Are you sure you're ready for this?
Adding a new puppy to your home will definately make profound changes in your life. Puppies have many lessons to learn in their first few months at home. The time and effort you put in during these critical months will be repaid twofold. This period is your opportunity to mould your little one into the dream dog you have always wished for.

Bad manners such as jumping up, scratching (accidentally of course) and nipping are to be expected from 2-3 months of age. If you have small children this can sometimes be a problem, so make sure your children are prepared and definitely ask us how to teach the children to stop the behaviors themselves. There are a number of very effective techniques to stop them quickly if everyone deals with them consistently.

Your free time use will also change quite a bit. Although we know you will want to spend as much time with your new addition as possibe, now you won't be as free to come and go as you please. You will always need to consider how long your pup has been alone, and the amount of time should be fairly short. It would be horrible to begin feeling resentful or tied down by the puppy so some serious soul-searching is advisable before you get too attached to the idea of a new addition.

It is possible to get a puppy if you work all day, but concessions and special arrangements will have to be made. If you are away more than 8 hours during the day, you might want to seriously reconsider getting a puppy at this time. A lonely puppy becomes an unhappy and destructive dog.

Puppy-proofing

Puppies want to play with your stuffed animals, shoes and slippers, tissue boxes, electrical wires, dirty laundry and anything else that looks or smells interesting or unique. They explore with their mouths and their sharp little baby teeth are very effective. A concerted effort should be made to puppy-proof your home. In our house we have a saying: 'You leave it, you loose it'. The kids learned very quickly to keep their belongings put away in a safe place, after a few precious losses, of course. Our house is surprisingly clutter free now!

Visit the ASPCA's website to play puppy-proofing games and learn more about hazards in your home and yard.

Oh yes, there is a bright side!

Well, all of that seemed like all work and no play, but your experience will be a far cry from that! They way your puppy will play with a toy, chase a fly, fall asleep in some crazy position, run silly, look at you with deep understanding eyes...all those very short moments will touch your soul with such a significant impact, you will not be able to express it in words. You begin to change your perspective on life. You notice even the smallest instant, and that few seconds stays deep in your heart and soul for such very a long time. It warms you and softens you and it erases so many pressures and concerns. The experience really does alter your vision of what's important in life. You can come home completely stressed from work, or from your drive home, and in less than 5 minutes you will have the biggest smile on your face and not a care in the world. Oh yes, there is a very bright side!