New Puppy

Puppy Blues: Dealing with Regret

Getting a puppy is an exciting time, especially if you are a first time puppy parent. I bet while you were waiting to bring home your puppy you thought about what it would be like to live with them. Maybe you were dreaming of puppy cuddles and kisses or a sweet playful puppy who adores you? Why wouldn’t you? Puppies portrayed on TV always seem to be so well behaved. But the reality of living with a puppy can be very different from what we see on TV. When this happens people can get the “Puppy Blues”.

What Are the Puppy Blues?

The puppy blues happen when life with a puppy doesn’t turn out the way the person thought it would be like. For some people they may feel sad, depressed or lonely, others may feel anxious or overwhelmed. It’s not unusual to want to cry. They may feel like their life will never be the same as it was before the puppy. Some will feel regret and want to return the puppy. Others still will start to have second thoughts about whether they were ready to get a puppy in the first place. Whatever you are feeling know that you are not alone. Those first couple of weeks with your new puppy is the hardest but it does get better.

What Causes the Puppy Blues?

What causes the puppy blues will differ by person but the most common reasons are:

First time they are responsible for another life. Young puppies are like babies, they need a lot of care in the first few weeks. This can be very stressful when it is new.
Unrealistic expectations of life with a puppy. Even if you did your research chances are you probably didn’t get an accurate picture of what it’s like to care for a puppy.
Sleep Deprivation – It’s common for puppies to cry the first few nights in their new home. Plus they can’t hold their bladder for more than a few hours at night. All this translates into sleepless nights for the first couple of weeks.

More contributing factors to the puppy blues

Potty training issues – For first-time puppy parents potty training can be hard. Check out our post on How to potty train a puppy fast
Financial commitments – Between puppy supplies and the cost of vaccines, puppies can be expensive in their first year.
Behavioral Issues – Puppies don’t come trained, but with some help you can train your own puppy. Here are some tips on how to train a puppy
Damage caused by puppy – The best thing you can do for you and your puppy is to provide him with a safe place to play. I highly recommend using an exercise pen that attaches to a crate.
Increased workload – There is no denying that puppies take a lot of work in the beginning. But it does get better
Dog/child interaction – There is nothing sweeter that a child and their dog but during the puppy biting stage the two don’t necessarily get along.
Loss of freedom – When puppies are young they need a lot of attention.

Can You Get Puppy Blues?

Absolutely! I know I did the first week we brought home our puppy. Since this was not my first puppy as an adult, I thought I knew everything I needed to know about taking care of a puppy. But our previous dog, Molly was 4 months old when we brought her home. Although she was still a puppy we missed a lot of the early puppy behaviors, like chewing on everything and biting us all the time. Plus with Molly, it was just my husband and me in the house. This time around we had two school aged kids to care for too.

The funny thing is we chose to get a puppy because we were hoping it would help with some of the stress our family was feeling. We had read that dogs were great stress relievers for kids. I can tell you the first few weeks of Bella living with us were anything but stress free. I worried about everything.

How Long Do the Puppy Blues Last?

This really depends on the person, but the puppy blues should go away once you are able to gain some control over the situation. Generally the first two or three weeks are the hardest. This is when you are getting little sleep and you are still working on potty training. After the first three weeks your puppy should be going to sleep without crying. They may even be able to sleep about 6 hours in a row giving you the sleep you need.

When Do Puppies Get Easier?

By the time your puppy is 6 months old they should be fairly easy to live with. But that doesn’t mean they are hard to live with all the time before then. As with children, puppies reach developmental milestones as they grow up. With each milestone they attain your puppy will be easier to handle.

First three weeks

The first three weeks your puppy is with you is always the hardest. During this time they are adjusting to a new home, with new people and rules. They are learning what is acceptable and what is not. It is very important during this time to be consistent with your training. By the end of the first three weeks your puppy should be going to sleep at night without crying. This is your first big hurtle to overcome with your puppy and once you are there life gets a little bit easier.

Three months old

By the time they are three months they should know to go potty outside. Although they may still have an accident on occasion it should be the exception, not the norm. They should also know basic commands like sit, stay, come and leave it. Once you hit these milestones, life with your puppy will get a lot easier. If you are having a hard time potty training your puppy check out these potty training mistakes people make.

Four months old

When they are 4 months old they should have all their puppy vaccinations. This means you can start taking them out with you. This new found freedom to get out of the house will be a big relief for you and your pup.

Six months old

According to PetMD somewhere between 4 and 6 months old your puppy will go through getting their adult teeth. During this time the puppy may bite a lot making them difficult to be around. But by 6 month the biting and nipping should stop.

Six to 12 months

This is the time puppies go through their teenage years. During this time they may chose not to listen to you, but it does get better.

One Year

By the time they turn one they should be the dog you always knew they could be.

How to Handle the Puppy Blues

As I mentioned above I also had the puppy blues. I wasn’t completely sold on getting another dog in the first place. Then I became the main person to train our new puppy since I was the one that grew up with dogs. This increased the pressure I was already feeling about caring for this small helpless creature. In order to cope I had to come up with a plan that would work for everyone. I will let you in on my secrets to dealing with the puppy blues.

Manage your expectations

First you need to manage your expectations. In fact, instead of thinking how wonderful it will be to have a puppy think about the worst case scenario. This way when reality hits everything will seem easier.

But seriously all puppies bite and chew. Their sharp puppy teeth really hurt and can even draw blood. Plus they often don’t want to eat the first day; they run around the house, don’t listen to you and have accidents. They rarely come trained and they can’t understand what you are saying.

Oh, and did I mention that they eat stuff that is not food? Our puppy had a thing for the plastic caps on the milk bottles. She loved chewing them. No matter how hard I tried to keep them from her, she always seems to find them.

Curious about want other dogs have chewed? Check out the post Crazy Things that Dogs will Chew

But if you are prepared for all this then you can manage the bad behaviors. Do yourself a favor and get an exercise pen. If you are planning to crate train get one that attaches to their crate. Keeping your puppy safe and away from anything they can destroy will help your sanity. Also be prepared with age appropriate chews and a plan on how you will handle the biting. You can see how we handled it in our post How to Stop a Puppy from Biting.

Limit where your puppy can roam

I touched on this above already but you should limit where your puppy can roam until they are completely trust worthy. This will cut down on a lot of their bad behaviors and also your stress. We used gates to keep our puppy in the kitchen with us. This allowed us to keep an eye on her and make sure there was nothing that could harm her. Plus it keeps the messes in a confided, easy to clean place. As I mentioned above you can also use an exercise pen.

Share the work

I am very thankful that my husband took on a large share of the work to take care of Bella. During the first few nights when Bella would not sleep he was the one sleeping on the floor in the kitchen next to her. That allowed the rest of the family to get some sleep. I in turn watch over her during the day. If possible enlist someone to help care for the puppy.

Take a break

When you are feeling overwhelmed or stressed, make sure to take a break from your puppy. Or better yet schedule nap times for your puppy. Puppies need down time too throughout the day. Place puppies in their crate for an hour or two to get some sleep. During this time take a walk or something else that will relax you.

If it’s not nap time and you need a break take them out for a walk in the yard or other safe place. Dogs love to smell and explore stuff. Your puppy will be too occupied by the sights and sound to misbehave. Plus the exercise will do wonders for their mood.

Another option is to enlist a family member, friend or even a pet sitter to spend time with your puppy so you can take a break.

