Puppies can be an absolute delight and a wonderful addition to a family. However a young puppy is a lot of work and care - it is comparable to taking care of a newborn baby. You must remember that a puppy is virtually a clean slate and must be taught everything. Your new puppy has probably not been taught much, so the responsibility lies with you to teach your pup the ways of the world. The good news is that they don’t stay puppies forever and if you train them properly, you will have an amazing, devoted companion for many, many years.

So what does having a new puppy entail? When people think of a new puppy, housebreaking or training immediately comes to mind. Your puppy will not know that he cannot relieve himself anywhere in your house, so you must be prepared for many accidents on your floors and carpets until it finally clicks in his head where he is allowed to do his business. Puppies have tiny bladders and must go frequently. For the first few weeks after you bring your puppy home, you will feel like a doggie doorman more than anything else as you will constantly be taking puppy outside and spending lots of time waiting for him to do the job. The majority of your time will be spent watching your puppy carefully to get him outside and cleaning up after him.

Puppies Chew Everything
Puppies nip and chew. They will not know that they cannot chew on that expensive new pair of leather shoes or that your pant cuffs aren’t toys. Everything is fair game for a puppy; your furniture, carpets, cupboards, power cords, hands, feet, even walls! Anything that is within reach of a puppy’s mouth is a potential chew toy, even you. Puppies are used to being with their littermates, who they crawl on, pounce on and yes, chew on. The constant chewing can be very frustrating and you must be able to deal with that until their adult teeth come in. Most puppies will calm down with the constant need to chew by about six months.

Puppies are not only cute bundles of fur, but they are also fireballs of energy. Be prepared for a lot of jumping, running and bounding through your house. Puppies will go all out, but they also tire quickly and will spend a lot of time sleeping.

Be Prepared for the Extra Costs
You should also be prepared for the expense of owning a puppy. Food and treats are just the beginning. There are also vet bills for check ups and vaccinations, spay or neuter costs, equipment such as leashes and collars, food dishes, bedding, crates, cleaning supplies, grooming tools and toys. If you are not around during the day or if you have special functions that will keep you away from the house all day, you will have to put your pup into doggie daycare or find someone to look after it. All of these expenses add up very quickly. You should also make sure that you have access to reserve funds just in case your puppy gets sick or has an accident that requires vet care.

Time to Train
You must be prepared to put in the time and effort to train your puppy. Your puppy will not initially know things like sit, stay, come, off, down and drop it. Your puppy will jump up on you in excitement, will “steal” items that they should not have and if not watched carefully, destroy items around the house. Many owners have left puppy alone for a short period of time only to come back to find pillows ripped apart and the stuffing everywhere. Time and an incredible amount of saint-like patience is required when dealing with a puppy. An untrained dog can be an absolute nightmare. A properly trained dog is a joy. Putting in the effort while the pup is young to train properly will make your life easier in the long run and allow you to spend quality time with your dog. Untrained dogs are frustrating and will cause you to eventually resent the dog and the trouble it causes.