Choose the Right Breed for You
Before you bring a puppy home, it's a good idea to do some breed research and pick the right breed for you. Know that each breed has their own set of character traits and these may or may not line up with your life style. Some breeds are more prone to barking, digging, or alerting you. Some breeds were genetically programmed to perform a specific task and this is why they have these certain traits. Herding breeds for example, like your cattle dogs or shepards, were originally bred to herd and protect livestock. Although over the generations some of these traits are lost or minimized, we still see a great deal of dogs who have these types of traits that come out in our modern day life. For instance, your herding breed dog may try to herd your children. Some terrier breeds are also more prone to barking as this was something they were bred to do to alert handlers generations ago.
Pick a Veterinarian
You want to make sure that you have a veterinarian already picked up and scheduled before you get your puppy. This is because you'll want your pup to have a vet check up as soon as you get them to verify that they're healthy. This can vary depending on whether you go with a rescue or a breeder. Breeders typically give you a few days to get a vet check after you get your puppy to have their health verified. If your puppy does have any health issues, it's always best to know this as soon as possible so you can start treating any problems they have. In addition to a health check, you'll also want to start their vaccines, deworming, and flea medications. Most puppies are born with worms and it's nothing to worry about as long as they're properly dewormed. These are some of the many preventative care steps you'll want to take.
Puppy-Proof Your House
It's a great idea to get down on your hands and knees and see everything around your house thats going to be around your puppy. Things like power cords and shoes are usually very appealing to puppies and they're likely to chew on anything that's on their level. It's also good to note that items like shoes, socks, and clothing, are typically their favorite to go after. This is because they smell a lot like us and puppies find your scent appealing.
As important as it is to make sure there's nothing they can get into that they shouldn't, its equally important to make certain they have plenty of things they are allowed to chew on and interact with. You'll want to provide squeaky toys, chew toys, and bones to help give them an outlet for all that chewing they'll want to do. You'll also want to provide them with a safe area where they can rest. This can be a crate or dog bed or anywhere your dog prefers to rest. Rest is especially important to young puppies because they usually go from 0 to 100 and then back to 0 in a very short amount of time. While their in their early months they'll do a lot of high energy activities and then do a lot of napping right afterwards. Just like with children, they sometimes need to be given a break for nap time or reminded by crating that it's time for a nap.
Plan for Dog Training
The earlier you begin training, the better off you'll be in the long run. Consider all of the possible training routes you may want to go. Some people prefer group classes while others like private lessons. It's going to be more helpful if this is your first puppy ever or first puppy in a long time to invest in private lessons. This way you have time to get all of your questions answered and your pup will get the one on one attention they need to best succeed.