Getting a new puppy can be very exciting. Your new furry friend does however need a bit of time to adjust to its new environment and the entire process requires careful preparation, planning and a lot of patience. The puppy could make quite a mess in the home if proper care is not taken to ensure that adequate training and household tips are employed. The following tips would go a long way to help prepare your home for your new puppy and make settling into his new home a breeze.

Get the whole family involved: Before the puppy arrives home, some important decisions have to be made in the home. Issues like who would take the puppy to veterinary appointments for de-worming and vaccinations, who would be in charge of his feeding and of taking him out for walks, who would brush the puppy’s teeth, and who would clean the puppy’s area have to be decided upon.

Create a list of supplies you would need and buy them: you want to have all necessary supplies in place at home before the puppy arrives. There should be a crate, grooming supplies, food, water bowls, an identification tag, odor neutralizer, collar and leash, and chewy toys. With every supply in place before the puppy arrives, you don’t have to under any form of pressure, racing down to the store to purchase stuff he needs immediately.

Designate a special area in your house for the puppy: the kitchen, laundry room or den are common places that a new puppy often likes to stay. It should be a safe haven within your home- a place where there are no potentially harmful objects laying around. You can puppy-proof the area by taking note of the following very important points:

• Make sure there are no long cords, ornate tassels or vertical blinds that could be a strangulation hazard. Instead, get draperies and fabric shades, they are much more safer for your puppy.
• Get a latch to secure every drawer and cabinet so that your curious puppy doesn’t get into them.
• Don’t leave razors, cotton swabs, pills and soap laying around. Your puppy tends to want to get everything into their mouth. You don’t want him eating any of those as that could mean an emergency visit to the veterinarian.
• Keep the toilet lid down at all times and the bathroom door closed always. Also make use of trash cans that have a lid on them.
• Puppies are drawn to smell and can turn any object that smells like you into a toy. So keep all clothes, shoes and slippers away from his reach.
• Keep your yard and garage clear from insecticides, paint, anti-freeze, gasoline and other poisonous chemicals. For example, antifreeze is quite sweet and can be attractive to animals, but is very deadly if taken even in small amounts.

Provide Puppy-Friendly Decoration: Set aside a comfortable bed in each room, covered with a washable throw. This should be the only piece of furniture that your puppy should frequent, so as not to have their fur on other pieces of furniture in the house. If you decide to use leather or vinyl furniture, ensure that your puppy’s nails are kept short so that they don’t damage the furniture.

Puppy Training: This starts as soon as the puppy is brought home. There should be a vocabulary list of commands that would be used to give the puppy directions. This would prevent confusion and help him learn the commands fast.

If you decide on crate training, make sure that the crate is big enough so that the puppy doesn’t feel it is being imprisoned or punished.

If you have put all these tips into consideration, then just relax and enjoy your new furry friend. Be patient and don’t expect too much from your puppy. Give him ample time to adjust to his new home and soon, you would have a very enthusiastic, loyal and loving friend. Your patience would certainly pay off.