Bringing a New Dog Home

Congratulations! Bringing home a new dog—whether a playful puppy, a shelter adoptee, or a rescue—will change your life for the better.

Yes, there will be chewed shoes, late-night barking, and occasional accidents. But you’ll also have a wagging tail to greet you, a loyal companion by your side, and endless unconditional love from day one.

When preparing for a puppy, or any new addition to your family, it's important to know how to get a dog that suits your lifestyle. If you're being proactive and are still thinking about what pet to choose, consider finding out what dog breeds best match your personality?

Predicting a puppy’s future behavior can be challenging, while adopting an older shelter dog increases the chances of finding a temperament that suits your lifestyle.

A few chewed shoes in exchange for lifelong companionship? A fair trade. But bringing home your first dog is a big adjustment—and so is figuring out what you actually need. Wee-wee pads, Nylabones, Kongs, chew toys, food bowls, dog beds… where do you start? Here’s a quick guide to help you prepare.

Bringing Home a Puppy:

#1 Plan Family Introductions

Introduce your dog to its new home gradually, especially if you have other pets or young children. A new environment can be overwhelming, so allow time for adjustment.

Never force interactions between pets, as this can create stress and resentment. Instead, encourage positive introductions when they’re ready. Let them sniff and observe each other naturally. After a couple of minutes, separate them to prevent tension from escalating.

Watch for signs of aggression, such as bared teeth, growling, or stiff body language. If hostility arises, separate them immediately and try again later.

#2 Set Expectations Early

Interrupt any bad behaviors early to let them know that these are not acceptable behaviors. Show them that you make the rules, or they will take advantage of there being none. Jumping on visitors, bite when taking treats, and stealing food from the table should be seen as off-limits. If you want to know more about dog training, read about How to Train a Dog Not to Bite Strangers.

With multiple pets, resources like food bowls, toys, and sleeping areas can trigger rivalry, even among the most docile animals. Establish clear boundaries for each pet’s belongings and spaces to prevent conflicts. If you don’t have time for training, consider hiring a professional trainer or enrolling your dog in training classes to ensure good behavior.

#3 Develop a Routine

Like with many things in life, consistency is key. Establishing a clear routine for your pet early on can make it easier for them to learn acceptable behaviors. Change is difficult and inconsistency can be overstimulating for a new pet. Be sure that walks, outings, feedings, and playtime all happen during generally the same hours and that they are getting plenty of it to eliminate bad behavior. Taking a dog out for a walk at the same time every day will get a dog used to it, and they will be less likely to be energetic afterward.

#4 Be Patient

Things will not always happen overnight. Having realistic expectations will help keep the introductory process in perspective. You can’t force your pet to like your home immediately, and you can’t force your older pet(s) to like your newer one right away. New puppy care is not unlike caring for a human puppy! Follow the tips, be consistent, and be patient and you will slowly see how your pet becomes adjusted to your home and will view it as a safe place.

#5 Install a Dog Door

Installing a dog door is a great way to give your dog and you more freedom. Not only does it increase the quality of life for your pet but it also lifts the burden from you to let your pet in an out all the time. There are lots of different factors that go into installing the correct pet door such as size, the location of the door (sliding door, screen door, wall door), and functionality (Electronic, Locking, etc...). Introducing your pup to a pet door is also a helpful way to facilitate potty training and making sure you have the correct pet door is crucial. Take a look at these Pet Door Training Tips for more information on the benefits of pet doors.

#6 Food and Water

Make sure that you have a designated area where your pet will have access to their food and water. While you may want to limit your pet’s access to food at certain times, it is important that the time and place is consistent. Feeding them at a specific time and place will help them get a routine and know where to expect their food to be. Dogs can get aggressive if this routine is disrupted.

#7 Leashes

Retractable leashes are handy for trained dogs, but if you’re working on leash-training, you’ll need a standard (non-retractable) leash. The reason? On retractables, dogs learn that they’ll get to go farther and faster if they start pulling. On a standard leash, pulling gets them nowhere. Excellent for dogs just starting to be leash trained, they will try to leave your side but quickly learn that is not acceptable behavior. As they learn to walk with you on a standard leash you can then switch to a retractable as they gain your trust.

#8 The Crate Debate

If you’re going to crate-train your dog, it’s better to do it from the get-go. Contrary to popular belief, crate-training doesn’t mean locking your pet up for hours on end; rather, it gives your place a den-like space to go and be comfortable when you need to secure your dog (when you have dog-shy guests or service professionals over at your house, getting your house cleaned or painted, etc.). Instead of panicking at the thought of being in an enclosed space, dogs feel safe and secure in their “den". It can also help establish a routine place to sleep, and limit accidents in your home.

#9 Toys

Finally, remember that toys aren’t a luxury; they’re a necessity. Just like humans require stimulation. Imagine being pent up in a room with no iPhone, no computer, no TV, no books, nothing. You’d go crazy, right? Dogs are social creatures too and they need to occupy themselves just as much as you do. Puppies have natural chewing instincts, so be sure to stock up on some chewing toys or risk that puppy taking out its urge to chew on your furniture.

