So you think you need a dog? Read to know if you are ready to take one on.

We love all things dog. In our endeavour to bring education to pet parents, we collaborated with Anand Vishwanathan, Founder & Pack Leader - Anvis Inc. In conversation with Antaleena Ganguly, puppy trainer at Anvis Inc., they spoke about considerations to be made before even deciding to bring a puppy home and the items to keep in mind after.  Read on more insights.

Puppies are cute, naughty and many times bring your home down with their relentless mischief. Bringing home a puppy is indeed a roller coaster ride.  It is overwhelming, especially when it comes to the important dos and don’ts of taking care of them. We have seen pet parents get excited about puppies and at times losing that effort half-way.

Trust yourself to go through the initial intense caretaking months during a puppy’s growth. Enjoy your puppy, and be sure that the whole process will be extremely rewarding. There is always help, be sure to do your research and reach out to the right people in case of any doubts. ?

FAQs and Considerations on bringing a new puppy home:

1. How do I know I am ready to bring home a puppy?

One must look deep into the reasons why they wish to bring home a puppy. Many times, people bring home puppies without comprehensively thinking and researching breeds. The level of preparedness to bring a puppy home must be as much as bringing a human baby into a family.

To build an internal support system many family discussions have to take place. And, to build an external support system you will need to research and finalize your vet, boarding set up, etc. Keep a checklist ready and be as prepared as you can.

Always speak to a few people who own the breed you have shortlisted for your home. Do your research and reach out to people for actual information on the behavior and routine of the breed. The research can take a few years, please ensure you give the required time and effort.

2. What is the ideal age to bring home a puppy?

The universal average age to bring a puppy home is 12 weeks old. The puppy gets protected from various viruses due to the antibodies from the mother. When the puppy stays with the mother, she will correct the biting behaviors. The dog will also be more social and well developed. Various life skills are also developed amongst young puppies around their birth mothers. 

3. How to decide between a young puppy or an adult dog?

This decision must be made based on your family routine. In case you are a high energy person and would do justice to their exercise needs you may bring home a breed to fit in that lifestyle. If you are a laid-back family, it is always better to choose an adult/ senior dog with limited exercise needs. Depending on your lifestyle, make a conscious decision. 

4. What are the essential things I should buy before I bring my puppy home?

Here is a list of essential things – leashes, a collar, different sizes of dog bowls, required food, a crate for training, and other specific requirements based on research. For more details on preparing your home for a puppy, click here. 

5. What are the basic safety measures I should keep in mind during the puppy’s initial months home?

Try to keep an eye on the puppy most of the time. Engage a lot with the new puppy and understand his behavior. You may also consider bringing a crate and train the puppy to spend some alone time inside the crate. Such a measure will ensure the puppy’s safety when it is not possible for you to keep a watch. 

Social distancing is also important to maintain in the initial weeks your puppy comes home. It is important that your puppy is not exposed to too many people living around you who want to visit and play with a new puppy. Imagine many people around the puppy that will overwhelm the puppy, may cause behavioral problems. 

Give your puppy some space so that they don’t get into a shell. Any negative experience in the initial 2 – 5 months you bring your puppy home, will stay with the puppy for a long time. It will be difficult to take away the fear developed.

6. How do I decide what diet I should give to my new puppy?

In the excitement of bringing a puppy home, diet often takes a back seat. You need to understand that depending on the age and breeder/family the diet will be decided. For instance, the first thing you have to do is ask about the puppy’s diet before you brought him home. The same diet has to be continued for some time before the puppy can be shifted to semi-solid/ solid food.

7. What are the preliminary vaccinations important for a newborn puppy? 

The initial vaccination is important to save puppies from life-threatening viruses like parvovirus. Make sure your puppy is given the first dose of Puppy DP within 12 weeks. The puppy gets protected against many illnesses. 

8. Is it safe to take a young puppy to a vet clinic?

Visits to a vet should not be one of the first places to take your puppy. One should not expose a puppy to a vet clinic as there are many infections they may pick up at the clinic from other older dogs. 

In case your puppy is throwing up or showing some other anomalies, always check the symptoms and wait and watch. The vet visit should be limited in the beginning. For instance, deworming can be done at home. There is no need to take the puppy to the clinic for anything other than a vaccination due. In some cases, vets agree to give vaccination doses at home, so consider making a home appointment whenever possible. 

9. How do I toilet train my puppy?

Start the toilet training from day 1. Do not give a few days to the puppy to settle in. They will develop habits that will later have to be undone during toilet training. The process is simple. It will be better to start from the day the puppy comes home.

You need to track their pee and poop timings. Give them a reward when they pee or poop in the right place. Understand that a few accidents are completely normal. Only use positive reinforcements to toilet train your puppy.

10. How can I help my puppy socialize with other humans and dogs?

Socializing does not mean that my dog is friendly. It is when a dog will not go and charge another dog or shy away from another dog. A well-socialized dog is someone who does not enter other human’s or dog’s space and politely maintains a distance. Take your dog for a car ride. Allow them to see other dogs and humans. Build a bond with your dog and expose your dog to many sounds carefully.

11. Is it safe to carry my puppy around in my arms?

People, especially kids should not carry around their puppy. This is because we might not know the right way to carry them and might cause a lot of inconvenience to the puppy. 

12. What basic training can I start for my puppy at a young age?

You may start with the sit command. It will be a good bonding experience. It is important to start training from the beginning for them to feel a sense of accomplishment. This will be good for confidence developments. Give them some work to do so that their brain is stimulated. 

Another useful recall command can be very useful to teach. This will also help those living in an apartment. The command comes in handy when a dog is about to run down the stairs. You can simply call your puppy to come back to you.

A simple down command is also very useful. This command helps you during vet visits. It is easy to ask them to lay and let the vet have a look at your puppy without any trouble. 

DogSpot.in went live with Anand Vishwanathan, Founder & Pack Leader - Anvis Inc. (Puppy ownership & training) .in to address the many important topics concerning bringing home a puppy. He has immense knowledge of dog breeds and taking care of a new puppy. In conversation with Antaleena Ganguly, Puppy Trainer at Anvis.Inc., he provided insights on the difficult decisions revolving around puppies  which have been very useful to many pet parents. 

We hope we answered all your queries regarding puppy ownership and basic training. In case you have any further questions about the topic, please feel free to leave it in the comments below. An expert will be happy to guide you! 

Transcribed by: Prekshita Patwa