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What You Need to Know Before Getting a Puppy | Meet Remington

If you have been thinking about getting a dog, it’s important to research what you need to know before getting a puppy.

I cover all the things I feel are most important for you to know in this post.

 

Things I wish I knew before getting a dog

 

I did not grow up around dogs so this is all a totally new experience for me.

Most of my siblings have gotten their own pups (I am the oldest of 7).

My brother Jamie has a female black lab named Nala who he’s had for over two years now.

Cassidy, my sister, has a female Belgian Malinoi named Willow.

My other brother Brad and his wife Julia have a female french bulldog named Princess.

And my sister Sarah has a female golden doodle named Harley.

And now my husband and I have a male chocolate lab named Remington (we call him Rem).

We picked him up on our anniversary.

We had been talking about getting a puppy for a while.

My husband loves to hunt and has been wanting to get a chocolate lab he could train to hunt with him.

We found a farm out in Delta PA through a website that has been breeding puppies since 2007 across the country.

Here is the link to their website for you to search the breed you want by location.

 

I am no dog or puppy expert nor do I claim to be.

However, I have been learning a lot after doing a ton of research as well as having a puppy for a few weeks now.

I figured I would share what we have learned and what you need to know before getting a puppy.

 

What to do before you get a puppy


First and foremost, I highly recommend you do a bunch of research on the different breeds and their behaviors.

Doing this research will help you gather what you need to know before getting a puppy.

If you already know what kind of dog you want, make sure you do your full research on all the different characteristics, traits and behaviors related to that breed.

This way you’re pretty familiar with what you’re getting yourself into before bringing a new dog into your life.

 

Here are just some examples of a few popular dog breeds and their traits:

Labrador Retriever

Labs are apparently one of the most popular dog breeds in America.

They’re high-energy, water loving family dogs that are friendly towards other dogs as well as humans.

Labs are also very curious dogs and are easily distracted, but love lots of play time.

If you’re up for being very active with them, a lab is a perfect fit for you.

Long walks and play time may not be enough though.

You are going to need to try other mentally stimulating activities to keep your lab entertained and active.

Golden Retriever

Golden Retrievers are one of the most popular family pet breeds.

They are going to need lots of space to run around and play and love fetching.

German Shepherd

German Shepherds are known to be loyal and protective.

Golden Doodle

Golden Doodles are very friendly and need lots of your attention.

Their coats don’t shed as much and are known for their friendly personalities.

Yorkshire Terrier
These little dogs are known for their sassy personalities and are a very popular city dog.
They’re a little bossy and need a ton of your attention.


The second thing you’re going to want to do once you decide what kind of dog you want and where you plan on getting your pup is to puppy proof the house.

Make sure all valuables, clothes, shoes, wires and human food are out of reach, put away or hidden.
You are going to want to block all stairs with a gate as well as any rooms you do not want your puppy hanging out in.
Keep trash cans behind closed doors or large enough that they cannot get into them.
Put away anything small that can be a choking hazard.
Make sure all of your cleaning supplies are in a safe space your puppy cannot get to.
Place childproof latches on all cabinets to keep their paws from prying them open.

If you have a backyard, make sure it is fenced in so that your dog can run around off the leash.


The third thing you will want to do is get all the supplies you’ll need.

(I am writing a blog post on this that will be up soon with a list of all the things you will need that are essential, what we got and what is still on our list to get.)

Pick up all the essentials first: a crate, food bowl, water bowl, bed, leash, harness, dog food, treats, chewing toys, dog wash, etc.

We actually waited until right after picking up Rem to get what we needed for him just in case it didn’t work out for some reason.

We immediately regretted it when we had to carry him around PetSmart just to get the essentials before bringing him home.

Another great thing to get your hands on is a training book to help get you familiar with how you will need to train your pup before bringing him/her home.

Anytime I have any questions or am curious about something concerning Rem, I always text my brother Jamie.
He recommended this book to us for training Rem.
He used it when he got his lab Nala two years ago and she is such a well behaved dog.

If a lab is the dog you are thinking about getting, this book is a great resource.

 

labrador retriever training book

 

Nala is the most well behaved, emotionally mature dog I know.
Jamie is also someone who has so much freaking patience it’s no wonder he’s so good with dogs.

Patience is definitely something you are going to need to hone when trying to train your new puppy.

 

Here are 5 things you need to know before getting a puppy:

I am no dog expert, but wanted to share some things we have learned that I think would be helpful for you to know if you have been considering getting a dog.

 

1 – What you need to know before getting a puppy

 

Puppyhood is a total of 8 months and they need consistent, daily training.
This is going to require a lot of patience and time commitment.
You will need to practice lots of patience, consistency and leadership in order to successfully raise and train a puppy into a well-behaved dog.
The first thing you want to familiarize yourself with are the the command words you are going to use with your dog.

Not everyone uses the same ones, but here is a list of the most basic commands you’re going to want to teach to your dog and consistently use with them.

 

Here is a list of the top command words to teach your dog.

Sit

Sit is probably the first command word your dog will learn to catch onto.

No

Use no everytime your puppy is doing something wrong, getting into something they shouldn’t or is somewhere he/she shouldn’t. It’s important to quickly say no while they’re in the middle of the act and redirect them to the correct behavior.

Stay

This one is important when feeding your puppy as well as using during training sessions.

Do not let them eat until you have finished filling their bowl and give them permission to eat.

This helps them practice self control and learn to be more obedient to you.

Drop It

This is a great command to use after telling them no if they have something in their mouth they shouldn’t have like shoes or other personal belongings.

You can even use it when they’re playing with their own toys to teach them to drop it so you can redirect their focus and attention elsewhere.

Reward them with treats and/or lots of praise immediately after they do something right or follow the command words.
Over time, with consistency, your dog’s responses to these command words will become second nature.