Seek out puppy training advice

If you are having trouble training your puppy, consider taking them to puppy kindergarten. Puppy kindergarten is a training classes geared for puppies. The dog trainer will teach you how to train your puppy. Plus it’s a safe and easy way to socialize your puppy with other dogs and for you to talk with other puppy parents.

Talk to someone

What’s the old saying ‘Misery loves company.” This is so true. Find a friend who will listen to you about your puppy issues without judgement.

Or seek out other puppy owners. While your puppy-less friends might not understand what you are going through other puppy parents will. If all else fails check out new puppy parent support groups on Facebook.

If talking to someone is not your thing start a journal to document the journey. This is a great way to look back and see all you have accomplished.

Celebrate the successes

This brings us to celebrating your successes. Not every day will be perfect but if you celebrate the good days it makes the not so good days bearable.

Get some sleep

Don’t expect your puppy to settle in the first night. Although some may settle down quickly most will miss their previous homes. Be compassionate and think about how your puppy might be feeling. Oh and forget about crate training the first few nights. Your puppy needs to know you will be there to protect them while they sleep. Although I don’t suggest that you have your puppy sleep with you in bed (unless this is what you want going forward). Do try to come up with a sleeping arrangement that keeps your puppy safe and close to you. This will enable you both to get a good night’s sleep.

When you are ready to start crate training check out our post on Crate Training A Puppy – Made Easy, How to Crate Train a Puppy: 10 Mistakes to Avoid and Puppy Crying in the Crate at Night? How to Make it Stop

Create a routine with naps included

Puppies train best when they have a routine. Puppies can’t tell time but the can learn that after a walk it’s time to take a nap. If you follow the same routine every day they will quickly learn what is expected of them. When deciding on your schedule make sure to schedule two nap times. Plan the naps for one in the morning and one in the afternoon for about 2 hours each. Naps should follow some type of exercise, food and time outside so they will be ready for the nap.

Remind yourself it will get better

When things get tough remember that this is only temporary. Your puppy will learn to sleep through the night. They will stop chewing on all your stuff and they will learn to potty outside. The great thing about puppies is they grow up fast. Which means the issues you are having today will get better in a month or so.

Puppy Socialization

Don’t forget about socializing your puppy. To learn more about the benefits of puppy socialization check out these posts:

Puppy Crying in the Crate at Night? How to Help Them Sleep

Bringing home a new puppy is such a wonderful experience. They are so much fun to play with and they bring a sense of happiness to any home. That is until nightfall comes and it is time to go to sleep. This is the time that people find their puppy crying in the crate. New puppy parents may be at a lost as to why their puppy is crying or how to stop it. Here we will go over some of the reasons your puppy is crying at night and how you can help them stop.

The First Day in Their New Home

It’s very important that you to start to bond with your puppy from the moment you pick them up from the breeder or rescue. Up until that point your puppy has bonded with their canine family and possibly their human caretakers. But now that they will live with you for the rest of their life, they need to become bonded to you. The quicker you bond with your puppy the less issue you will have with your puppy crying at night. Here are some tips to start the process off right.

Take Time Off

The best way to bond with your puppy quickly is to spend a lot of time with them. If possible, you should plan to spend most of the day with them for at least the first week. If you work, try to plan your vacation for the same time as your puppy’s homecoming.

Even if you work from home you should take time off so you can concentrate on your puppy. You not only need to be around them, you also need plenty of time to play with and train them. Potty training your puppy is so much easier when you have the time to learn their potty clues and can take them out as soon as they need to go. That means in the beginning taking them outside every couple of hours. Our puppy was potty trained in less than two weeks because we were home to teach her what was expected of her right from the start. To learn more about potty training and the mistakes you want to avoid read our post: Potty Training Mistakes

Bonding with your Dog

There are many ways you can bond with your puppy. The most important part is to pay attention to them. Here are a few way you can bond with your dog:

Hand feed them their food
Play with them
Go for walks around the yard or other safe places
Spend time training them
Take them for short trips in the car
Spend time cuddling with them
Socialize your puppy to new things and experiences

Spending time socializing your puppy is a great way to bond with them and also avoid fear issues in the future. To learn more about how to socialize your puppy please read our posts on How to Socialize a Puppy, Puppy Socialization Mistakes and 5 Safe and Easy Ways to Socialize Your Puppy

Preventing Separation Anxiety

Now even though I believe you should be with your puppy most of the time for the first week or two, you do need to start training them to be alone. Otherwise you could end up with a dog that has separation anxiety. For more information on how to prevent separation anxiety in puppies please read our post: How to Prevent Separation Anxiety in Dogs

Crate Training

In addition to bonding with your puppy will want to familiarize your puppy with the crate if that is where you want them to sleep at night. To do this try to bring your puppy home as early in the day as possible. That way they will have the most time possible to get use to the crate.

Remember the first rule of crate training a puppy is to make sure your puppy’s crate is an inviting place to be. Line the crate with soft washable towels or a washable bed meant for a crate.

Try to place the crate in a quiet area that is still near where you are during the day. We placed our puppy’s crate in the corner of our living room. This location allowed her to watch us from her crate even when we were in the dining room or kitchen. Of course she had a clear view of the entire living room.

I also suggest using an exercise pen that attaches to the crate like the one shown below. This will give your pup the freedom to go in and out of their crate without feeling confined to the crate.

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Exercise Pens

Here is a Midwest Foldable Metal Exercise pen connected to a Midwest crate. The combination of pen and crate creates a safe place for your puppy to stay when you can’t watch them. The Midwest Foldable Metal Exercise pen can be found at Amazon.com

Teaching your Puppy to Want to Be in the Crate

In addition to making your puppy’s crate inviting, you need to train your puppy that it is a good place to be. You can do this by giving your puppy a high value treat every time they go into the crate. Just make sure to only give that high value treat when they go in the crate. Use a different treat for other types of training.

Another way to help your pup associate her crate with good things is to feed them in the crate. This works best if you have a dog that is food oriented. Our pup is not food oriented so her regular food did not motivate her to enter her crate. In fact we found ourselves handfeeding her for the first week or so before she would eat on her own.

To find more tips on crate training please read our post: Crate Training A Puppy – Made Easy

Why is My Puppy Crying in the Crate at Night?

Ok, so it’s the first day of your puppy being home and you followed all the crate training advice you found. But now that it is night time your puppy is crying in the crate and you don’t know why.

We will go over a few reasons why your puppy is crying in their crate below, but a common reason is that it is all new. Think about it. During the day your puppy was happy to have all your attention. He didn’t mind that his canine family was not there. He was too busy exploring his new home, playing games and learning the rules of the house. But now that it is nighttime he is starting to miss the comforts of his prior home and family. On top of that he is expected to sleep in a crate all by himself. There is a good chance that this is the first time in his young life that he needs to sleep alone or in a crate.

Here are some other reasons why your puppy is crying in the crate at night:

Afraid to be alone

Dog are pack animals. When dogs lived in the wild they would stay with their families until they were fully grown to keep them safe. So it’s only natural that they would want to stay with their families now. But that does not work in today’s society. Traditionally, puppies are placed with their forever homes between 7 and 8 weeks so they can bond with their new family before the fear period starts. Understanding this will go a long way to help you have the patience you need while they go through the transition from one home to another.

Not enough exercise during the day

Puppies need about 18 to 20 hours of sleep a day. But when they sleep will depend on you. You should monitor how much sleep your pup gets during the day. If he is sleeping all day, chances are he will want to play at night.

Overtired

Although you don’t want your puppy to sleep all day, they do need naps throughout the day. Otherwise you could end up with an overtired, stressed puppy.

