possible.
6 | service professionals (vet, groomer (if needed), pet sitter + trainer)
Do the research and choose your puppy’s service providers ahead of time, before you’re sleep deprived, overwhelmed or pressed for time and more likely to settle for someone who doesn’t share your approach to dog care and training.
Plan to start training classes right away. Sign up for the Wonder Puppy trifecta—Puppy Day Camp, Social Puppy and Good Puppy—well in advance (classes fill several weeks to a month prior).
Want to make sure you’re prepared like a pro? Book a private session to review your setup and learn all the best practices around bringing your puppy home. Private sessions are also a great way to get help with potty training, biting and mouthing, and other new puppy challenges.