YOUR DOG'S BEST LIFE

Everything your dog needs to live a happy and active life.

  • Club Services

    • Daycare
    • Overnight
    • Pricing
    • Become a Member
  • Dog Training & Sports

    • Dog Training
    • Training Partners
    • Set up Consultation
    • Group Classes
    • Book Classes Online

Login Club Services

Login Sports & Training

About
Blog: Off the Leash
Questions? Let’s Talk!
contact@fitdog.com (310) 828 - 3647
Follow us on Social Media:
Login: Daycare/Boarding
Login: Training/Classes
  • Beat Boredom
    • Enrichment
    • Exercise
      • Hiking
      • Running
  • Caring for Dog
    • Boarding
    • Daycare / Pet Sitting
    • Grooming
    • Products & Gear
  • Dog Training
    • Puppy
  • Dog-Friendly
    • Events
    • Holidays
      • Christmas
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
      • Valentine's Day
    • Local
    • Recipes
    • Travel
  • Health & Wellness
    • Food & Diet
    • Safety
  • Just for Fun
    • Gifts
    • Sincerely, Fitdog
      • Press
    • Spotlight
    • Trends
(310) 828 - 3647

Caring for a new puppy

Collapse

Related Posts:

Ways to Help Those Impacted by Los Angeles Fires
January 09, 2025
Top 5 Myths About Separation Anxiety in Dogs
March 12, 2024
The 5 Best Dog Harnesses for Safety
February 23, 2023
Dog Parks: Harmful or Helpful?
December 12, 2022
Dog Training Tools: What to Use and What to Avoid
September 22, 2023
Deadly Disease: Why Lepto Should be a Core Vaccine
July 21, 2021
Guide to Common Dog Diseases & Parasites
July 26, 2021
Avoid These Grooming Mistakes With Your Doodle
April 17, 2021
Complete guide to treating dog allergies
September 15, 2020
Foxtails in dogs: A hidden danger on your hiking trail
July 23, 2020
7 Tips to Teach Your Dog How to Swim
July 15, 2020
Dog scared of fireworks? Prepare your dog for 4th of July fireworks before …
June 26, 2022
Stop your puppy from biting with stuffables
September 29, 2023
Socializing Your Dog After COVID-19
June 14, 2020
Can Dogs Get Covid-19?
September 22, 2021
Puppy Socialization: Why your dog needs it
December 20, 2023
5 Puppy Massage Techniques to Relax Your Dog
May 02, 2020
DIY At-Home Dog Grooming Guide
April 18, 2020
Four Ways You Can Help Shelters & Rescues During COVID-19
April 08, 2020
Why You Should Never Fake Having a Service Dog
January 23, 2020
Scent Work provides mind games for the nosey hound
October 21, 2019
‘My Friend: Standing Strong’ will give you hope and insight int …
June 18, 2019
Why daycare is not a cure for separation anxiety in dogs
June 11, 2019
Is a raw food diet right for your dog?
April 04, 2024
Tips for Training Non-Treat Motivated Dogs
February 28, 2019
Improve & maintain your dog’s dental health!
January 25, 2021
Your dog’s dream vacation
December 17, 2018
First time boarding tips
March 03, 2021
Fitdog Five: 5 products to keep dogs safe at night
November 02, 2018
Five things NOT to do with your dog this Halloween
October 26, 2020
Easy ways to help your pup shed pounds
January 20, 2019
Categories:
  • Caring for Dog
  • Dog Training
  • Health & Wellness
  • Puppy

Bringing home a new puppy can be exciting but also overwhelming for you both! Luckily, a little preparation and establishing routines right away will help smooth out the transition and give you both a boost of confidence. Remember, everything is brand new to your puppy, so it’s up to you as pack leader to teach them about good and bad behavior and introduce them to the rules of their new home.

Caring for a new puppy

potty training

Potty train right.

  • Buy an expandable crate. This piece of equipment will help to potty train your new puppy while also ensuring they feel secure and comfortable at night. Set the size of the crate so that your dog can stand up and comfortably turn around. You can find some crates online here.
  • Puppies have small bladders. This mean that you will likely be spending a lot of time running your new friend outside and sometimes very early in the morning. But, we promise, it goes by fast!
  • The age of your puppy gives you an idea of how long they can go without peeing. For example, a 3-month-old puppy can wait about three hours before needing to pee and a 5-month-old about five hours. It will vary by individual dog, but this general rule works until about six months of age. (Adult dogs should never be made to wait more than six hours to relieve themselves. It’s bad for their kidneys and can cause permanent damage.)
  • What goes in, must go out. If your puppy eats and/or drinks, she will need to pee and possibly poop immediately after (about 15-20 minutes). While potty training, feed your puppy in the crate and then take them outside 15 minutes later to minimize accidents. For puppies, it’s best to remove the water bowl overnight (otherwise, you’ll be spending your night taking your pup out every 2-3 hours).

 

puppy food

Purchase quality, nutrient-dense food.

