Puppy Adoption Checklist
Bringing a puppy home for the first time can be both exciting and daunting, but should be lots of fun and a positive experience for you both!
Our short educational guide to puppy care will help you give your puppy the best start in life and help avoid any potential problems later on as your pup gets older.
Prepare for your new puppy’s arrival
- Create space and make sure you have toys to enrich them: puppies need space to play, and toys to keep them occupied.
- Provide somewhere for your puppy to rest: this could be a cosy crate, hiding place or bed in a quiet, draught-free place where your puppy can sleep, undisturbed.
- Take a blanket from the puppy’s first home – bring this back with you so they have something familiar and comfortable to snuggle in.
- Remove anything poisonous or that you don’t want them chewing.
- Find a vet – you can always find a local vet in your area or visit us in Grassy Park and our vets will happily assist you.
- Arrange for puppy training classes to set your pup up for success – these can get booked up, so find a class and sign up as soon as you know you’re getting a puppy.
Up to 8 weeks (before you bring your puppy home)
By the time your puppy comes home with you, they should have:
- had their first puppy vaccination
- started potty training
- been introduced to new situations and people
8-12 weeks – When you bring your puppy home
This is an important time for your puppy, as what they learn and experience now will shape their future behaviour. Your puppy isn’t fully vaccinated yet (having only received their first vaccination), but it’s important to continue socialisation by giving your puppy positive experiences like:
- Introducing them to other pets – let them meet other healthy, fully vaccinated cats and dogs.
- Carrying them around outside to introduce them to new people, sights and sounds.
- Gradually introducing them to other experiences, such as the car, grooming, being handled and having their ears, eyes and other body parts checked.
You should also:
- Begin to leave them alone for short periods (one-hour per month old e.g. a 2-month-old puppy should be left alone for a maximum of 2 hours) to prevent separation-related behaviour.
- Establish a consistent routine and rules – reward good behaviour and ignore bad behaviour.
- Feed them the same puppy food as they had before and keep the same routine with small, regular meals.
- Continue puppy toilet training by rewarding them when they go outside.
12 weeks onwards – puppy training and socialisation
Your puppy can have their second vaccination around now. While you’re at the vet, ask them about deworming, flea treatment and neutering.
Around this age, you can also:
- Socialise your pup outside once they’re fully vaccinated.
- Take them to puppy classes – good puppy classes are a great way to boost their confidence and learn basic training.
- Understand what they like – knowing what your puppy likes (such as their favourite food or toys) can motivate them during training.
- Let them rest regularly – growing and learning is tiring for a little pup, so let them rest regularly and keep training sessions short and fun. If your puppy is crate trained, let them use it as a safe haven.
6 months onwards – further dog training and sterilisation
Puppies are still learning at this tender age, so continue reward-based training and keep all experiences positive.
Remember, you can always bring your puppy to us for a check-up if you have any concerns and speak to us about neutering or spaying if you haven’t already.
Move onto more advanced dog training classes if your puppy is ready to progress.
Move them onto adult dog food as they get bigger and their dietary needs change.
By keeping experiences positive from day one, you’ll help your puppy grow into a confident adult dog, making life more enjoyable for you both.
For more information on our adoption process, please contact our Adoptions Centre on 021 700 4140 or email us on [email protected]
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