Go ahead and do a little more research on other commands you can teach your puppy that will help train them to be well-mannered dogs.

 

2 – What you need to know before getting a puppy

They need constant supervision when not in their crate.
Anytime your puppy is not in his or her crate, you will need to watch their every move.
If left unattended, they will get into things they’re not supposed to and chew on just about everything.
You need to be there to correct every behavior and over time they will learn what is and is not acceptable behavior.
Do not leave your puppy unattended for the first year or two until you are 100% positive you can trust them to behave on their own.

This is where crate training is so important so that you can take a break when needed as well as be able to put them away when you leave the house or have other important things to attend to.

 

3 – What you need to know before getting a puppy

Teething is a real thing and puppy teeth are very sharp.
Your puppy is going to want to gnaw and chew on everything in its sight.
You are definitely going to want to get a handful of toys and chewing toys for them to be distracted by so they’re not chewing on your furniture and household items.
The good things is, the teething isn’t forever.

Their baby teeth start falling out at 12 weeks and are all gone and replaced with permanent teeth by 6 months of age.

 

4 – What you need to know before getting a puppy

They need daily, mental stimulation and daily releases of energy (walking, playing with them, etc.)
A great way to increase mental stimulation which is also a great way to slow down their feeding, is to make them work for their food with puzzle feeding.
Here are a few ways you can help with their mental stimulation:
Get a puppy puzzle feeder for eating their food.
This will help turn their feeding session into a 20 minutes session vs a 2 minute feeding session.
Here is how you can help them get their energy out:
Play with them. This also builds that bond between you two, your pup gets to have some fun and be playful while getting their energy out.
They’re able to express themselves and it’s a chance to train.
Take them on daily long walks.

Take them to a dog park or out somewhere he can run around freely (even if this is your backyard).

 

5 – What you need to know before getting a puppy

One thing you want to always keep in mind, is that they’re still a puppy AKA a baby, and so many things are very new to them that they don’t fully understand yet.

Be patient with them. They’ll eventually catch on, it’s just going to take some time.

 

Now that we’ve covered what you need to know before getting a puppy, here is a list of things to do after you get your puppy.

 

What to do once you get your puppy

 

The first day in their new home

The first thing you’re going to want to do is introduce them to their new home.
Once they’ve had a chance to sniff around and get familiar, you’re going to want to end their first day in their new home by giving them a bath.
They’re most likely going to smell like they just stepped off a farm (which in most cases they did.)
You’re going to need to give them a bath at least once a month (depending on the breed) and this is my favorite dog wash.
This pet shampoo smells so good!

You’re going to want to get them to their first vet checkup right away to get a shot timeline and make sure your pup is in good health.


Keep things near or close to the door for when you have to take them out.

Keep things like their leash, poop bags, treats, treat bag, shoes, coat, etc near the front or back door. This way you can grab what you need and take your pup out as quickly as possible to avoid accidents.
This is especially important in the beginning since you’ll be taking them out constantly until their bladders grow stronger.


Socialize them early on with other people, pets, sounds, sights, etc.

After you’ve taken your pup to the vet, it’s time to get him familiar with others.
Look into local dog parks you can take your pup to so they can run around without a leash and get familiar with other dogs.


Crate training is another important step in the puppy training process.

Their crate needs to be their safe space and not treated as a place you put them when they’re being bad.
If you do that, they’ll never want to go in their crate and it will be very frustrating trying to get your dog to cooperate with you.
Do not forget – their crate needs to be their safe space.


Potty training can be very tedious and a little frustrating in the beginning.

Get your puppy into a routine.
Take them out every 30 mins to get them used to peeing outside and in the same area.
Take them out first thing in the morning, immediately after they’re finished eating, as soon as you get home that day, and the last thing you do before going to bed at night.
The more you do this, the less likely they will have accidents in the house and soon enough they will learn to go to the door to let you know they need to go out.
Remington is 13 weeks and just started doing this the other day. We’ve had him for 4 weeks now.
It takes a good 2-4 weeks for your puppy to learn where they’re expected to use the bathroom.
Stay consistent with taking them out every 30 mins until they learn to tell you when they need to go.

One thing you need to become aware of is when they have to go to the potty. How do you even know when they need to go?

Spot the signs. One of the biggest signs they have to go is when they start sniffing around.

If they end up going inside the house, pick them up immediately and take them outside.
Make sure to spray the area with a pet friendly carpet cleaner.
Clean the area the best you can.
If your pet smells his pee inside the house, he will get confused and think it’s okay to pee inside.
A good rule of thumb for how long they can hold it – they can hold it equivalent to how many months they are per hour.
So if they’re 3 months old, their bladders can hold it for about 3 hours.


Do not scold or yell at your puppy.

This will only make them scared of you.
You can definitely tell them no and grab the back of their neck without hurting them or being rough. Be firm with it and immediately redirect their attention.


Focus on positive reinforcement.

The more positive reinforcement you give them when they do something right, the more likely they will repeat those behaviors.


Puppy hygiene

Brush their teeth every day or every other day after their last meal to help prevent plaque buildup.
This will also help prevent gum disease, tooth decay, and painful infections. Use a pet friendly tooth paste that won’t upset their stomachs.

 

Your puppy is going to grow up so fast! Make sure to capture as much of your dog as you can! One way I like to do this is by using the one second everyday app to capture one second clips everyday that turn into a 6 minute video after a year.

This is also a great way to see how much your dog grows in just one year.

 

This post is all about what you need to know before getting a puppy.

I hope these photos and this information inspire you to welcome a pup of your own into your home.

Do not forget they are still a puppy, and also remember to give them all the love and rubs as often as you can.

Enjoy them!

Xo, Kristen