  • There are so many great brands available. Visit any specialty pet store, and you’ll be overwhelmed with terrific choices. We sell Acana and Orijen at Fitdog, but your local Petco or Petsmart offer other quality brands like, Blue Buffalo or Wellness, that are way better than the stuff you’ll find in your grocery store. Check out the best dog food brands here.
  • Puppies need to eat three times a day until they are about six to nine months old. Because of their rapid growth and high energy, they need to consume more calories than an adult dog.
  • At around 1 year old, you’ll need to reduce their food intake to prevent them from gaining weight. Your veterinarian can help you determine the right amount for your individual dog’s needs.
  • Also, pay attention to the guidelines on the dog food label because each brand offers a different level of protein, calories, and other nutrients. In general, the more nutrient dense, the less food you need to feed them (which is why seemingly expensive dog foods can actually be cheaper because your dog eats less per meal).

 

puppy mess

Cleaning.

It’s no surprise that puppies are messy beasts – and prone to accidents. We recommend buying Nature’s Miracle, an enzyme-based stain and odor remover that works on carpets, floors, crates, and pretty much everywhere else.

Invest in a collar and tags.

An ID tag is critical to have on day one with your new puppy. You want people to be able to ID your dog if she were to accidentally get loose as well as catch hold of him by the collar. Depending on the breed, a harness might work best for walking. We also recommend microchipping and licensing your dog.

Go for a walk.

Outside of potty breaks, all dogs need at least one (or two!) long walks per day for a minimum of 30 minutes to 1 hour of exercise per day. Try a 30-minute morning walk combined with another 30-minute midday or evening walk. Walking to new areas stimulates a dog both mentally and physically. NOTE: Hanging out in the yard is not a substitution for walks! Dogs at this age might not like being leashed or harnessed, but the more you walk them, the better they’ll become at it.

Running is usually not recommended until dogs hit 1 year old because the joints and bones aren’t fully developed until then. However, it can depend on the individual dog. Fitdog’s very own Jack Russell, Brecken, began running short distances at 6 months of age because of his high-energy level, and he’s still kicking it at age 11. Read 5 tips for running with your dog

If you do want to run with your puppy, consult your veterinarian. In general, stop whenever they want to stop. They’ll let you know. Be sure to bring lots of water and choose a path that is soft on their paws.

Socialization.

It’s important for your dog to interact with all types of people and dogs as early as possible. Creating positive social interactions helps a dog to become well-adjusted and learn good behavior. We recommend creating a socialization checklist with a list of different exposure points for your puppy. Check out the one we created below:

Walks are one great place for socializing your puppy early on (pre-vaccination). A dog daycare or a puppy socialization class are great ways for your dog to gain socializing skills, burn off energy, and just be a dog. But before your puppy mingles in large groups, he needs to finish his vaccination schedule (usually between 4 – 5 months) in order to keep him safe from developing a potentially serious disease. Read: Why daycare can wait

At Fitdog, we believe in the power of early socialization and positive reinforcement training.  Above all, we want to help you build the foundations for a healthy life for your puppy and prepare them for life in our human world.  From musculoskeletal development, training foundations, healthy play behavior, and potty training, we feel our puppy essentials program will help your puppy play, learn, and discover.

 

This article was updated on December 21, 2023. 

This article was originally published on August 24, 2014. 

Fitdog Logo
Andrea Servadio

Last updated on December 21, 2023
What’s next?
Top 5 Myths About Separation Anxiety in Dogs

What if I told you that everything you know about dog separation anxiety is wrong? But don’t worry, that’s good news! My name is Kristina Trank Donovan, and I am a Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) and Certified...

read more
More from Off The Leash:
Ways to Help Those Impacted by Los Angeles Fires
January 09, 2025
Top 5 Myths About Separation Anxiety in Dogs
March 12, 2024
Mysterious Dog Illness: Everything you need to know
November 23, 2023
More Fitdog
Fitdog Home
Blog: Off the Leash
About
Employment
Contact Us
Club Services
  • Daycare
  • Overnight
  • Pricing
  • Become a Member
Training & Sports
  • Dog Training
  • Group Classes
  • Book Classes Online
  • Set up a Training Consultation
Located at 1712 21st Street, Santa Monica, CA

Transportation available in Santa Monica, Mar Vista, Palms, Cheviot Hills, West LA, Venice, Marina Del Rey, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades

In home training available throughout Los Angeles

Follow us:

contact@fitdog.com
(310) 828 - 3647
Privacy Policy Terms and Conditions
© 2018-2023 Fitdog. All Rights Reserved.
Designed and Developed by
Employment Inquiry
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
What position are you applying for? *
Select your highest level of education *
Let us know about your animal experience (Select any that apply) *
Please do not include care or training of your own dog or pet.
Are you at least 18 years old? *
Do you have a California driver's license? *
How did you learn about Fitdog? *
Click or drag a file to this area to upload.
(pdf, doc, png, jpeg, jpg up to 1MB)
Loading