10 Things I wish I knew before getting a puppy! What to expect and what you need to know before committing to getting a puppy.

As I’m sure you may know, Mr. Matt and I adopted our pup Cashew last spring. She has brought so much joy into our lives! Cashew is a Boxer Bullmastiff mix, and in my (biased) opinion she is the cutest little pup I’ve ever seen! 

Matt always had dogs in his life growing up, so luckily he knew a lot about being an owner going into this. I, on the other hand, had never had a dog before Cashew, so becoming a pawrent was completely new territory for me! , With that in mind, I wanted to share 10 things I wish I knew before getting a puppy – as I’m sure many of you are in the same boat as I was! I have learned so much from Cashew over the past year, and all in all, I am so glad we got her when we did. 

If you’re wondering whether you have enough patience, time, money and energy to invest in a puppy – then read on! I’m going to answer all of your questions and hopefully make the transition a little easier for you. I have also put together this free checklist for you to download that contains everything you need to know about having a new puppy + what you will need! When you subscribe you will also receive a 15% discount code to our online doggie shop, HealthNut Pup! 

If you’re about to become a new parent, be sure to also check out these 10 important things to do with a new puppy!

 

If you’re wondering whether you have enough patience, time, money and energy to invest in a puppy -then read on! I’m going to answer all of your questions and hopefully make the transition a little easier for you.

1. You will lose sleep

Sleep is very precious and you might take it for granted… but a new puppy is essentially like a newborn. They need to go outside every few hours, and that includes during the middle of the night! It’s important to get your pup outside often so that they know to go potty outside. One tip I have is to set your alarm throughout the night every few hours – this way you are guaranteed to wake up even if you don’t hear your puppy. I won’t lie, for the first two weeks after getting Cashew I was a zombie haha. But it’s all worthwhile to make sure that they get house trained quickly. If you can, take turns with your partner or family member on who has to go out in the middle of the night.

2. You’re going to be outside a lot

This might be common sense to a lot of people…. But I didn’t realize how often and for how LONG I would be outside with Miss. Cashew! Sometimes you take them out to go to the bathroom, and it takes them forever to go! Be prepared to go on many walks throughout the day (rain or shine!). While this was initially a surprise to me, I now love how Cashew gets us out on long walks and it’s become the best part of my day!… you’ll get used to it over time!

3. They need a lot of attention

How much time & attention they need daily – I don’t have kids yet, and obviously having a baby is more work… but Cashew is needy! Puppies want your attention all. the. TIME. If you work from home, having some toys and games for them to play with and stay entertained can help to distract them from getting into trouble. Which leads me to my next point  – your puppy will likely get into trouble the second you don’t pay attention to them! Toilet paper rolls were one of Cashew’s favourite things to attack – any other puppy pawrent out there have a toilet paper monster on their hands?! It’s only cute for so long! Haha.

4. You will be housebound

 Crate training helps with this, but it’s something you have to work on! In the beginning, you need to be home a lot since your pup is so little and could get into trouble if left alone – i.e. burning through all the toilet paper on the roll! You can expect to be more housebound than usual as it is difficult at first to leave your pup unattended. With time, this will become easier but I also find that we just don’t like leaving Cashew alone because she gets lonely! One thing that has helped with this as Cashew has gotten older is this handy puppy cam. 

5. You have to be disciplined

To have a well-trained dog, it’s important to put in the work during the first few years and be consistent with all your commands. They need to know the rules! In every household, there’s usually one person that does all the training and enforces the rules, and for us, that’s me (and Matt gets to be the fun Dad)! Haha But this helps with consistency as well. 

6. Puppies are like babies

While I don’t have kids of my own yet, I now understand why people compare the responsibility of caring for a newborn to puppies! Much like babies, puppies need constant play, attention, tummy rubs, adequate crate time, long walks and baths. Oh, and attention… Did I mention that one already? Haha. Don’t get me wrong, getting Cashew was one of the best decisions we’ve made. She makes us smile on the hard days, get us out of the house when we’re feeling lazy, and her cuteness always sparks a good conversation – much like a newborn! But when I consider the time, expense and responsibility, I’m so glad that we waited until we were 100% ready to commit.

7. All puppies are different

Everyone is going to give you advice on how to train your pup, and don’t get me wrong, it’s great to take notice! But also just know that everyone’s pup is different. It’s important to do your own research, talk to your vet, and do what’s right and what works for you. You’re the pawrent, and you know what’s best for your pup!

8. They are expensive

there are so many things that you will need, not to mention the cost of vet bills! I highly recommend getting some second-hand gear if possible such as a crate, or even toys if you can. Dog food is not cheap, so be sure to also take this into account if you’re wondering if you can afford a pet.

9. They grow so fast!

I can’t believe how quickly Cashew doubled in size. Take as many photos as you can – there’s no such thing as too many puppy photos! Also, get some puppy photos printed because you can never have too much puppy cuteness to look at. 

10. They will bring you so much love & joy

Despite everything I’ve mentioned, getting a puppy is definitely worth it! I can’t believe how much Cashew has reduced my stress and anxiety. She’s also been such a great companion for me as I have been working from home for years now – and it’s always nice to have someone to talk to! It’s basically like having puppy therapy every day and has seriously brought us so much joy and happiness.

Hopefully, these tips help you out if you have a pup, or are thinking about getting a puppy! If you can make it work and it fits within your lifestyle, I definitely think that having a puppy is such a fun challenge and a great way to get outside more and be more present in your day to day life.

Don’t forget to subscribe here for a 15% discount code to our online doggie shop, HealthNut Pup! You will also receive this free checklist for you to download that contains everything you need to know about having a new puppy!

If you liked this, be sure to check out these 10 important things to do with a new puppy, and when it comes to their birthday don’t forget to make it extra special with this healthy dog birthday cake!