Puppy Comes Home

All dogs are born with a "pack instinct" that helps them determine where they stand in the social hierarchy. Most dogs don’t really care where they rank – as long as they know what their rank is.  

Most dogs end up getting along just fine. But a dog already living in the home may be out of sorts if she perceives a new rival, so plan ahead to make the introduction as smooth as possible.

Puppies learn by sniffing, chewing, and exploring their homes. Just as we childproof our homes to protect young children before the baby can walk or the toddler pays a visit, we must also ensure little puppies can explore their world safely.

Dogs should be kept out of the garage because of danger from chemicals, car fluids, and sharp objects.  Even when you are walking your puppy through the garage, make sure it’s safe.  Your puppy will spend time in the yard, so make it an escape-proof, safe haven.

Remember, dogs of all ages experience the world with their tongues and teeth, and this overwhelming oral curiosity is strongest in puppyhood. In order to sweep your home of potential hazards to your pup, it helps to see the place from his perspective – literally.

It’s one thing to say you have a purebred, but it’s quite another to be able to prove it with paperwork. However, getting all that paperwork in order takes a little work, and the steps required vary depending on whether your dog is registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC, the largest registry in the U.S.), the United Kennel Club (UKC, the second-largest registry), or another registry. Your breeder has to do some paperwork too, and should give you the registration application form when you bring home your new puppy—don’t leave the breeder without it. Once you’ve both done your part, your pup’s blue-bloodedness will be official. 

What is a microchip?
A microchip is a tiny transponder, about the size of a grain of rice, that is encoded with a unique identification number. It is used for permanent identification. The technology is relatively recent, but is becoming widely available.

Puppies are more than just babies in fur pajamas, and puppy talk isn’t the same as baby talk. Nonetheless, people seem naturally predisposed to understand much of what puppies are saying. But they’re also predisposed to misunderstand a lot. That’s because even simple puppy messages often have complex components.

Dog people love photographs of their best friends, but it’s not easy capturing camera-shy canines, even with a fast-acting digital camera. Too often, one winds up with an album full of out-of-focus tail shots.

Imagine waking up one day and getting moved to a new house with a new family without warning. That’s how your new dog feels the first time you bring her home. Picking a new pet is fun and exciting for you, but it can be a scary process for your new dog. Make the transition go as smoothly as possible by preparing for her arrival.

The faster you can housetrain your puppy, the sooner you will begin to truly enjoy life with your new dog. The good news is that your puppy actually has powerful instincts that work in your favor—namely not to mess his or her own den. What you need to do is learn how to maximize those instincts to suit your lifestyle and living accommodations. There are many ways to housetrain a puppy, whether you live in an apartment or a house with a yard. This section will focus primarily on the latter, but should you choose to papertrain or use a puppy training tray with puppy training pads or even a patch of artificial grass portable dog potty much of this basic information will still come in handy.