Welcoming a new puppy into your home is an exciting and joyous occasion. However, it also requires careful preparation to ensure a smooth transition for both you and your furry friend. From setting up the perfect environment to providing the necessary essentials, here’s a checklist and some valuable tips to help you prepare for the arrival of your new puppy.

1. Create a Safe Space: Before bringing your puppy home, designate a safe area in your house where they can play, rest, and feel secure. Use baby gates or pens to limit access to certain areas. Place the puppy’s crate in this location and you may find them going back to the crate when they have a nervous moment. This is good because it teaches them that they can always feel safe somewhere. Start small with the space available to the puppy and increase as they learn what is acceptable behavior. The small space also makes it easier to keep an eye on the puppy for signs they need to go out to potty.
2. Stock up on Supplies: Ensure you have all the essential supplies ready, including an appropriately sized crate, a comfortable bed, food and water bowls, toys, grooming tools, and a collar with identification tags. Make sure when purchasing a crate and bed that you keep in mind the final size your puppy will grow to. With large breed puppies, they can quickly outgrow smaller spaces. For Golden Retrievers, we recommend getting a 42-inch crate with a divider. This will allow plenty of room for expansion to full size while allowing the usable area to be reduced to fit the puppy’s size to prevent accidents. For double-coated dogs, be sure to research the appropriate brushes to use, because the incorrect one can damage the coat. We recommend avoiding de-shedding brushes and instead going with a long-pin slicker brush. These will remove loose hair and not remove anything still attached.
3. Find a Quality Food: Choose a food appropriate for the breed and any health conditions that are commonly encountered. Golden Retrievers are susceptible to Diet-associated Dialated Cardiomyopathy. Right now, we don’t have an exact answer as to what is causing it, but it most certainly has a link to grain free and boutique brand dog foods. The FDA recommends feeding from 5 approved brands here in the states. Those brands are Royal Canin, Purina, Hills Science Diet, Eukanuba and Iams.
4. Puppy-Proof Your Home: Puppies are naturally curious and can get into mischief. Safeguard your home by securing electrical cords, keeping small objects out of reach, and storing any chemicals in a cabinet. While puppies need toys for stimulation, it is important to be aware that some toys can present choke hazards and should not be left with the puppy when you are not actively watching them. If a toy has become damaged or reduced in size beyond a safe point, just go ahead and throw them away. Buying a new toy is much less expensive than a surgery.
5. Vet Check-Up: Schedule a visit to the veterinarian for a thorough health check and vaccination plan. Discuss preventive measures for fleas, ticks, and worms. Health guarantees on puppies require the first visit to the vet to be scheduled within a few days of pickup to maintain coverage, so be sure to review those details before scheduling your appointment.
6. Puppy Training: Prepare for puppy training by researching positive reinforcement tecniques or enrolling in a puppy training class. Consistent and gentle training will set the foundation for good behavior. Training will also help your puppy learn to understand what you want from them when you say something. Your puppy breeder may be able to recommend good training options in your area.
7. Socialization: Early socialization is crucial for a well-adjusted and confident adult dog. Make sure that your puppy has received the appropriate vaccinations for their age to prevent them from being affected by illnesses that might be carried by other animals. After that, exposing your puppy to different people, places, and other animals in a controlled manner with build confidence and willingness to try new things.
8. Set a Routine: Puppies thrive on routines. Establish a consistent daily schedule for feeding, potty breaks, playtime, and training sessions. Before long the puppy will start to understand what is expected and more quickly move into that mindset. Potty breaks will be more purposeful and less likely to be interpreted as playtime.
9. Potty Training: Be patient with potty training as accidents will happen. Create a designated potty area outside and reward your puppy for successful trips. Verbal cues such as “Good potty!” become good indicators to the puppy that it has done what you wanted. This will become good reinforcement.
10. Crate Training: Until your puppy has gotten comfortable with potty training, it is advised that you utilize crate training to cut down on accidents. By nature, dogs do not like to potty in their bed. Place the puppy in its crate when you are not able to maintain a watchful eye for signs of needing to potty. Otherwise if you are not attentive, the puppy will stop giving indication because it didn’t work before.
11. Introduce the Family: If you have other pets or family members at home, introduce them to the new puppy gradually and supervise their interactions. Often letting other animals visit through a crate or gate lowers the stress on the puppy and will improve the experience. Make sure children understand how to treat the puppy including how to hold them safely.
12. Puppy-Proof Your Yard: Ensure your yard is a safe space for your puppy to explore. Check for toxic plants, secure any gaps in fences, and remove any potentially harmful objects. Remember that dogs are allergic to many things that do not affect humans. For instance, bulb plants such as daffodils, tulips, and onions are toxic to dogs.
13. Enforce Rules: Decide on the rules your puppy must follow from the beginning. Consistency is key to avoid confusion and ensure your puppy knows what’s expected of them. If you decide to never give a dog human food, it will be much easier in the future to keep them from getting interested in the dining room table.
14. Health Insurance: Consider getting health insurance for your puppy to cover unexpected veterinary costs. Depending on your situation, it could make sense purchasing insurance or maybe just maintaining an emergency fund. If something happens you don’t want to have to worry about the money when you are already worrying about your friend.
15. Love and Patience: Above all, shower your new puppy with love and patience. Building a strong bond with your furry companion will make the transition smoother and more enjoyable for both of you.

Bringing a new puppy into your home requires dedication and effort, but the love and joy they bring into your life are immeasurable. By following this checklist and incorporating these tips, you’ll be well-prepared to welcome your new furry family member and create a happy and healthy home for them to thrive. Enjoy this wonderful journey of companionship and cherish every moment with your new puppy!