Puppy needs to go to the bathroom

If your puppy has been sleeping, but is now crying in the middle of the night, they most likely need to go to the bathroom. Take them outside and give them time to go. Once they have gone bring them back to the crate with little or no talking.

Too much time in the crate

If your puppy has spent a lot of time in the crate during the day, they are not going to want to be there at night. Limit the amount of time your puppy is locked in the crate. Using an exercise pen like the one pictured above is a great way to keep your puppy safe without locking them in their crate.

Crate is not inviting

As I mentioned above it is import that your puppy finds the crate a nice place to be. Make sure it is not too warm or too cold and that they have enough space to move around some. There should be enough space for them to spread out their legs or curl up. Most crate training advice tells you that the crate should just be big enough to lie down in. We always gave our pups more space than that. If the space is too small they will not want to be stuck in it for any length of time.

If you are using towels or blankets in the crate it might not be comfortable enough for your pup. Try adding a crate pad to make it more comfortable.

We prefer to use only USA made dog beds due to concerns over toxic chemicals found in many imported pet beds. If you feel the same way Big Barker makes a 4″ thick Dog Crate Pad. This pad is thicker than the midwest crate pads, giving your pup a inviting place to sleep. The heavy duty, waterproof, tear resistant and washable crate pad is made in the USA with Certi-PUR US® certified foam. It is available at Amazon.com

Another option is the MidWest Super Plush Pet Bed. These beds are not made in the USA but they are well rated and made to fit into the Midwest crates. The beds are completely machine washable and a good option if you have a Midwest Lifestages crate. You can use a smaller sized bed in the crate while you have the divider up. Once they are grown you can get a full sized bed for your pup. You can find the Midwest Deluxe Pet Beds at Amazon.com

Not enough time to get use to crate

Although we all dream of having a puppy that loves their crate right from the start, it is not reality for most people. It is going to take a few days of playing games and training your dog to be comfortable in the crate before they will go in willingly and not cry.

Tips to Stop a Puppy Crying in the Crate at Night.

The solutions to stop a puppy crying in the crate will depend on the reason they are crying. Here is a list of reasons and the recommended solutions:

Need to go out

To make sure your puppy is not crying in the crate because they need to go to the bathroom, take them out 1 hour before bedtime and again right before you place them in the crate. Do not rush their potty time. You want to make sure they are done.

Puppy not tired

Plan out your bedtime routine starting two hours before you want to go to bed. During this time make sure your puppy gets plenty of time out of their crate. Also spend time training them and playing with them. You want your puppy to be ready to go to sleep when the time comes.

Puppy is overtired

After you spend time training and playing with them, spend about 15 to 20 minutes of quiet time with them before putting them into the crate. Sit beside them while softly petting them. The idea is that you want your puppy to feel relaxed before putting them in the crate. You can also play some soft music to calm your puppy at night.

Afraid of being alone

As I mentioned above not wanting to be alone at night is a common issue with puppies during their first few nights in their new home. Although the issue is common there is no one single solution that will work for every dog. Pick the solution from the list below that you think will work best for you and give it a try. If that doesn’t work move on to the next one until you found something that works for the whole family.

Solutions for puppy crying

Have them sleep in their crate next to your bed. You will need to go to bed when they do.
Place the crate on an elevated surface next to your bed so it is even with your bed. This allows your puppy to feel like they are next to you. Of course you need to be careful that the crate does not fall.
An alternative to the elevated crate is to sleep on the floor next to the crate. Again the idea is to be close as possible to your puppy.
If your puppy does not like the crate door closed you can try sleeping in front of the crate with the door open. Use your body to block the opening. Make sure they cannot get out when everyone is asleep.
Use a nightlight so your puppy can see you.
Ask for a blanket or toy with your puppy’s mom’s scent on it to comfort them the first few nights.
Place a sheet over the crate to make it more den like. This might help your puppy feel safe in the crate.
If you don’t want to sleep next to them you can sit by the crate talking to them until they fall asleep.
Try playing soft music to claim your puppy at night.
Using ticking clock to simulate the sound of a heart beat can help to make your puppy feel like they are not alone. Also giving them a safe hot water bottle wrapped in a blanket can help soothe them.
A modern version of the ticking clock and hot water bottle is a heated toy puppy like the Smart Pet Love Snuggle Puppy. This toy uses a mechanical pulsing heartbeat and heat pack to make your puppy feel like they are sleeping with another puppy. Although we did not know about this toy at the time we got our puppy, I have heard great reviews from people who have used it.

The Smart Pet Love Snuggle Puppy

Puppy Crying in the Crate at Night? How to Make it Stop? Try the Snuggle Puppy. Picture of puppy sleeping Snuggle Puppy Toy

The Smart Pet Love Snuggle Puppy was created to simulate sleeping with other puppies. The Snuggle Puppy has a heartbeat and disposable heating pad making the soft plush toy feel life like. You can find the Smart Pet Love Snuggle Puppy at Amazon.com

How we stopped our puppy from crying

On her first night home we tried the common “Let Her Cry” method of getting her to stop crying. It didn’t work. She cried throughout the night in between periods of sleep. The second night we tried again but gave up after a half an hour. Instead my husband decided to sleep in the kitchen with her. We had the kitchen puppy proofed and gated the doorways so she couldn’t go anywhere. She slept through the night on her bed next to my husband. She only woke up once during the night to go out. My husband sept in the kitchen for the next week He started out sleeping on the floor right next to her but moved to the kitchen bench after the first two nights. She remained on the floor in her bed near him.

During the day we worked on her getting use to the crate. We would place her in the crate for quiet time. After a week we tried to get her to sleep in the crate again. This time she cried a little but went to sleep in less than 5 minutes. She was still waking us up at night to go out but would go back to the crate without crying. In the end our solution was giving her the time she needed to become comfortable with us and the crate.

How Long Should I leave my Puppy Crying in the Crate at Night?

The first puppy we crate trained took to the crate quickly and only cried a little the first night. Our current puppy wanted nothing to do with sleeping in the crate at night. The first night we tried to let her “cry it out” which resulted in her crying on and off throughout the night. If I could do it over again I would not let her cry for more than 10 minutes. Some puppies are just not ready to sleep by themselves the first few nights in a new place.

Allowing her to sleep next to my husband the first week and then transition to her crate worked better for all of us. It is just not worth the stress you put on a new puppy when you force them to sleep in a crate before they comfortable with it.

I highly recommend that you use the first couple of weeks to bond with your puppy. You will be rewarded with a dog that wants to please you all the time.

Latest Posts

How to Crate Train a Puppy: 10 Mistakes to Avoid

Gone are the days when people and their dogs stay together all the time working side by side. People now need to leave their pups alone at home when they go to work, to school or run errands. As a result, many dog owners have turned to crate training to keep their pups and their belongings safe. However, just because crate training is common place, it doesn’t mean it’s easy to teach your pup to like being in their crate. Some puppies will take to the dog crate right away. But for others you will need to teach them that being in the crate is a good thing. If you are reading this post you most likely have a puppy that did not take to the crate. To help you we have created a list of 10 mistakes people make as they learn how to crate train a puppy.

How to Crate Train a Puppy – 10 Mistakes You Want to Avoid

1. Lack of Patience

It takes a lot of patience to properly crate train a puppy. However, if done right you will be rewarded with a dog that willingly goes in and out of their crate whenever they need a quiet place to rest. You will even be able to teach your pup to enter their crate on your command. On the other hand, a lack of patience can result in a puppy that is afraid of their crate. If you push too hard in crate training or make the dog crate an unhappy place they will look at the crate as a bad place to be. A puppy that is afraid of their crate will take much longer to crate train and may never become comfortable in their crate.

