We Got a Puppy... Now What?
We are empty nesters, and our sweet dog of 17 years crossed the rainbow bridge at the end of last year. We settled into our new home in Florida and were ready to add a puppy to our family. As things often happen in my life, the stars aligned, and the perfect puppy fell into our laps. Welcome sweet Charlie! So now what?
The Back Story
One of my clients and friends from Charlotte purchased a beautiful golden doodle puppy from a wonderful breeder back in June. She realized with two small children that a new puppy was a lot. Although I could tell she was devastated, she was bound to find her a new forever home. Lucky me got the call right during our own hunt to find the perfect puppy. How could you not believe this was meant to be?
So, at a little under 14 weeks old, my husband and I drove to Charlotte to pick up Charlie (get it? Charlie is short for Charlotte). From the minute I held her, I was in love! Having not had a puppy for a very long time, I wasn’t sure what I was in for, but knew I would figure it out! Along with Charlie came leashes, collars, a crate, a car seat, toys, food, and even a book about golden doodles. Needless to say, I was completely overwhelmed by this amazing gift but felt very prepared as we began the six-hour car ride home.
Welcome Charlie!
We have had Charlie a little over a month now and I discovered I have a lot to learn from this little bundle of energy. Thanks to a ton of YouTube videos, my trusty golden doodle book, blogs, and a lot of patience and persistence, I have some great guidelines to pass on about what to do after you bring a puppy home.
Provide a Safe Living Space
Introducing her to her new home was step one. That means puppy proofing just like you would for a toddler. Obvious stuff like chewable wires, shoes, and anything in reach that is small enough to put in their mouth. Here are some things I may have missed: Pillows (especially with tassels), furniture legs, baskets, dangling belts, and her favorite- sisal rugs!
Let that sweet puppy sniff every corner and you will quickly learn hiding places for when they have something they shouldn’t in their mouth. You will also learn their favorite place to have an accident (almost always on your favorite rug). And finally, you will discover hazards that you never even thought existed.
Undiscovered Hazard!
She knew how to climb stairs which was great, so we closed the doors on the second floor. She loved running up and down the stairs and sitting on the landing where she could oversee the whole first level. There is also a second story plant shelf at the top of the stairs which I never even considered being an issue. That was until one day I couldn’t find her, looked up and there she was-out on the plant shelf two stories high just as proud as could be. After several seconds of heart stopping panic, I convinced her to slowly back off of it. Lesson learned. Now there is a gate at the bottom of the stairs.
Bottom line- supervision is key. Otherwise keep her in a confined space like the kitchen with a dog gate.
Create a Routine
Just like toddlers, puppies love to know what to expect. Thanks to her previous owners, she loves her crate and that has been a life saver. It’s obviously very important for potty training but also creates a quiet safe environment when she needs to sleep. Even more importantly, it teaches them how to be away from you for periods of time.
We wake up at the same time in the morning, go potty in the same area of the yard, eat three times a day, and have play time and nap times. You might be laughing at “nap times” but I learned this the hard way. Having had older dogs, I assumed they sleep when they want to sleep, but quickly learned different. Even when she looked like she was resting, one eye was open to make sure she didn’t miss anything. By late afternoon, just like a toddler with no nap, she became a lunatic! Putting her in a quiet room, in her crate, she was finally able to get the sleep she needed! It also gave me an opportunity to run errands or do things that were impossible with her. Now everyone is happier!
Exercise is also a huge part of our daily routine. Even just one long walk every morning on the beach sets her up to have a successful day.
Potty Training
Again, I was lucky to have her previous owners already instill this and she has had very few accidents, but she goes out probably every two hours just to make sure. She needs to go out immediately after being in her crate for any extended period, or after playing (especially chasing balls).
After watching one too many YouTube videos I decided to take this one step further. I bought one of those jingle bell strips to hang by the door and just knew I could train her to ring it when she needed to go out. After several times of reinforcing going out with ringing bells, she got it! It seemed almost too easy. But then she outsmarted me. Knowing that I had to follow through taking her out when she rang those bells, she used them when she saw dogs, people, lizards, or even blowing leaves. Jokes on me, I guess.
