Getting a new pet is one of the most exciting – and, if you’re like me, one of the most anxiety-inducing – times in your life. It’s not like having a baby, of course, but in some ways it’s almost harder because puppies can’t wear diapers, if you know what I’m saying. Having a pet is a big commitment – one that can span an average of 15 years – so it’s important that you’re as prepared as possible before bringing your new furry friend home. We got a gorgeous little Westie called Milo just after Christmas, and while he’s been the biggest joy of our lives, we would have been much more stressed out had we not extensively prepared ourselves before adding him to the family.
Below are some things to keep in mind before getting your dog and after, when he’s adjusting to his new forever home. Of course, you may do things differently and find that it works perfectly for you – this is NOT a must-do list, rather a list of what we found worked for us and has resulted in an incredibly happy, healthy, fully house, crate and trick-trained puppy at only 4 months old.
1. Consistency is key. This is the most important rule of them all, and one that you should repeat to yourself over and over again, particularly during the more trying moments of getting your puppy house trained, crate trained, whatever. You may get tired of getting up every 10 minutes to take him outside, or it might break your heart to hear him crying his heart out in the kitchen all night because he’s in his bed on his own, but giving in “just this once” sends the message that bad behaviour gets your dog attention and, most likely, his own way. Re-enforcing bad behaviour can be incredibly difficult to undo.
2. You make the rules. Dogs are pack animals, and each pack has a leader. It’s incredibly important that you take this position and maintain it. Letting your dog dominate you (whether by taking your food, demanding your attention, becoming aggressive, etc.) is a recipe for disaster, especially if you have a feisty breed.
3. House training doesn’t happen overnight. This goes hand in hand with #1 – the best way to get your puppy in the habit of doing its business outside rather than on your carpet or bed is to continually take him to an area where you’d like him to go. Puppies typically need to use the bathroom after eating, sleeping or playing – and the younger they are, the more they need to go in between. It can be incredibly frustrating and exhausting, but you will eventually see results if you stay the course. Oh, and when your dog does have an accident, don’t rub his nose in it – it’s an outdated method that is cruel and won’t get you what you’re after.
4. Crate training can be particularly helpful with housebreaking and when it comes to leaving your dog overnight. We crate trained Milo from the day we brought him home, and while we experienced two nights of howling and sobbing, we remained strong and did not go to him when this happened. After those two nights, he never did it again. Better yet, he knows when it’s bedtime now and actually runs in the kitchen and hops in his bed himself! It’s cosy and secure and he knows it’s his, which is helpful.
Milo has only ever had two accidents in his crate, and that was in the first week of being here. Since then, not a single one. The crate you choose for your dog should have plenty of air (we have a black metal one that we lay a towel over for extra warmth/comfort) and should be big enough for him to stand up in but not move around too much. Dogs hate to pee/poop anywhere near where they sleep and will do anything to keep it from happening, there teaching them that they can hold it. Note: small puppies will become extremely distressed if left for too long and forced to relieve themselves in their crates. You should still be giving them bathroom breaks until they’re about 4 months old, at least (your experience may vary – Milo was an early bloomer and could hold it from the time he was about 8 weeks).
Another thing that can help if you’re crate training is to leave music playing. We put a chill album on the iPad and leave it on repeat on the kitchen counter overnight, which soothes him. He was listening to the Ed Sheeran album for ages, but now he’s moved on to Jessie Ware. A comfort item, such as a blanket from his mother or an item of clothing you’ve worn (which has your scent) will work wonders, and you should also include a small toy for him to occupy himself with in case he wakes up in the middle of the night.
5. Get him used to being left alone. One of the hardest things to do when you get an adorable new puppy is put him down, especially if he’s particularly cuddly. We found it so difficult with Milo not to be holding him all the time, and still do! Plus, since I work from home, he wasn’t used to spending any time on his own, either. This can become extremely problematic when you DO need to leave the house for any period, and it can cause your dog to develop severe separation anxiety if not dealt with at a young age.