What does being patient with crate training mean?

We will go into more detail on some of these items later in this post but for now it includes:

Not forcing your puppy to go into their crate before they are comfortable with it
Taking the time to make the crate a happy place for your pup to be
Not yelling at them or banging on the crate when they cry or whine in the crate
Not giving into their crying and whining by letting them out of the crate while they are crying

So why do some people make training a puppy look so easy while others struggle with it? This is because the people who make it look simple know the secrets to easy puppy training. These secrets will help you with every type of training from housetraining to agility training. Let us fill you in on the secrets to easy puppy training.

2. Crate Is Not An Inviting Place

When setting up your puppy’s crate you want to make sure it is a warm and inviting place for them to hang out. To do this, place towels or a machine washable bed in the crate to give them a soft place to lie down.

If you don’t have old plush towels a washable blanket works just as well.

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The premium Fluffy Fleece Dog Blanket by Furrybaby is available at Amazon.com

When our dog was a puppy we used old towels in her crate. The towels worked well in that they could be easily washed if soiled and she could move them around as she wanted to. Also if she decided to chew on them they were cheaper to replace than a dog bed. But looking back I think she would have settled into the crate quicker if she had a more comfortable place to lie down.

Where you place your crate is also important. Do not put the crate in front of a heating or cooling vent.

How to Introduce the Crate

Prepare the Crate

As I mentioned above you want to start the process by making the crate an inviting place to be. This can be done by adding a few soft blankets and toys. If possible try to include a blanket or toy that has the scent of where your puppy came from. This scent will help make the crate feel like a familiar place to your pup.

For some puppies using towels and blankets may not be enough to make them want to sleep in their crate. In this case you will want to get a crate pad to make your pup’s crate a more inviting place.

We prefer to use only USA made dog beds due to concerns over toxic chemicals found in many imported pet beds.

The Made in the USA, 4″ foam Dog Crate Pad by Big Barker is a good option. Although Big Barker specializes in making beds for large sized dogs, the 4″ Certi-PUR US® certified foam bed can be used with all sized dogs. It comes with a removable, washable, waterproof and tear resistant cover. You can find this crate pad at Amazon.com.

Another option is the MidWest Homes for Pets Deluxe Super Plush Pet Bed. These beds are not made in the USA but they are very well rated and are made to fit the Midwest crates. The beds are completely machine washable and a good option if you have a Midwest Lifestages crate. You can use a smaller sized bed in the crate while you have the divider up. Once they are grown you can get a full sized bed for your pup. You can find the Midwest Deluxe Pet Beds at Amazon.com

Tip: When choosing a bed for your dog, try to think of it as an investment in the health of your dog. Toxic chemicals can cause allergies and other health issues in dogs. Also a well-made bed will last longer than a cheap bed will.

Create a Den

To tap into your dog’s natural instinct to find a safe place to sleep, try to make the crate feel more like a den. To do this drape a thin blanket over the crate to block out light and noise. We did this with both of our pups when crate training. Just make sure to use a thin blanket so the crate does not retain too much heat.

Using an old blanket is an inexpensive way to make the crate den like, but it’s not the best look. If you are looking for a polished look you can also use a crate cover. Pictured here is the Midwest crate cover. These covers are designed to fit the Midwest crates. You can find these and other crate covers on Amazon.com.

Time to Discover

Once the crate is ready, give your pup some time to explore the crate on their own. Make sure to leave the gate propped open. This will ensure your puppy can go in without the gate closing. With some luck your pup will take to the crate right away. If not, you will need to start the process of luring your pup into the crate. You can do this by using either toys or treats. For simple steps on how to crate train a puppy please read Crate Training Made Easy – 5 Simple Steps.

As long as you are able to keep a watch on your puppy you can give them a toy or something to chew while they are in the crate. But do not leave a puppy alone with a toy in their crate.

3. Forcing Them into Their Crate

Never force your puppy into their crate. In order for your puppy to be comfortable with their crate they need to feel safe and in control. Think about it. How you would feel if you were in a new home and someone pushed you into a small closet and closed the door. Would you feel comfortable in that situation? Probably not and neither does your puppy. Once you force your puppy into the crate they will view it as a bad place to be and will not want to go near it, let alone in it. This is where a lot of patience is needed on your part. You want to take the process of introducing the crate to your pup very slowly.

4. Not Being Consistent

Consistency is the key to all puppy training. Your puppy learns through repetition. Puppies do not learn the meaning of words they simply learn cause and effect. If you make a certain sound and the same thing happens each time, they learn to associate the two actions.

Let me give you an example. In our home we use the ‘Go to Bed’ command, to direct our pup into her crate. It can be any word as long as you are consistent with it. As a puppy we taught her this command by saying it and then throwing a treat into the back of her crate. She would always go into the crate to get the treat. After some time she learned that if we gave her the command and she went into the crate she would be rewarded with a treat. As an adult dog she will now go into her crate on command because she understands that is what we want her to do, even if there is no reward.

If we used different commands every time we wanted her to go in her crate, the only time she would listen is if we threw in the treat first. That is because the treat would be the only consistent part of the request.

Having a daily routine is also an important part of consistent training. If you walk your dog every morning and then put them in their crate for a nap, your pup will soon learn that they are expected to nap in their crate after their morning walk. However, if some days after your walk you play in the yard and other days you expect them to nap in their crate they will surely protest that they want to play with you instead of napping.

5. Respond to Crying

During the day

If your puppy is in their crate and they want out, it is common for them to whine or bark. It’s important that your do not respond to their protests. This includes taking them out of the crate, scolding them, banging on the crate or talking to them. Do your best not to give them any type of attention until they are quiet. If you give into their demands or give them positive attention they will learn that making a fuss gets them what they want. If you react in a negative way like yelling, they will associate the crate with something bad.

Remember you want your puppy to like being in their crate. To encourage the proper behavior you need to wait until they have stopped making a fuss. Only let them out of the crate when they are quiet. You might only have a very short period of time when they stop crying so be ready to open the crate.

Even though you should not give into their crying, you should check on them to make sure they are ok. Don’t leave a crying puppy unattended for any length of time.

At night

Not responding to your puppy crying in their crate during the day is fine as long as you let them out of the crate after a short period of time. However this recommendation changes at night. Since most people want their pup to sleep in the crate all night long you can’t just let them cry. I know from personal experience some puppies will not stop crying. For tips on what to do if your puppy cries in their crate at night please read our post: Puppy Crying in the Crate at Night? How to Make it Stop

How to Crate Train a Puppy - 10 Mistakes to Avoid. Puppy in crate. Puppy in crate.

6. Too Much Crate Time

Puppies are very social animals. It is important to their mental and physical development that they are able to be active while also being close to us. This means that they should be out of their crates for as much time as possible.

How much is too much time in the crate depends on the puppy and their age. The general guidelines stated by the Humane Society of the US is “a puppy can control their bladder one hour for every month of age”. This means that a two month old puppy needs to go out at a minimum of every two hours. However this does not mean your puppy can stay in the crate all day as long as you let them out every two hours. They need to be out of the crate to learn the rules of the house and bond with their new family. Plus your puppy will actually potty train faster if they are only in their crates for short periods of time.