Puppy Mouthing and Biting
This has been the toughest. It’s natural for a puppy to bite when playing and how they play with their brothers and sisters. Unfortunately, those puppy teeth are razor sharp and she has the jaws of an alligator. She also loves to get your reaction when you yelp, so that form of training was not working for us. The louder we yelped, the harder she bit down.
After a bleeding ear lobe and bite on the nose, we got serious and came up with a new plan. That plan (thanks again YouTube) was “freezing” when she started biting. Playtime was done and sometimes I even walked away. I would love to say problem solved, but this one might take a little longer. I can say injuries are few and far between now. I’m told she will grow out of this and am happy to report the vet told me last week, her front teeth are loose and ready to fall out!
Supply her with tons of chewy toys and Nyla bones. I put them in the freezer, and she loves that! She is also very fond of ice cubes but I’m sure too many of those are probably not great for the teeth. The vet also told me about some rawhides which are safe for her to digest, and I love greenies!
Puppy Socialization
This is probably one of the best things you can do to have a well-rounded dog. I speak from experience having had past dogs that were terrified of other animals or sounds. Socialization involves a broad range of experiences including vet visits, loud noises like fireworks, the vacuum, people of all sizes and colors, and yes other dogs.
Charlie loves every person she sees so that was not an issue, but dogs were initially another story. I live in a very dog friendly neighborhood, so she ran into one around every corner. It’s important to let her meet them while standing (not in your arms) and preferably off a leash. I found quickly that she knew what to do with dogs her size, but it took a little longer with bigger dogs. I’m happy to say she seems genuinely happy to see several dogs we run into daily, even a beautiful and very big great Dane.
Thanks to early exposure, she seems to love the beach and going on golf cart rides!
Training
It’s never too early to start training your puppy and I recommend the positive reinforcement method. With repetition and a treat reward, Charlie has learned to sit, shake, stay, and down all in a couple of weeks. I used YouTube videos as guidance but signing up for a training class is also a great idea.
I was stumped on one behavior. Although she is a great leash walker, periodically she would just sit down and refuse to walk. It was usually caused by a distraction of some kind, and she wouldn’t budge. I started by bribing her with a treat to get up which appeared to be working. Then she got smart and realized every time she sat, she got a treat. I created a monster. So, thanks once again to YouTube, I learned a different method which worked almost immediately. If you suffer from this check out this link.
Next on the list is “come” so that one day she can run on the beach with no leash! For now I drop the leash for periods of time and see if she follows or comes back when called. Stay tuned!
Before & After Grooming
If you are in the Ponte Vedra area, I highly recommend Pawgrass Dog Spa!
Body Handling
Finally, most people don’t realize how important body handling is. This means stroking the entire body, looking inside ears and mouth, touching the teeth, and playing with their feet. This will prepare your puppy for events that will happen in the future: teeth brushing, nail clipping, vet visits, and grooming.
Charlie has high maintenance hair, so as much as I would like to do it myself, I will count on a professional groomer for now. Take them as early as possible (after their last round of shots) and try to make it a fun experience. Find a good groomer who has worked with puppies and has a nice, relaxed, clean space to do the grooming. A treat at the end doesn’t hurt either. In between grooming appointments, I brush Charlie everyday to get her used to it and to make sure matting doesn’t occur. I would hate to be “shamed” into the dreaded “full shave” if the mats get too bad.
In conclusion, having a puppy is challenging and very reminiscent of the toddler years with my kids. Curiosity to discover all the new things in the world is what drives her stubbornness. That’s the important thing to remember. It’s a fine balance between letting her explore but keeping her safe. I know that one day I’ll have an amazing well behaved adult dog and look back on these days and laugh! That cute little face can get away with almost anything!
Of Course we will never forget our sweet Bailey! If you have a senior dog, check out a blog I wrote about her.
We miss you Bailey!
