What to Expect When You Have a Puppy

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #NewPetNoStains #CollectiveBias

Like a lot of people, I have a weakness for puppies. Their sweet puppy breath, their big round tummies, and how they love to snuggle and fall asleep on your lap always makes me want to adopt more puppies or even foster one. Even though puppies warm my heart, I know that I can’t bring them all home because they are a lot of work. After raising and taking care of a few puppies in my lifetime, I have come to realize that they are actually very similar to a newborn baby. I have learned a lot from raising puppies through trial and error and know how important it is to know what to expect when you have a puppy.

Over the past 2 years, our family adopted 2 Kerry Blue Terriers. Their names are George and Baylee and have been great additions to our family. We adopted each puppy when they were around 2-3 months old and they have been the best dogs ever. Of course, during their puppy stages, they were a handful and kept us very busy. We adopted each puppy at a different time and doing this we learned that no two puppies are the same. Here are a few things to expect when you have a puppy:

• Adjustment: When you bring your puppy home, it will take them time to adjust to their new home. Most likely, they will miss the warmth of their puppy siblings or mom, especially when it is bedtime. If you do not plan on sleeping with your puppy, then you will need to make sure to create them a warm area to sleep that includes soft music so that they can relax. This should help with keeping them relaxed at night, but if they continue to cry at night, you may have to wake up and comfort them and reassure them that they are okay.
• Sharp Teeth: When puppies play, they tend to nibble and their teeth are sharp! If you have little kids, it’s a good idea to talk to them about how they should and should not play with puppies.
• Chew: Just like babies, puppies like to chew on different objects to make their gums feel better. They also like to chew different objects because they are puppies and it’s what they do. Before you bring your puppy home make sure that small items are taken off of the floor, shoes are not left on the floor, trash cans have lids on them, and that they have plenty of chew toys and treats.
• Active: Puppies like to play and they like to play a lot. It’s important to take time out of your day and give them the attention they need or they will get bored and possibly become destructive.
• Snuggle: Puppies love to snuggle, so make sure to let them lay or sit with you when you are watching television or working on the computer. This is also a great way to bond with your puppy.
• Accidents: Potty training a puppy can be hard and is very time consuming, so it is no surprise that puppies have accidents. I once had a puppy that would avoid the puppy training pad and go straight for my rug or carpet. I felt like she would never learn, but after consistent training, she figured it out. In the meantime, I learned that it was important to clean up the puppy stain immediately with a product that would remove the odor while also removing the stain.

Before you bring home your new puppy, make sure to have the right supplies. As I stated above, it’s important to have puppy toys and treats, but it is very important to have a good carpet pet stain remover. When I shop for puppy products, I go to Target and get everything that I need. When it comes to carpet remover, I purchase STAINMASTER­­­® Carpet Pet Stain Remover. It is located in the Cleaning Aisle at Target. I purchased our cleaner at the Villages of Stone Oak in San Antonio. STAINMASTER­­­ Carpet Pet Stain Remover is not available at all Target locations but is available online. Click here to find STAINMASTER­­­ Carpet Pet Stain Remover, or have it shipped at no cost to your local Target store.

In addition, make sure to use the 25% off Cartwheel offer that is available until 3/4/17.

It is important to choose a carpet pet stain remover that not only removes tough stains but removes odor. From my experience, dogs like to go potty in the same places that they have gone before because their nose attracts them to where they left their “potty” scent. With that said, it’s important to clean the area immediately and make sure that the scent has completely been erased. STAINMASTER­­­ Carpet Pet Stain Remover removes stubborn pet stains and has ODOR REMOVE™ Technology. The ODOR REMOVE™ Technology leaves behind an invisible shield to repel dirt to protect against re-soiling which makes it easier to clean if the puppy has another accident in the same spot. In addition, it does not leave a sticky residue and can also be used for other types of stains such as coffee, ketchup, soil, grape juice stains and more. As always, it is important that you read the directions on the bottle before you use it.

Do you have tips on what new puppy owners should expect? Have you dealt with tough puppy stains?