To learn about the ways you can use your puppy’s natural instincts to potty train quickly read our post Potty Training a Puppy – Made Easy

Keeping your Puppy Safe

Cumbor Auto Close Safety Gate available at Amazon.com

Of course if you can’t keep an eye on your puppy you need to keep them in a safe place where they cannot hurt themselves. Instead of keeping them in a crate, use safety gates to enclose them in the same area you are in. When we brought home Bella I moved my work area to the kitchen and blocked the doorways with gates. This allowed me to keep watch over her but she still had room to move around and play. Plus she wasn’t alone.

If you live in a home with an open concept gates may not work well. In this case I would recommend an exercise pen. An exercise pen will give your pup more space to play but still provide a safe environment. Midwest Homes for Pets offers a foldable metal exercise pen that can be used independently or connected to their popular Midwest crate. This combination creates a safe place for your puppy to play and sleep when you can’t watch them. Just remember to place the exercise pen near where you spend most of your time. Both the Foldable Metal Exercise Pen and the Midwest Crate can be found at Amazon.com using the links provided.

Puppies need time outside of their crate to play and explore their surroundings. Therefore you need to puppy proof your home. In Puppy Proofing Your Home – 10 Silent Dangers we go over many of the common household hazards you need to watch out for.

7. Use the Crate as Punishment

As I mentioned above you want your puppy to feel that the crate is a safe place for them to be. If you force them into the crate when they are bad they will associate the crate with negative attention.

Instead setup a space in your home that is only used for time outs. Preferable somewhere near where you are. In our case we set up a space in the corner of the room we were in using safety gates. Bella was only placed in there a few times. She quickly learned that if she became too out of control play time would end and she would be separated from the family. An exercise pen not attached to the crate will also work for timeouts. You can find an exercise pen at Amazon.com

8. Not Enough Exercise

Just like children your puppy is full of energy that needs to be burned off before they can settle down for a nap or focus on training. If you place your puppy in their crate before they are ready for quiet time you will have a very uncooperative, unhappy dog. It is best if you spend some time being active with your puppy before trying to convince them they should spend time in their crate.

Being active could take the form of a walk or a game of chase. All puppies love to chase balls or their favorite toy. Playing chase also allows you to see when they become tired enough to take a nap. As your puppy starts to get tired their pace will slow down. Some puppies might even decide to take a break by lying down in the middle of the game. This is a great time to lure them into the crate with either a treat or a favorite toy for a short nap. Just make sure to take them outside for a bathroom break before placing them in the crate.

9. Crate in another room

Dogs are very social animals. They need to be with their family at all times. This includes even when they are in their crate. Your puppy will have an easier time being in their crate if the crate is close to where the family is. This may mean that you need to have two crates or that you move the crate around with you. We kept our crate in our bedroom so she was close to us at night and blocked off space in the kitchen for her to be near us during the daytime.

10. Not Taking Off Their Collar

So this last one really isn’t a crate training mistake, but it is a mistake people make when using a crate. You should never leave your puppy or dog alone with their collar on in a crate. The reason for this is that if the collar becomes caught on the grating it can be a strangulation hazard. Many people would advise that you should never leave a dog alone with their collar on regardless of where they are for this same reason.

We once had a scare with our springer spaniel puppy. We came home to find that she managed to slip her collar into her month causing her lower jaw to be pulled open. She was clearly in pain and we have no idea how long she was like that.

How to Crate Train a Puppy

Hopefully we have provided you with useful tips that will help you crate train your puppy. To discover more tips and tricks on how to crate train a puppy please read our post How to Crate Train a Puppy – 5 Simple Steps. Also check out our post on Potty Training Mistakes – What you need to know BEFORE you get a Puppy.

Customizable Dog Mom Baseball Hat – Show off your love of dogs with this stylish baseball cap for women. The distressed cap comes in black, dark gray or light gray. Customize it with words and thread colors.Available through Amazon.com/ Homemade.

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What You Need for a New Puppy

So, you have decided that you were ready for a puppy. At this point you may have chosen the perfect puppy to call your own. Now it is time to get ready to bring him home. You know that a new puppy needs stuff. But exactly what do you need for your new pup?

Below we will review the basic supplies that you will need to have before bringing home for your new pup. Along with this we will offer suggestions of products that we have researched and tested with our own pup. However not all puppies are the same or have the same needs. Because of this we included tips on how to decide what is best for your puppy.

What You Need for Your New Puppy

There are 7 basic items you will need on day one of your life with your new puppy. Some of these items will last for the lifetime of your dog, but some will need to be replaced as your pup grows.

Please note: As an Amazon and Cherrybrook Pet Supply affiliate I earn a commission from qualifying purchases. However, I am not an affiliate for any of the other retailers listed in this post.

1. Food And Water Bowls

These items fall into the need to be replaced as they grow category. When your puppy is small they will eat less food then a full grown dog. They will also be too small to eat from a large bowl. If you try to feed your 10 pound Berniedoodle pup with a bowl that he can use when he is a 120 pounds adult dog it will be impossible for him to reach the food.

The Early Stages

When your puppy is still small you will need to have bowls that are also small so they can get the food out. For our little 6 pound, 2 month old Bella we used bowls we had from when the kids were younger. This worked great for her and us. They were small enough for her to get her little nose down to the bottom of the bowl and they are dishwasher safe. If you don’t have small bowls lying around, I recommend getting stainless steel bowls with a rubber ring to help prevent the bowls from moving. Just check to make sure they can easily reach the bottom of the bowl.

Adulthood

Silver dog bowl with black rubber on bottom. — Indipets Stainless Steel Dish available at Amazon.com

Once she was older we moved to stainless steel angled bowls again with rubber bottoms to prevent the bowls from moving. They work great for pups with long ears or long hair. The smaller opening and angled sides help prevent their ears from going into the bowl. A must if you have a long haired dog and don’t want your their ears a matted mess.

Food Mats

Although not a necessity, food mats make feeding time easier. A good quality food mat will prevent your dog’s bowls from moving around and keep spills contained. When choosing a food mat pick one with a lip to keep spilled liquids from reaching your floor. There are many different types and sizes of food mats available. We like the American made Van Ness Dinner Mat available at Amazon.com

Tip: Although ceramic bowls are pretty, the ones with fancy rasied decorations are harder to clean.

2. High Quality Puppy Food

It’s important to feed your pup a high quality dog food from the beginning. Just like with humans, what they consume makes a big difference in how healthy they will be as they grow. Since changes in dog food can upset your puppy’s stomach you should feed them the same food as the breeder or shelter gave them before they came to live with you. If you want to change the food do so by mixing the new food with the old food for a few days. Each day increase the amount of new food while decreasing the amount of old food until they are eating mostly all new food.

If you plan on feeding your puppy dry cereal it’s important to make sure to keep it safe from bugs and other critters that may get into it. The Gamma2 Vittles Vault Outback Pet Food Storage Container is highly rated and comes in multiple sized to fit your needs. It is made in the USA from food-grade, BPA-free materials. You can find it at Amazon.com or Cherrybrook.com.

Tip: Get a food storage container that is big enough to fit the pet food bag inside. This will help preserve the food and keep the container clean from oil build ups. Don’t forget to clean out the container periodically.

Small french bulldog sleeping in the arms of person with a pink sweater. from the post What You Need for Your New Pup

3. A Place To Sleep

Where your puppy sleeps is a personal preference. We prefer that our pup sleeps in her own bed inside her crate. Some people might want to have their pups closer to them. The most important thing for you to do, is to make sure they are safe when you are not watching them.

Crate Training

Based on my experiences (which you can read about in Deciding To Crate Train). I strongly recommend that you train your pup to sleep in their crate for their own safety. To learn more read Crate Training Made Easy

Crates are one of those items you don’t need to replace as they grow up.

