I found for abandoned puppies who have found their way into my home and heart. It is now day 15 of puppy mayhem😊. For all of you who currently have a puppy I salute you.

In my last post I focused on what to have on hand before you bring your puppy home. Today, let’s talk puppy development and what that means for you and your new pup.
Right now, my pups are approximately 8 weeks of age. The phase from 8-12 weeks is incredibly important time to introduce your puppy to their world. As this is a critical development period, and is your window to carefully, positively expose the pup to novel places, people, and other animals. The experiences they have now have a tremendous impact on the development of their brains and ultimately their behavior.
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So at this time I am gently exposing the pups experiences like short car rides, crates, leashes, collars new people, and also gentle handling of their bodies. The more novel experiences they get at this age the less issues they will have as adults. The key is to introduce them gently and not force them into a situation where they are scared or stressed this will have the opposite effect.
  
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I am on day seven of fostering four fabulous pups that were abandoned on a rural road. Yeah, I know, who would do that? However, on a lighter note they are doing great. They are running, playing, biting  and doing all the fun puppy stuff. But, I digress.

While puppies are amazing and I am feeling much joy, their presence reminds me of all they things one needs to do to get pups settled in. So, for anyone thinking of adopting or fostering a puppy I have created this list to puppy prep, and save yourself some stress.  Do these things before you bring your puppy home.  This list is not exhaustive but gives you a road map.

Set you  pup up for success and manage them so they can do the right thing. Remember, puppies don’t know how to behave and want to explore everything with their mouths.

• Pick up everything and put it away; this means securing all power cords, shoes, clothing, anything you value, or that could harm pups.
• Do not leave anything on counters or tables, especially food.
• Have covered garbage cans or put them in cupboards.
• Have baby gates or x-pens on hand. Link to X-pen
• Get a crate, you may need it for potty training, and/or travel.
• Stock up on some indestructible chews and toys.
• Get some interactive toys and Kong balls to keep them busy.
• Get a flat buckle collar, harness and leash.
• Have potty pads and extra bedding
• Set up a zone for confining the pup when you are not able to supervise. This will keep safe and out of trouble. This is essential! Please click here for more for keeping your pup safe and happy.