Puppies are sweet and cuddly, but they require planning and preparation. Your four-legged friend’s care routine during their first year is critical to ensure they develop well physically, mentally, and emotionally. Our Southern Crossing Animal Hospital team wants a successful adventure for you and your puppy, and we provide tips to navigate your tiny canine’s first 365 days. 

Gather appropriate puppy supplies

Before welcoming your new puppy, you must gather the appropriate supplies to ensure you meet their needs. Resources your puppy will need include:

  • High-quality puppy food and healthy puppy treats
  • Food and water bowls
  • Puppy-safe chew toys
  • Adjustable dog crate
  • Dog bed
  • Nail trimmers
  • Puppy-safe toothbrush and toothpaste
  • Well-fitted collar and ID tags
  • Microchipping
  • Pet-safe cleaning solution
  • Poop bags

Puppy-proof your home

Puppies are curious and mischievous, and they often seem to look for trouble. Ensure your home is safe for your puppy to explore. Recommendations include:

  • Tidying your floors — Puppies often investigate their environment mouth-first and an ingested small object, such as a sock or child’s toy, can cause a gastrointestinal (GI) blockage that may require surgical removal. 
  • Securing electrical cords — Some tiny canines enjoy chewing on electrical cords, which may injure their mouth or cause a fire. Use cord covers or hide electrical cords under rugs or behind furniture.
  • Keeping trash in sealed containers — The garbage can is a treasure trove for your puppy, but may hold dangerous items, such as toxins, spoiled food, or potential GI obstructions. Keep your garbage in sealed containers to prevent dumpster diving.
  • Blocking off stairs — Puppies don’t stop and think before they act, and they can hurt themselves if they bolt down stairs. Block off stairs with baby gates or other barriers.
  • Storing pet toxins safely — Numerous foods, medications, and common household items are toxic to pets. Educate yourself on pet toxins and store all dangerous items out of your puppy’s reach. 

Socialize your puppy

Puppy socialization involves introducing your tiny canine to as many new people, pets, sights, sounds, scents, and experiences as possible to help them learn to accept and process new situations, which helps them grow into a well-behaved and well-adjusted adult dog. Suggestions include:

  • Handle your puppy — Teaching your puppy to accept handling is important so they will  allow veterinary examinations and at-home grooming sessions, such as nail trims, ear cleaning, and toothbrushing. Get them used to their belly, tail, feet, ears, gums, and teeth being touched.
  • Keep sessions short — Puppies have a short attention span and tire quickly, so keep socialization sessions short to prevent your tiny canine from getting frustrated.
  • Make experiences positive — A negative or frightening experience can lead to anxiety issues or phobias. Use treats, praise, and pets to make each socialization session positive, and remove your puppy from any situation as soon as they seem stressed or frightened.

Crate train your puppy

A crate provides your puppy with a safe, secure space and can help them enjoy alone time, which may reduce their separation anxiety risk. Crate training facilitates potty training as well,  because puppies don’t like to soil their resting area. Recommendations include:

  • Find the right crate — Choose a crate based on your puppy’s adult size, using dividers to keep the area small enough, and gradually granting more space as your pet grows. 
  • Introduce the crate appropriately — Let your puppy investigate their crate with the doors open. Make the crate comfortable with a bed or blanket, and feed your puppy inside, so they make a positive association. 
  • Gradually increase crate time — Distract your puppy with their favorite chew or a food puzzle toy while they are enclosed in their crate. Then, leave the room for a short period, gradually increasing the time you leave them alone.
  • Avoid prolonged crate sessions — Puppies should not be crated for prolonged periods. As a general rule, they can be crated for about one hour for each month of age. 

Establish an appropriate wellness plan for your puppy

Shortly after bringing your puppy home, contact our Southern Crossing Animal Hospital, so we can examine them and ensure they are healthy. Other wellness considerations include:

  • Vaccinations — Puppies need vaccines for protection against dangerous infectious diseases starting at about 8 weeks of age, and then boosters every two to three weeks until 16 to 18 weeks of age. Our team will devise an appropriate vaccination schedule based on your puppy’s lifestyle and disease risk.
  • Parasite prevention — Year-round parasite prevention is critical to protect your tiny canine from parasites, including fleas, ticks, heartworms, and intestinal parasites. Our team can help you determine the right parasite prevention method for your four-legged friend.
  • Dental hygiene — Dental disease affects the majority of pets by 2 years of age, and teaching your puppy to accept daily toothbrushing is important to help prevent this dangerous, problematic disease. Use a small, soft bristled brush and pet-friendly toothpaste, since human dental products can be toxic to pets. 

Each moment in your puppy’s first year is precious, and these recommendations can help you navigate this special time and create precious memories. Contact our Southern Crossing Animal Hospital team to schedule your puppy’s wellness examination, so we can meet your new family addition and start them on an appropriate healthcare routine.