In our case we used the same crate we originally purchased for our Springer Spaniel Molly 19 years ago. It is a large 27″ x 36″ collapsible crate with a black coating and the opening on the short end. It also has a smooth solid tray on the bottom to protect her from the grating.

Tip: Keep the crate in area need where the family is but in a corner. This will help your pup feel connected with the family even when it is nap time.

We keep our crate in the living room with the door propped open so Bella can go in and out of it as she pleases during the day when we are home. She has become so used to it that she goes in it at night all on her own.

How to select a crate

As you are deciding which crate to purchase, think about the size your pup will be when they are full grown.

Empty blak metal crate with black tray on the bottom

The general guideline is that crates should be at least 4 inches higher and longer then what your pup is expected to become.
If your pup is full grown measure their length from their nose to their tail and add 4 inches to get the minimum length of the crate you need then measure from the floor to the top of their head while they are sitting and add four inches to determine the minimumheight needed.
If you have a small pup that is expected to turn into an extra large dog consider purchasing a Midwest Lifestages Crate with a divider panel so you can reduce the size of the crate while they are potty training.
It is better to get a crate that is too big then one that is too small. Our crate is much bigger then our small pup but it gives her space to move around and stretch.
Cloth crates are nice but metal crates are easier to clean and sanitize when you are potty training your pup. We suggest getting the highly rated Midwest Lifestages Crate available at Amazon.com

Still not sure which size to get. Go to Midwest Home for Pets and select a breed or size to get a recommendation on which size to get.

4. Bedding

Picture of a small gray puppy on a black pillow bed in side of a crate with the door open. Property of Happoodles.com Post "What You Need for Your New Pup"

When puppies are young and potty training you are better off using blankets or towels in the crates as bedding. That way if they have an accident, it is easy to switch out and clean up.

When they get older I recommend going with a bed that fits in their crate and has a washable cover. You can see our Bella here in her 27” x 36” crate with a large shredded natural latex core pillow bed with a washable organic cotton flannel cover.

The Big Barker Crate Pad is a good option for those puppies that need more padding to feel comfortable. This crate pad is made in the usa with 4″ Certi-PUR US® certified foam and comes with a removable, washable, waterproof and tear resistant cover. You can find this crate pad at Amazon.com

5. Safety Gates And Other Stuff

Just like baby’s, puppies are born with an inherent desire to explore their surroundings. This can lead them to get into a lot of trouble. Puppies should never be left alone unless they are secured in a baby proof place.

To puppy proof your home you will need gates to limit where they can roam and you need to carefully inspect every inch of that space for hazards like electrical cords and poisonous plants. Read Puppy Proofing Your Home – 10 Silent Dangers to get tips on what you need to look for.

Here you see the Midwest Foldable Metal Exercise pen connected to the Midwest crate. The combination creates a safe place for your puppy when you can’t watch them. The Midwest Foldable Metal Exercise pen is available at Amazon.com

6. Collar And Leash

When you first bring your puppy home you will need a collar and leash. If you have a large breed pup you will most likely need to replace these items before they grow up. A simple collar and 6 foot leash is all you need to begin training your pup to walk on a leash and to start potty train. If you go longer than a 6’ leash you may find that the puppy will get tangled in it.

Determining the right size collar

It important to have the right sized collar for your pup. To small and it will be uncomfortable. Too big and they can slip out of it, possibly running off. Follow these next steps to determine the correct sized collar.

Using a flexible measuring tape, measure around your pup’s neck. The measuring tape should be snug against their skin but not tight. You can also use a piece of string or ribbon and then measure the length by using a ruler.
Next add two inches to the length. This should allow enough room to be comfortable for your pup without them being able to slip out of their collar.
Once you get the collar, you need to try it on your pup. See if you can slip two fingers under the collar. With the width of your two fingers between the collar and neck, the collar should feel snug, but not tight.
Now check to see if you can slide your pup’s collar off his head. Unless it is a coke chain you should not be able to slide the collar off. If you can, so can your pup.

Other considerations when selecting a collar:

The width of your dog’s collar is just as important as the length. A collar that is too wide may rub and cause discomfort. While a collar that is too narrow may cause too much pressure on one area of your pups neck. Especailly when they are on a leash. Typically the width of a collar is determined by the length, but this might not always be the case. Watch your pup. If they continue trying to get the collar off it could be because it is uncomfortable.
Lastly check the fit of the collar at least once a month. More if they are growing quickly. Continue to do monthly checks until your pup is fully grown to make sure it fits properly. Even after that you should check the collar periodically to ensure it is not worn or damaged and still fits correctly.

The New Earth® Soy Adjustable Dog Collar is a great collar for a puppy. Made of natural soy fibers, these durable, earth-friendly collars have a soft feel perfect for puppies. Available in seven earth-friendly colors using all natural dyes. The New Earth® Soy Adjustable Dog Collar and the matching lead is available at Amazon.com.

Choosing a Dog Harness

Although I highly recommend using a collar to keep your puppy’s ID and Rabies tags, you may want to consider using a dog harness to walk your puppy. A dog harness has a number of benefits over dog collars:

A collar can hurt the neck of a puppy that is pulling on the leash
A harness distrubes the pressure causes by pulling along the chest instead of the neck
It is much harder for a dog to wiggle their way out of a harness
A harness will offer better control over a puppy that is pulling on their leash

There are a number of different types of harness on the market. We have a Earth Soy Dog Comfort Wrap Harness. Made from the same materials as the Earth Soy Collar. The soft harness is also a great choice for puppies. The Earth Soy Dog Comfort Wrap Harness can be found at Amazon.com.

Puppy ID Tag

To help find a lost puppy, every dog should have an ID Tag. The Road iD personalized tag which can be found on Amazon.com is jingle free. The low profile reduces the chance of the tag being snagged on a bush or by another dog. Great choice for a puppy that might be distracted by the sound and movement.

7. Toys

Although you don’t need a lot of puppy toys, having a few toys for your puppy to play with is very helpful. Toys can be used as training aids. They can be used to tire your puppy. Puppy chew toys are a great way to deal with puppy teething pain. Playing with your puppy and their toys is also a good way to bond with your puppy.

When selecting a toy for your puppy, look for one that is soft and flexible. Hard toys can hurt your puppy’s gums and possibly damage new teeth. Also make sure the toy is not too small for your puppy. Small toys can be a choking hazard.

Toys that roll or bounce tend to entice your puppy to play. When our pup was a puppy her favorite toy was a soft chicken that she could chew and tugged on. It had different textures and sounds all in one toy so it also helped with her socialization training.

It’s important to have a variety of toys available for your puppy to play with. The Rocket & Rex Puppy Chew Toys 6 pack is a great start to your puppy’s toy collection. These durable dog chew toys are made from natural rubber and cotton. Just remember no toy is indestructible. Puppies should be supervised when playing with any toys to prevent injury. The Rocket & Rex Puppy Chew Toys 6 pack can be found at Amazon.com

For more tips on caring for your new puppy, check out my other posts:

How to Stop Your Puppy’s Chewing

If you have a puppy in your life you know that puppies will chew on everything. Your shoes, a toy, the furniture, pretty much anything they can get their months on. Although this is normal behavior for puppies, it does not mean you need to let them use your furniture as a teething ring. Join us as we explore ways on how to stop your puppy’s chewing.

Black and white puppy next to chewed table leg in How to Stop Your Puppy’s Chewing

Although our 4 month old puppy has toys to chew, she prefers the table’s leg. She is very sneaky about it. She will lay next to my feet during dinner. When no one is watching she starts chewing on the table leg. You can see the damage she did in only a few days.