When you leave the house, start out at an hour or so and gradually work your way up. Again, your pup should be left with ample water (even when not house trained – this is the chance you’ll have to take) and food if you will be gone past his feeding times, plus toys to entertain him, a soft bed to lie on and music playing, as it mimics the noise of their daily lives. Even when you are home, you should allow your puppy to have supervised playtime that’s on his own and doesn’t require your direct engagement. This will teach him to entertain himself and not become destructive simply because he isn’t receiving your attention at the moment.
*le sigh* I miss my dogs…
Brilliant article apart from the whole Cesar Millan pack leader nonsense that is so engrained in to modern society these days. One of the many reasons that we can’t compare dogs to the wolves that have been studied because these wolves were studied in captivity and were not family units like those seen in the wild. I have seen plenty of excellent breeders have their dogs on sofas and many other things that dominance theory hates, yet thy are perfectly trained, polite, agility and obedience superstars. 100% agree with Emma Jones
I just got a shelter puppy and have been trying to figure out what he is. When you posted your puppy pictures, I flipped. Milo looks exactly like my Louie! Is he a Westie mix or a pure bred Westie? I am just trying to identify my pound puppy!
He’s a full pedigree, KC Registered and all
I wish we could have found a Westie at a shelter – they’re probably my favourite breed and I just adore them.
Thank you! I am going to have do my Westie research now.
Westies and Cairns are such good dogs! Spaniels are good, too, especially cockers.
That was really great however I would like to add that ‘dominance’ is not a behaviour problem. Dominance and pack theory is old and outdated. Dogs learn all the time and whatever they do is because they enjoy doing it, it works or have been rewarded for it….so bad behaviour is not ‘dominance’. Rules are important but so that your dog can learn what is right, not to ‘prevent dominance’. Aggression is also not dominance but a serious behaviour issue caused by fear. With this in mind its really important NOT to use aversive methods such as water sprays, with the wrong dog or wrong situation you could easily cause further issues. It’s much better to teach your dog an alternative such as quiet, leave it or sending them to their bed to calm down. Teach your dog what to do instead of what not to do. If you aren’t sure on how to solve an issue, going to a reward based trainer is your best bet as google can bring up some pretty awful methods that don’t work anyway. If you google ‘dominance myth in dogs’ you will see that science has moved on. (I am a professional dog trainer).
Great list! Worth mentioning that you can avoid many of these trials by adopting a slightly older dog from a shelter or rescue. You’ll be saving a life, they are just as deserving of loving homes and they will give you just as much love but not as much cleanup
Lots of chewies, get them on a schedule for potty times outside. Out after eating and waking up from sleep.. every time. Wrap furnature legs n foil to prevent and deter chewing, also vinigar whiped or sprayed onto a wood surface works. Always keep them leashed when outside unless in a fenced area. Keep paper towels handy in the home and on car rides in case someone gets motion sickness. Check ears for bugs and scratches. Puppy claws are razor sharp to sensative ear tissue and they can scratch themselves pretty bad. Kennel training is the best way to teach a dog to hold their bladder and number twos until you can get them outside. They learn that they don’t want to sleep on pee in their bed, but make sure its their little place to go and not a punishment to be kenneled. When they go in by themselves, snap your fingers, say “GOOD DOG!” or boy or girl and give them a tiny treat. Not big, just a half a treat or something. Let them get to know that it is their special place. Once they figure that out, they don’t like to pee or poo in there anymore and potty training gets much easier. Also, if they do number 2 in the home, take it outside where you want them to go and show them thats where it should be. Let them smell the area. Socialize them with other people and dogs. Pups need to learn not to bite hard by playing with other dogs, sometimes. It is called Sensatizing. It is pretty much when two pups are playing and one bites to hard, the one that got hurt will yelp loudly and not play for a few seconds. Little by little, this teaches them what the thresh hold is for accebtable play. I have 4 dogs, and this last one is my first big girl, since I was a kid myself. I’ve had them all from puppyhood. Don’t sweat the small stuff… like pillows or a hole in a blanket. This happens.. they’re teething. Do get lots of chewies and teething toys. This is a MUST HAVE. And remember, have fun. Enjoy the puppy breath.
This is a great list! So glad you listed “you make the rules” as number 2, I often find that is one of the most neglected rules when it comes to dogs. People let their dogs get away with anything and then scratch their heads as to why their dog doesn’t listen to them.