Puppy Care Tips for New Owners

Need a few puppy care tips? Owning and raising any kind of puppy can be one of the most amazing experiences you may ever have. But if you enter into this new relationship with the right mindset right from the start you'll be well ahead of most new owners.

Not only can every new day with a German Shepherd puppy be challenging and rewarding but it can sometimes even be chaotic - but you will love every minute of it if you're in it for the right reasons.

First things first, try the puppy care tips below before you bring any new puppy home. There are several things that need to be taken care of first to make this transition as smooth as possible. First, you should make sure that you puppy proof your home as carefully as you can.

I do recommend you even go so far that you take the time to get down on all fours and crawl around so you can see what the puppy will actually see in order to make sure that his/her surroundings are as safe as they can be. You'll be surprised at just what a difference a change in perspective can make when you do this and you'll see many things you would never have seen other wise.

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Remember, puppies are babies and have unbelievable energy and they'll be into everything so you can make your life a lot easier if you take the time to remove temptations right now before you even bring the German Shepherd puppy home.

Here are a few more puppy care tips for you to try. When you go to pick up your puppy take an old clean T-shirt inside a plastic bag (like a zip lock bag) inside with you. The reason for this is that you'll want to rub momma and any remaining litter mates with the T-shirt as thoroughly as possible.

Take the clean shirt and rub it all over momma especially - she'll probably even enjoy it as long as you give her plenty of belly rubs too. Turn the T-shirt inside out and do it again. What you want to do is to get momma's scent and your puppy's litter mates scent all over the outside and inside that old shirt of yours.

Got the shirt fully "momma scented"? Good, now put it back inside your plastic bag and close it up (don't forget to take it home with you and your new puppy).

Once you finally get your new German Shepherd puppy home, you can expect many things to happen such as some separation anxiety for him/her. It's very likely that the trip to your home is the first time he or she has been away from momma and it's hard at first on a little puppy. At night the first few nights you can expect your puppy to cry and whine but this will probably stop pretty quickly - especially if you handle it the right way, and here are a few tips.

Remember the "momma scented" T-shirt you made? Now you'll need it. Try putting that t-shirt of yours in with your puppy. It will smell like momma, litter mates and even you and it should be a comfort for your puppy much like a security blanket. A simple sound of a ticking clock near the pups crate or sleeping quarters sometimes helps as well.

I also suggest you keep the puppy in an area where there is no carpet until you are able to fully potty train your puppy.

The key to any potty training regime is consistency and patience.

Dogs enjoy routine so you should try to walk the new puppy at the same times each day, every day.

Preferably right after you first get up early in the morning, about a 1/2 hour after eating each meal and right before bed at night. Your new bundle of joy will let you know when it has to go out once you've successfully completed potty training.

Remember, potty training will probably be one of the most important things you ever do with your puppy so be patient with your new baby. All dogs have accidents from time to time, especially at the beginning. But if you take the time to really try these puppy care tips and invest in this training now you’ll be awarded with many years of successful pet ownership down the road.

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"My little dog---a heartbeat at my feet." - Edith Wharton