Why do dogs chew?

Chewing is a natural behavior for dogs. Most dogs will have the desire to chew all their lives. The instinct to chew can be traced back thousands of years when dogs had to chew through bones to survive. That instinct lives on in dogs today.

Puppies chew mainly because their teeth are coming in and it hurts. Chewing helps relieve some of that pain. Puppy “teething” tends to be at its worst between 1 to 8 weeks and again at 4 to 6 months. Although puppies will outgrow the teething stage, they may continue to be a destructive chewer if not properly corrected.

Obsessive chewing may be caused by other issues like separation anxiety, hunger, or being weaned before seven weeks old. Each of these issues will have different remedies. For the purpose of this post we are going to stick with teething as the reason for chewing since it is the most common cause of destructive chewing with puppies.

Stop Your Puppy’s Destructive Chewing

In order to stop your puppy’s destructive chewing you need to use a three prong solution:

Prevention
Deterrents
Positive Corrections

1. Preventative actions

Keep the place tidy

The best way to stop your puppy’s chewing from destroying your belongings is to keep your puppy away from them. Objects like shoes, furniture, electrical cords or children’s toys should be picked up and placed out of your puppy’s reach.

Don’t forget to puppy proof your home before your puppy gets hurt. For a list of dangerous items and areas you might not think of, go to Puppy Proofing Your Home – 10 Silent Dangers

Limit where they can roam

Do not give your puppy the run of the house if they are unsupervised.

When we first brought Bella home we knew that with two young kids there was no way we would be able to keep the entire house neat all the time. So instead we confined her to the kitchen. It is the place where we spend most of our time, so it made sense that she should be there too. At night she was placed in her crate in our bedroom. She was only allowed in other parts of the house when someone was watching her.

Slowly, as she learned her doggy manners and became housebroken we started to open up other areas of the house for her to roam. If she broke any rules like chewing on something she shouldn’t, she was then restricted back to the kitchen.

2. Use Deterrents to Stop Your Puppy’s Chewing

There are just some items that you can’t place out of your puppy’s reach, like the table or floor molding. Yep, our previous pup Molly decided to chew the floor molding. For these items you can either use a barrier to keep them from reaching the object, a bitter tasting spray or my favorite, a water gun.

small water guns - How to Stop Your Puppy’s Destructive Chewing

Yes, I just said a water gun. Just a small one will do. Another option is to carry a spray bottle. Every time you catch them chewing on something they shouldn’t, spray them with a little water. This option worked great for our Golden Retriever who liked to counter surf. However, it only works if you catch them in the act.

A word on deterrent sprays

Just like people, dogs have different likes and dislikes. One bitter spray may have a different taste and smell then another one. There is no way of knowing which one will work for your puppy without trying them. With that said there are a few products that seem to work better than others. While none of the sprays recommended work 100% of the time, these sprays have at least a 64% approval rating.

Deterrent Spray Options

Note: As an Amazon affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases.

PRO Anti Chew Spray For Dogs / Puppies – 68% approval rating

PRO Anti Chew Spray for Dogs & Puppies by Emmy’s Best is the only chewing deterrent that is alcohol free. Although not as widely known as the Bitter Apple sprays, people who use Pro Anti Chew have a higher approval rating. The PRO Anti Chew Spray for Dogs & Puppies by Emmy’s Best is available at Amazon.com

Pro Anti Chew Spray combines a patient bitter agent with Tea Tree Oil to discourage chewing. They also include an interactive training program to eliminate chewing in 14 days.

It is safe to use on furniture, clothing, shoes, flooring, and more. This made in the USA spray includes an unconditional 1 year 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Grannick’s Bitter Apple Original Dog Spray – 64% approval rating

Grannick’s Bitter Apple Original Dog Spray is often recommended by dog lovers as a safe and effective chew deterrent.

The original spray was invented at Grannick’s Pharmacy at the request of a customer whose dog became nervous before shows and would lick and chew his coat.

This made in the USA spray has a combination of bitter apple and Isopropanol (rubbing alcohol) taste that deters chewing.

Grannick’s Bitter Apple Original Dog Spray can be found at Amazon.com

Tip: The sprays may not work the first time. It could take a few applications before your pup realizes that the item is always going to taste bad.

3. Use Positive Corrections to Stop Your Puppy’s Chewing

A positive correction is when you replace an unwanted behavior (like chewing on your shoes) with an acceptable behavior. We have tried many types of safe chewables with varying results. In fact she might love something one day and be disinterested in it the next.

Here are a few that have worked for us.

Carrots

Our puppy loves clean fresh carrots. In fact, whenever she sees the carrot bag come out she waits patiently hoping for a piece to come her way. The downside to giving her carrots is that as she gets older it takes her less time to eat them.

You can freeze the carrots to make them harder to chew and by default also take longer to eat. Whether fresh or frozen, make sure that you cut the pieces large enough to prevent choking (don’t use baby carrots) and limit the amount you give so it does not interfere with their main meals.

Hymalayan Dog Chew

What is it? These 100% all natural hard cheese chew snacks are made from Yak and Cow’s milk with a little salt and lime juice. Made in the Himalayan Mountains they contain no preservatives and are completely consumable. Because these tasty treats are so hard it takes a long time for my dog to eat it. Although not completely made in the USA (since it is from the Himalayans) these treats are processed and tested in the USA.

Tip: Never allow your dog to chew anything into a small enough piece that they can choke on or create an obstruction if swallowed.

Kong

The USA made Kong comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. You can fill the inside of the Kong with a thin layer of peanut butter, canned pumpkin, soft cheese or dog treats for hours of entertainment. Try freezing the filled Kong to make the filling last longer.

We have the original cone shaped Kong in large from our previous dog and small Kong for our puppy. When deciding on which size Kong to get, check to see if the opening is too big for your puppy. Your puppy should not be able to get his lower jaw into the Kong’s opening. It may get stuck.

The Kong is a classic dog toy that has been around a long time. Our first Kong lasted the entire life of our spaniel which was 15 years. We still have it. Most dogs love the Kong. The down side of the Kong is that it is a little difficult to clean. Use warm soapy water and a bottle brush to clean out any food residue that gets stuck.

Size Matters

When choosing any toy for your puppy, consider the size of your pup compared to the size of the toy. Small toys are dangerous for large puppies that may be able to swallow it or break it apart if they can place the whole toy in their month. Large toys may be impossible for a small pup to play with.

Everlasting Treat Bento Ball Starmark

Starmark Everlasting Bento Ball with Dental Treat in Orange — Everlasting Treat Bento Ball Starmark can be found at Amazon.com

The Everlasting Treat Bento Ball is a soft rubber half ball with a space for the Everlasting hard edible chew on one side and a pocket to add your own small treats on the other. The rubber is free of latex, vinyl and phthalates and is dishwasher safe making it easy to keep clean. The purpose of the toy is to engage dogs to chew on the soft outside while trying to get to the hard flavored chew inside. There are nubs on the outside of the ball that gently cleans and massages the gums.

Everlasting Treat with Dental Ridges

The Bento Ball we purchased came with the Everlasting Treat with Dental Ridges. Although not truly everlasting the hard chew does last awhile as long as it remains in the ball. Once the treat is out of the ball it is fairly easily to eat. We love this toy because the soft outer ball is easy on our puppy’s teeth, while the hard inside satisfies her need to gnaw on something.

