First-Time Dog Moms : A Guide
If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve made (or are considering making) the best decision of your life.
My dad is allergic to dogs, so I never had one growing up. I didn’t really understand the hype, honestly. It wasn’t until I started dating my now husband that I understood just how much love dogs can bring to a family. His family has a big yellow lab, and I fell in love with how sweet he is.
We rescued Cash Collins in January of 2020 and he is just the brightest light. I truly don’t know how I ever lived without him. Aside from Ryan’s knowledge, though, I was truly clueless in terms of what we needed, how to train him, when to train him…you name it. If you’re in the same boat, read on! I gotchu.
Crate Training
Oh man, I can not emphasize the importance of crate training enough. It is SO hard at first. All you want to do is snuggle with your new baby and their cries from the crate certainly don’t help. However, crate training helps with things far beyond just a sleep environment. All dogs have a ‘den’ mentality. Their den is their safe space, and also a space that they want to take care of. In other words - they don’t want to pee in there. The thought is that once you make the crate their den, that mentality will then slow spread to the room the crate is in, and then the hallway outside it, and soon enough your entire home becomes their den. They’ll want to take care of it and it will save your life with potty training. We never put a bed in his crate - just loaded it with cozy blankets and a clothing item of each of ours! Smells are everything so don’t forget this last piece!
Potty Training
Patience, patience, patience. Not something I would consider my strong suit, but you’re gunna need it. My biggest piece of advice here is to avoid the pee pads. They make things easier in the short term, but much more difficult in the long term. Plus, I cannot fathom how people can stomach cleaning those up all day! Your pup should learn from day 1 that going to the bathroom in the house is never okay. It’s up to you to take them out more often than you think they need in order to set them up for success. For the first week or so, we took Cash out every half hour. I didn’t even give him the chance to have an accident. When they go potty outside, GET HYPE! They need to see your excitement and how proud you are of them. Immediately give them a treat so they associate going outside with happiness from you, and treats. Their two favorite things. If (when) they do have accidents inside, don’t scold them. Immediately take them outside, even if you’re positive there’s no way they have anything left in them because it’s all over your carpet. For a pup who is eager for attention, even a negative reaction shows them that they can get a rise out of you.
Keep them busy!
This part is especially important for working dog parents! You’ve got to keep them mentally stimulated. That puppy energy is endless and while walks are great, they need to work their brains, too. This was one of Cash’s favorites, as well as a frozen Kong stuffed with layers of peanut butter and kibble!
Training
I am not a certified trainer so I’m not going to give specific advice here, I’ll just tell you our experience. We got Cash enrolled in puppy training right away. It was great for socialization, but ultimately I think he was too young and his energy was too high for it to really be effective. That being said, every breed is different! We were forced to pause formal training when COVID hit, and it was actually a blessing in disguise. We worked a lot on building our bond with Cash, which comes with his respect for us, and the obedience stuff came pretty easy. We started working one on one with a trainer right around Cash’s first birthday and we saw much better results. My ultimate advice here is wait until they’re a little older, and work one-on-one as opposed to in a group.
Socialization
SO IMPORTANT. This was actually a great thing about puppy training, but there are other ways to do it. Look for puppy play groups and once your pup has all their shots, explore some dog parks! I, being the paranoid, controlling person that I am, was super nervous about dog parks at first. You do have to stay vigilant and make sure your pup is safe, but daily trips to the dog park truly taught Cash how to interact with dogs of all sizes, how to hold his own, and gave him space to play! Take your pup anywhere and everywhere they are allowed to go. The more sounds, smells, dogs, and people they are exposed to the better! This will save your life down the road, I promise. Not to mention, it works wonders for their energy and as a result - their behavior.
Insurance
It’s annoying, but just do it. We use Trupanion - if you’re less worried about standard vet visits and more about larger injuries/emergencies - this is for you. If you’d rather have help with covering vaccinations and all of the regular stuff, there are other great options out there! It all comes down to what your needs are, but it’s worth it for the peace of mind. Find a vet you love and trust!
Enjoy every minute!
If you can find a way to laugh through the accidents, the middle of the night wake-up calls, and the shedding, you’ll have a much more pleasant experience. Remember that they’re babies! Every day is a learning experience. My final piece of advice - take lots of photos. The puppy phase will be over before you know it and soon they’ll be teenagers burping in your face and smelling their own farts. Take it from me.
You got this!
