The feelings of excitement at getting a new dog can be overwhelming, and sometimes these feelings of excitement can cloud your judgment. Ensuring that your home (and life) is ready for a new dog is important, and it is a part that you must play. If your home is not ready or prepared for a dog, you may find that those first few weeks of settling in are incredibly painful and difficult. Kip run an Adelaide doggy daycare and look after hundreds of dogs every week, Kip has helped us with a list of three major preparation tips for your new best friend.
Making Your Home Dog-Proof
A dog-proof home is safe and secure for you and for your new furry friend too. If your home is not dog-proof, then you could well find that dogs end up eating things that they should not (such as phone chargers or even books). When it comes to making your home dog-proof, you have to start by focusing your attention on the inside. Moving any obstructions out of the way and ensuring there is nothing left out to chew is always a great place to start. To get dog-proofing just right, you are best to move around your home. Have a look at what may be interesting or even appealing to a dog. Doing a quick walk-round of your house will give you first-hand knowledge and awareness of what needs changing, improving, or even removing.
Focusing on Training and Creating Boundaries
Once you have got the inside of your home covered, you then have to head outdoors. Traditional fencing may not be beneficial to your dog, and it may not prevent them from trying to escape their new home. However, getting invisible fences for dogs installed by the professionals can alleviate any worries you have about your new dog escaping. When you create boundaries for your dog, you can be sure that they know just where they can and cannot go. As well as creating boundaries you need to think about what training you are going to do and when. A trained dog will be more enjoyable to have around the home, so do not underestimate the importance of training and boundaries.
Focusing on Your Dogs Diet
How often are you going to feed your new dog, and just what are you going to feed it? Are you going to look at a raw diet twice a day, or are you looking at feeding your dog a mixture of store-bought kibble, together with tinned meat? Dogs can build a reputation with you (especially when it is food orientated). Deciding when and how you will feed your dog is something you need to consider. Good quality, highly nutritious food is not always at the cheaper end of the scale. Ensuring that you can afford to feed your dogs the best is important. If you are making compromises, you may well see a difference in your new dog and its behavior. Remember to focus only on introducing one new item of food to your dog (and then seeing how suitable it is for them). Do not overload your dog with new food to try because it will backfire on you, and you will then have an excitable pup around your ankles for the rest of the day.