The first week Bella had the ball she kept working on getting to the hard chew on and off until she finally wore down the raised ridges on the chew. If you have an aggressive chewer it may take less time to get to the treat.

So, if you want to stop your puppy’s destructive chewing follow the three prong solution laid out in this post. It worked for us.

Replacement treats for the Everlasting Treat with Dental Ridges can be found at Amazon.com.

Puppy Proofing Your Home – 10 Silent Dangers

Puppy proofing your home is an important step in preparing for your new puppy. As a new puppy parent you may not realize just how much your little pup will want to explore their new environment. What we see as boring ordinary household items (like your computer’s power cord), they see as a chew toy or even a snack. Preparing your home and yard for your young pup is a lot like preparing for a toddler. You want to eliminate any and all potential dangers.

Before your puppy comes home walk through your house, room by room, keeping an eye out for possible dangers. Any object that your puppy can get their mouth on is a potential hazard. If it is soft, pliable and within reach it is fair game to your pup. Here are 10 potential dangers to look out for when puppy proofing your home.

1. Garbage

Puppy Proofing Your Home - 10 Silent Dangers

Garbage cans are like treasure chests to young pups just waiting to be discovered. Especially the kitchen garbage can. The smells of discarded rotting food can be very attractive to young pups who don’t understand the dangers that lurk within. Many human foods are toxic to dogs, discarded cans with sharp edges can cut them and non-digestible items can block their GI track.

Bathroom trash can be dangerous as well. Discarded tooth paste tubes, razors and female sanitary products all pose risks to your pooch. Did you know that toothpaste is toxic to dog? Ingested diapers can result in a blockage or expand to the point that it causes internal injuries. Ever seen a baby in a non-swim diaper at the pool?

Hide your garbage cans in cabinets or closets or get securely-locking lids to keep them out. Remember to put safety locks on cabinets and closet doors to ensure your pup can’t find a way in. Look around your home for any trash or recycling that might be left out such as plastic bags, plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

2. Medications

When puppy proofing your home don’t forget about over-the-counter and prescription medicines. Keep all medicines out of your pup’s reach. Never leave your medication on a counter, in a low cabinet without safety locks or in your purse that is within reach of your pup. Those child proof containers might be able to keep your 3 year old safe, but your pup’s sharp teeth will be able to chew threw the safety cap if they are determined.

TIP: Puppy’s will chew on anything. Your hand, a toy, the furniture, pretty much anything they can get their month on. But you can teach your puppy not to. Join us as we explore ways on How to Stop Your Puppy’s Destructive Chewing

3. Cleaning Supplies

Whether it is your clothes detergent, your dish detergent or general cleaning supplies, most cleaning agents use harsh chemicals that are toxic to animals and people alike. Make sure to keep those chemicals in a locked enclosed area, away from where your pet spends their time. A high shelf in a locked closet is a good idea. Also the smells of household cleaning supplies may attract your dog to them. Make sure that your puppy is out of the area when using cleaning supplies, so that he won’t be affected by the vapors given off by the chemicals or be tempted lick the items you just cleaned.

4. Plants

Just like babies, puppies explore the world by putting everything in their mouths. Many of the plants we keep in and around our homes can be poisonous to dogs if ingested. Eating harmful plants can result in vomiting, diarrhea or even organ failure and death. Research all of the plants you have in and around your home currently and make sure they are not harmful to dogs.

ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center has an extension list of toxic and non-toxic plants.

5. Electrical Cords

You might be amazed at how attracted your puppy can be to an electrical cord. Our Bella loved to chew on any type of pliable rubber including earbuds, electrical cords, and the safety rings off milk jugs. When your pup chews on electric cords they are at risk of getting a fatal electrical shock. Even if the cords are not plugged in the wires can cause internal injuries if consumed.

Unfortunately, it is hard to get away from using cords in your home these days. But you can keep your wires safe by using a cord protector or concealer. PVC pipes can work too. Another option is to limit the area your pup can roam to cord free rooms like the kitchen. Don’t forget to keep your place tidy so little objects like your favorite earbuds don’t find their way into your pup’s mouth.

Tip: One way to keep your puppy safe is to crate train them. This does not mean you leave them in the crate all day, but crates are a good place to keep your puppy at night when it is time to sleep or during the day when you are out. Check out Crate Training Made Easy for simple tips how to help your puppy love their crate.

6. Batteries

Just like power cords batteries can be found all over the house and batteries are extremely dangerous if ingested. Cell phones, watches, remote controls, tablets, electronic toys, key fobs, and any other devices that contain batteries should be stowed away out of reach of your pup. A swallowed battery can cause burns to the soft tissue inside your pet’s esophagus and in their stomach. Disc batteries that are found in watches are especially dangerous because of their size and ease to swallow.

7. Cat Litter Box

For some unknown reason dogs, especially puppies, are attracted to other animal’s feces. Beyond being very disgusting it’s also dangerous when it comes to your cats litter box. Cat litter or waste, if consumed can cause health problems. Make sure to keep the litter box in an area your pup cannot access. A separate room with a baby gate at the door should work. Just raise the gate up a little to allow your cat to go under it or if you have a small pup show your cat how to jump over the gate.

8. Small Objects

Small objects are the toughest category of all the hazards to manage when puppy proofing your home. Puppies who are exploring their surroundings will discover all sorts of temptations in your home. Everything from jewelry, coins, rubber bands, paper clips, staples, to some larger items like shoes and clothing. These items may be fun to your pup to play with and shred, but they can be fatal if swallowed. Dogs will often hide from you while chewing on found objects so it is important to put up temporary blockades to keep your pup from sneaking behind the furniture or under the bed to chew on a forbidden object.

9. Xylitol

Xylitol poisoning is becoming increasing common as it is used in more products, sugar-free foods like ketchup, peanut butter, protein bars, pudding, and sugar-free gum may contain xylitol as one of their primary ingredients. Even hand creams and deodorants can contain Xylitol. Ingesting Xylitol can be fatal to your pup.

You can find a list of 700+ products containing xylitol at https://www.preventivevet.com/xylitol-products-toxic-for-dogs

10. Toilet

Keep the toilet lid down at all times or keep the bathroom door closed. A curious dog could fall in and drown.

Outside Dangers

While these ten dangers are generally located inside your home, puppy proofing the outside of your home is also a concern.

Your Garage

There are so many hazards that are stored in garages and sheds that it is just better to keep your pup out of these areas. Items like Antifreeze are incredibly dangerous to pets. Just a small amount can be fatal and because of the sweet smell, dogs are very attracted to it. Antifreeze can not only be found on garage shelves but can also be on the garage floor due to leaks. Mouse/rat poison, pesticides, fuel and oil for gas power lawn equipment, mothballs and cleaning supplies are also commonly found in the garage. All are equally dangerous. There are still other hazards like heavy tools or small nails and screws that pose a threat to your pup. Not to mention the risk of getting run over or crushed by an automatic garage door.

Your Yard

The great outdoors…., seems like a natural place for a pup to be but there are hidden dangers here too. It’s important to always supervise your pup when outside especially if you live in an area with abundant wildlife. Each time you go out into the yard inspect your fence for weak spots. You’d be surprised how little space and time a pup needs to crawl under. If you have a pool make sure the pup cannot access it. Drowning is a possibility, even if your puppy can swim.

Keep your dog away from the yard if it has recently been treated with fertilizers, pesticides, or insecticides. Try to avoid using insecticides because the chemicals can be very harmful to your puppy.

This is in no way an exhausted list of the possible hazards in and around your home. To ensure the safety of your pet you must be vigilant.

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