Once you have chosen your breeder and ordered a pup there will usually be a wait which is good because this give you time to prepare. Below I have listed step by step things you should do in order to prepare for your new puppy!
Vet appointment (within 3 days) - it is important your puppy see's the vet within the fist 3 business days of you getting it to insure it is healthy and doesn't have any conditions that could have been contracted from our kennel. This is mainly for your own piece of mind. It is also a good idea so your pup has a positive first introduction to the clinic without going there to be jabbed with needles or have surgery ect. At this time your should bring a stool specimen to have the vet check it to make sure your puppy doesn't have worms. It is VERY common for puppies to have worms. We put them on a very strict deworming program but sometimes worms become accustomed to the meds so it is important to have them checked. You're puppy can meet the vet and the techs on it's first visit. Make sure this is a positive experience for your puppy and it has alot of fun! Before you leave set up for the puppies next set of vaccines. Remember that when you bring your puppy into the vet it is not fully vaccinated. There are many sick animals at the vet clinic so carry your puppy in (don't place him on the floor, let people touch him or let your puppy come nose to nose contact with any other dogs because you don't want your pup picking up any viruses.
Puppy proof your house and yard- puppies are notorious for getting into everything so you want to make sure you pick up everything and keep things nice and tidy.
Put away floor plants, decorations, shoes, and clothing
Keep loose articles off the floor. You may think it's cute to see your new puppy chewing on an old shoe, but it won't be funny when he grabs a new one. He doesn't know the difference, so don't establish bad habits. Your puppy should know to chew on its toys and that's it!
Secure tablecloths, runners, or other hanging material
A quick pull on one of these can bring everything from the table down on your puppy. Tape or tack them down or remove them altogether.
Put away objects on coffee tables, end tables, and low furniture
Puppies can and will put their paws on things until they're properly trained. Make sure there's nothing dangerous for them to knock over.
Put away anything breakable, particularly if it's at tail level
Tails wag. Expensive things get broken. Make sure that Ming vase is way up high or you may find it in pieces.
Lock up cupboards and secure hazardous materials
This includes stowing cleaning products, medications, paint products, and anything that could be poisonous to your puppy.
Secure phone wires and electric cords
You can wrap them in plastic sheathing or pvc tubing.
Have children put away toys and any parts or accessories
If the item is smaller than your puppy, it should be put away. Keeping the dog safe is a great incentive for kids to clean up after themselves.
Protect anything made of wood including table and chair legs
Your puppy knows instinctively that wood is good for chewing. Use thick plastic sheeting or pvc tubing to hide chair and table legs. You can also spray apple bitter or tiger balm on things you don't want them to chew on!
Check every nook and cranny for danger items
This includes under and behind furniture and tables or any other dark place a puppy would like to go.
In the yard
Clean up the yard
Put away garden hoses, tools, and plastic toys. Look for anything your puppy can fall into or put in his mouth and secure it somewhere safe.
Block access to the pool and other hazardous areas
Fence off any area you don't want your puppy to be in and make sure he can't squeeze through the grating. Even a dog bred to swim can drown in a pool if he doesn't know where the steps are to get out.
Put away chemicals and potential poisons
This includes lawn fertilizers, insecticides, and paint products.
Check fencing for escape routes
Make sure there's nowhere for your puppy to crawl under. Check for gaps around gates and fence sections and make sure your puppy can't get his head stuck in them.
Rid your lawn of all feces that may have come from wild animals or other dogs!
Taking the time to puppy proof your house and yard is a simple way to create a safe, friendly environment for the newest member of your pack.
Read lots of books- it is very important to read alot of books to help understand your new puppy and why it will act and do some of the things it does. I think it's so important to have a good idea of animal behaviour and how to train a pup before you get it! Remember every puppy learns different and their are different techniques that should be used on different breeders and personalities. No to dogs are the same and every pup will learn different. There is no 100% right way to train dogs but there are wrong ways. In my opinion it is important to read at least 3-4 books to have an idea of how different people train dogs and this will give you a good basis. Below are books I recommend!
"The dog Listener" by Jan Fennell
"Culture Clash" by Jean Donaldson
"Puppies for Dummies"
"How to be your dogs best friend" and "the art of raising a puppy" by the Monks of New Skete. This also comes in a CD series of 4 I highly recommend it and I think all new owners should listen to this before buying a pup. You can purchase them on Ebay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"The Dog's Mind: Understanding Your Dog's Behavior" by Bruce Fogle, Anne B. Wilson
"How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With" by Clarise Rutherford and David Neil
and for those of you with children read
"Childproofing Your Dog : A Complete Guide to Preparing Your Dog for the Children in Your Life" by Sarah Wilson and Brian Kilcommons
Any book by the dog whisper "Ceasar Milan"
Look into obedience class and puppy sitters/dog walkers (if needed)
As for puppy class please start looking for a good class early on. Talk to your vet, friends and family about what trainers there are in the area and which ones they recommend. Call a few trainers and see if they will allow you to sit and watch a training session. Ask them alot of questions- how long have they been training dogs for, do they have any certifications, give them certain scenario's and ask them how they would deal with certain types of dogs, ask other people in the class if they would recommend this trainer and if they've seen improvement in there dogs, ask for references ect. Remember that if the trainer isn't asking to see your dogs vaccine record they aren't asking other people, which means there are unvaccinated dogs here and this is not somewhere you want to take your pup! If all is in order (you like tthere reply to your question, they ask for the vaccine record, you like the way you see them handle the dogs in the class and they have alot of references) then you can sign your pup up for a class. I recommend that pups start class on their 2nd set of vaccines, some trainers don't allow them to start until they are fully vaccinated but I believe more dogs end up in humane socities because they haven't been trained properly then end up with parvo so I believe it's very important to start training early!!!!!!!!!!! Sometimes it's a good idea to have a certified trainer come into your home for a few sessions to teach you and your family how to handle the puppy in your house!
Some people tell me - Oh, I know how to train a dog so my pup doesn't need puppy class.............. even I still take my pups to class and I've been training dogs my entire life. I believe it's great socilaization for your new pup and teaches them alot of skills that they wouldn't use at home.
Your dog goes through many stages and will continue to test you up until at least 18 months of age so I think it's important to do sessions up until your dog in 18 month
