Buying a Puppy
Careful planning is key to a successful first day. Detailed is a day in the life assuming many things have been planned ahead, such as researching the breed, finding the right breeder and choosing the right breed for your lifestyle. In addition to this background work, you will want to make sure to plan ahead for the following:
Get a leash and collar. If proper breed research is done a good idea of the size of a puppy can be determined and a leash and collar should be bought ahead of time.
Pet Supplies: Of course your new dog is going to need a lot of other supplies. These should be planed out ahead of time so the first day together can be spent bonding and letting the puppy become settled to its new home. Below is a checklist of items you will need:
Food and water dish
Crate if crate training will be implemented
Toys
Treats
Puppy food
Puppy shampoo
Nail clippers, brushes and any other grooming items
Setup an appointment with the vet to have the puppy thoroughly checked out
Now that all the planning is taken care of it is time for the big day. In this study the breeder lives 2 hours away and the family has an existing dog.
The morning starts early at 6:00 AM on a Saturday as the family will meet with the breeder to bring home their new family member at 10:30 AM. The family has decided to leave their current dog at home during the trip and knows that some morning exercise will be needed as he will be crated most of the morning. After a brisk jog and a quick game of catch the family finish getting themselves ready for the drive and place the anxious, new big brother awaiting his new sister up for the morning.
The family leaves at 8:30 AM and on the drive discuss what the puppies will be like and all of the things that will need done when they arrive back home. The drive goes slow as they are anxious to see their new family member. They want a female for a playmate for the existing male dog and discuss the great times they will all have as the drive goes on.
At 10:30 AM the family arrives at the breeders house to a warm welcome of 5 puppies! The family is overwhelmed with excitement and immediately introduce themselves to the breeder. After a discussion the breeder removes the male pups and the family has some alone time with each female. During this time the parents are introduced to the family. Both parents are friendly and healthy and what the family had anticipated.
Each female pup has a distinct personality, and each is watched as it interacts with the other pups. After watching them interact with the other pups and the family for about 45 minutes one stands out and seems to be everything the family had been hoping for. Alas a decision is made and the family has its newest member.
It is now 11:30 and it is time to fill out paperwork and discuss health and upkeep with the breeder. The breeder discusses what the pup will need in regards to additional shots. The pedigree of both parents is shown as documentation of the families’ history and any hip, eye or elbow certification papers are presented. At this time the family receives registration papers, sales receipt, health guarantee and spay/neuter contract. Finally the paperwork is finished and the family leaves with their newest addition.
The ride home goes smoothly and the new pup sleeps the majority of the way. A stop is made to eat lunch and let the pup use the restroom as a picnic is planned for the special occasion at a park along the way. The picnic goes fantastic and the pup is pure entertainment doing the cute things that makes a puppy so wonderful. After lunch is finished it is back to the car to finish the drive.
The family arrives back at their house at 2:30 PM and an introduction is needed between the new pup and the families’ dog. A neutral ground close by is chosen to help any aggression or territorial problems that might occur between the two dogs. The family members split up as one takes the existing dog for a walk and the others introduce the puppy to its new home. The family has agreed to meet at the neutral ground at 3:30 PM.
At 3:30 both dogs see each other for the first time. The family is relieved to see the existing dog shows no aggression towards the new puppy and the introduction goes without a hitch. The two new companions are allowed to play and greet each other for a short time then it is back to the house.
At 4:15 PM everyone is back to the house and there seems to not be any tension with the two dogs. The existing dog lets the puppy come and go as it pleases and some additional playing is done. The only potential issue seems to be with the food dishes as the new puppy has not learned which dish to eat out of and the existing dog does not seem to like the idea of sharing with this new puppy. At this point both are given dinner and the new pup does an excellent job of staying focused and eating only out of its dish.
It is now 5:00 PM and nap time for the two new playmates and the family. After a long day so far, everyone takes some quiet time and gets rested up for what will most likely be a very eventful evening.
Additional Resources
Part II of So You Are Ready for a Puppy
Chat about Puppies and Choosing the Right Breed at DogGroups.com.
Find training tips in our Puppy Training section of the site.
Find Puppy Names and advice.
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