Before your new furry (or three-legged!) family member arrives, here’s how to over-prepare for a smooth puppy experience:
Do a MEGA MEGA TON of breed research.
Find every source you can about the breed (or breeds) your puppy will be. READ IT ALL! Find breed standards, breed forums on Reddit, talk to breeders, buy breed books (check thrift stores and Ebay) and do Google searches.The ideal is to learn everything you can about what your pup could be – remember personalities are full of variety! (Breed = looks & tendencies, not personality)
If you get a wicked cool Heinz 57 puppy, then this part is rather hard to do. Pick breeds you think might make your puppy awesome and learn about them. Also consider a genetic test to see what your pup is made of! (Wisdom Panel & Embark are the top choices!)
Once you’ve amassed ALL THE INFORMATION about your puppy’s breed, reread each at least 5 more times.
Read ALL the dog & puppy training books! (And buy them too!)
Borrow them from the library, collect them and if you want total overwhelm then head to the Google machine. There is TONS of information out there.
Modern dog training has many approaches, though the most common you’ll come across are positive reinforcement, balanced training, and alpha/dominance (this is an outdated approach). You’ll also come across different tools, from clickers to electronic collars. Do AMPLE research and decide what method you will raise your puppy by.
** Note that different generations of the same training books will have different approaches to training. The “Puppies for Dummies” method in 2000 leans on the corrective approach (correct the bad behaviors) whereas the 4th edition 19 years later focuses on positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement started in the 1940s, but didn’t really gain until the 80s. Now it is easily the most common dog training method that you can find.
After your puppy arrives, keep those training resources handy! Study up on them while your puppy is napping. Note naughty behaviors (are they bored or over tired?) and figure out what training method works best for your puppy. 
Buy all the basics you NEED first,
then buy all the cutsie things you can for your pup
The basics: collar, leash, crate, bed, food, food & water bowls
Everything else: treats, tons of toys, puppy Kongs, beds, washable puppy pads x2 (so you can wash one & have one on the floor), carrying methods for when you’re navigating the world before your pup is fully vaccinated, baby gates, brushes, nail clippers, enzyme cleaner, name tags, blankets, more toys, more treats, bins for food, harnesses, long lines, chew toys, interactive play toys, collar decorations, seasonal collars, more beds…
Duplicate items as you see fit – double everything seems appropriate haha!
Pick your puppy’s color for collars, leashes & accessories!
Obviously you’re in charge so there’s no wrong route to go here. Pinks, purples, seafoam & mint as well as pastel colors are great for girls, while richer bolder colors and blues, greens, red, black and grey are wonderful boy colors. Though feel free to mix and match to fit your style. Girls can rock bold colors as easily as boys can rock pastels.
And…. pick a theme if you have ample time on your hands haha! For our puppy we know he’s a boy and he has a baked goods name. Aside from baked goods & what makes them, I lean towards sharks & dinos for patterns for him. And definitely blues for his color! (Update: his name is Blueberry Buckle, Blue for short)
Prep for cold weather & plan indoor adventures
If you happen to live in an area the remains in the 50s, this is less of a concern. For the rest of us, brace for winter! Cold temps and snow can be hard to handle for not only us, but our young pups too!
April pups will be 6 months in October, while a June puppy will be 6 months in December, and pups born September through March (at least here in MN) will experience winter in their youngest days.
Prep, prep, prep and research a bazillion into indoor adventures you can have when the weather goes north for the winter.
- Look into training & further training especially if the lessons are held inside. Occasionally you can find “open gym” style playtime for your pup.
- Look into indoor dog parks (Minneapolis area has at least 2!), indoor patio spots (The Block Food + Drink in St. Louis Park has an enclosed dog friendly section with an epic Instagram wall and cozy fireplace!) and dog friendly breweries (if you happen to be in the Minneapolis area there are TONS of options that allow your dog inside, food trucks pending).
- Obviously pet supply stores – Petco, Petsmart, Pet Evolution etc – are dog friendly indoors, but did you know that most hardware stores are dog friendly? The general rule of thumb: if they don’t sell or prepare food, they may be dog friendly. Always call before you head out on an adventure!
- Quick list of dog friendly places: Fleet Farm, Home Depot, Scheels, Sierra, Home Goods, TJ Maxx, Ross Dress For Less, Micheals & Hobby Lobby are all dog friendly!
** Prior to your pup being fully vaccinated AVOID:
Big chain pet supply stores, indoor dog parks (most require your pup to be 4-6 months old at least) and places that are heavily frequented by other dogs such as the über popular brewery or indoor patios. Once your puppy is fully vaccinated def add these places as spots to work on training, stretch your legs & build your dogs manners in public.
Repeat each of these things at least twice paired with ample overzealous planning. Count down the days (10 days before our boy comes home EEEEEEEEEEEK!) and realize that for all the ample preplanning you’ve done, nothing compares to having your puppy home. You get to snuggle, absorb the puppy breath and learn your puppy’s personality. Plus learn how he or she learns in this new amazing world they are in.
Whether you’re a master over-planner or just winging it, your puppy’s first months are unforgettable. Let’s make sure you have photos to match—contact me today to book your puppy’s first session.