#10 A Few Final Tips on Buying Pet Supplies for Your Puppy

Owning a dog is an investment and therefore it's important to look for products that will grow with your puppy. Remember, that it’s not a good idea to take your puppy into the pet store with you. Your puppy’s immune system isn’t fully developed yet, so he won’t be equipped to handle the germs that adult dogs carry.

As soon as your puppy is fully immunized, your new furry companion will be ready to go out and enjoy the world with you. Now that your new family member has arrived, what next? After adjusting to new surroundings, friends, and family, puppies will soon need to be transitioned into a housebreaking routine. Read on to learn about the best puppy tips for the first week and learn how to take care of a puppy's potty training!

House Training Tips

Consistency and patience are two key qualities necessary to successfully house-train a puppy. Each puppy is different, but adopting these general techniques is sure to assist in the housebreaking process. Larger dogs may adapt to their routine quickly, while smaller dogs generally take longer to be house trained. Puppies can generally hold their bladder one hour for every month of age. This means that a three-month-old puppy can hold its bladder for approximately three hours.

Regular Routines

Puppies adapt best to a routine. It is best to have designated times for puppies to sleep, play, eat, and go out. Having a regular feeding schedule will help to establish consistency, as well as predetermined times to take your puppy outdoors. Puppies should go out promptly after eating, drinking, and any kind of exciting activity (such as playing).

Make sure to also initiate taking your puppy outside every night before bed, as well as every morning when you wake up. Taking your puppy out frequently will ensure minimal accidents. It is important to take your puppy outdoors at least every two hours, as well as any other time that you notice your puppy indicating they need to go out.

Training Time

Pick a spot outside where you want to train your puppy to go. Using a short phrase such as ‘go potty’ or ‘outside’ will help establish recognition between the phrase and action. This also reinforces consistency in the house training routine. Make sure to stand quietly and don’t do anything that may startle or distract your puppy. Additionally, playing or going for a walk before your puppy goes can be a major distraction. Focus on the training and your puppy will soon learn to focus as well.

Remember Rewards

Always positively respond to your puppy after he or she goes outdoors. This can either be through praise or with a treat. The most important aspect of this step is to remember to respond with an immediate reward so that the reward is positively associated with the behavior. Puppies are easily distracted, and won’t associate a delayed reward with previous behavior.

Watch Your Puppy

Close observation of your puppy can be another way to pro-actively accelerate the training process and prevent potential accidents. Often puppies will begin to show some sort of indication that they need to go out (whether it’s standing at the door, circling, sniffing the ground, or barking). With careful supervision, it becomes easy to pick up on these signs and actively address the need for your puppy to go outdoors.

When you have to leave your puppy

Obviously, at times you will not be at home and therefore unable to watch your puppy. When this does occur, it is most effective to keep puppies in a small area, such as a pen or a crate. Puppies naturally don’t ‘go’ in the same area that they rest or sleep. Therefore, confining a puppy to a smaller area where they have a bed and enough room to comfortably stand and lie down will encourage puppies to wait until they are able to go outdoors.

When used correctly, crates can be very beneficial in training puppies and a puppy will often quickly adapt to viewing a crate as a type of den or sleeping area. If you prefer to not utilize a crate for house training, small pens or dog-proof baby gates can be used to block off areas such as the laundry room or family room. Most importantly, make sure as soon as you arrive home you promptly take your puppy outdoors, and follow the steps previously outlined to establish a routine.

Remember: young puppies cannot be expected to hold their bladder for more than a couple hours at a time (at most!) so if you are going to be away from home for a long period, consider arranging for a neighbor or pet sitter to come and take your puppy out.

Paper Training

Another option for puppies that will be indoors for longer periods of time is paper training. Paper training can be an effective way to teach puppies to go indoors while still preventing accidents. Using newspapers, or specially designed puppy pads can be used to teach your puppy paper training indoors. Keep in mind that simultaneously training your puppy to use papers and go outdoors can become confusing, and will require extra time and patience for success.

What to do in case of an accident

Accidents are inevitable with a new puppy. If you catch them in the act, firmly say "no," then quickly take them outside. If they finish there, reward them immediately.

If you miss the accident, don’t punish—yelling will only cause confusion. Instead, clean the area thoroughly with a water-and-vinegar solution or a commercial cleaner to eliminate lingering scents and prevent repeat incidents. Stick to your regular house-training routine to reinforce good habits.

Pet Doors

As we mentioned before, there are so many benefits to having a pet door installed in your home. Introducing your puppy early on can make all the difference, facilitating quick learning of how to use it. Dog doors provide freedom and flexibility, benefiting both pets and owners.

Caring for a dog can be challenging, but we hope this guide helps your new pet settle in smoothly. Have any additional tips for puppy care? Let us know!