You might be shocked when you find out how many pet cats and dogs there are in the country these days. Since 2018, the number of pets in the United States has been growing by about 0.9% per year. In 2023, there are now more than 191 million pet dogs and cats!
As more people get pets for the first time, there are also more people that need to know what to do in the first 72 hours with a puppy. Some people fail to prepare for the first few days when their new puppy will be getting used to their home.
If you are not careful, it might take a lot longer than necessary for your puppy to get used to this major transition. On the other hand, there are some simple steps you can take to make sure that everything goes smoothly with your new puppy.
Read on to learn all about the most vital things to pay attention to during your puppy’s first 72 hours at your home.
Prepare Your Home for Puppy Care
One of the most important things to do when you get a puppy for the first time is puppy-proof your home. If you have had pets before, this may not require much work. However, if you are a first-time dog owner, it might take a fair amount of work to make sure that everything in your home is safe for your puppy.
You want to make sure that there is nothing that your puppy could choke on or otherwise hurt itself with anywhere it can reach in your home. If you are still making a choice about which puppy to get, you might want to learn more about dog breeds for first-timers. It can be a lot easier to get some breeds used to a new home than others.
Regardless, there is a good chance that there are areas of your home that you will not want your puppy to access at all. With enough training, your dog can learn to avoid areas of your home that are off-limits.
However, your puppy will not yet have the benefit of this training. For now, you may need to set up dog gates to make sure that your puppy stays in the right part of your home.
Set up a Bed for Your Puppy
You will also want to put some thought into your puppy’s bed setup. You want this to be a place where your puppy can spend quiet time both during the day and at night. Your puppy’s bed will act not only as a place where it can sleep but as a place where it can feel a certain amount of ownership and privacy.
For that reason, you might want to find a quieter part of your home with less traffic for your puppy’s bed.
Prepare a Food and Water Bowl
Of course, you will also need to be ready with basic puppy supplies like a food and water bowl. You will want these to be somewhere that is easy for your puppy to access whenever it wants. At the same time, it can be helpful if they are in an area that will make it convenient to fill them.
Make a Plan for Puppy Training
In most cases, your puppy will not be trained when you first get it. On top of that, it will take a while before you can train it yourself. As a result, you will need to prepare a toilet area for your puppy that does not rely on it having any training.
In most cases, this will be an outdoor space that you choose. Make sure to take your puppy back to the same place over and over again to use the toilet.
If you can’t use an outdoor space, then you can invest in a pee tray for your puppy. Keep in mind that your puppy will need to relieve itself every few hours until it gets older.
Tell Everyone Your Puppy Rules
It is worth sitting down with everyone in the home to talk about your new puppy rules. After all, if some people know about the rules and some don’t, your puppy might get mixed messages. That can cause it to take much longer for your puppy to learn what is expected of it.
Have everyone sit down together and talk about which parts of the home your puppy will be allowed to visit. You can also decide things like which chairs and sofas your dog will be allowed to sit on.
Make sure that everyone understands how important it is that you provide consistent training for your puppy. Especially in the first few days and weeks, you want to make it as easy as possible for your puppy to learn.
Find a Vet for Your Puppy
Make sure that you have a vet ready to take care of your puppy even before you get it. Although it is unlikely you will experience any problems in the first few days, that is never a guarantee. You might also want to take the time to look at pet insurance on sites like money.com.
Know How to Handle the First 72 Hours With a Puppy
Your first 72 hours with a puppy can be a sensitive and sometimes hectic time. It is vital that you give your puppy the best introduction possible to its new life in your home. We hope the tips in this piece will help you prepare as well as possible for your first few days with your puppy.
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