Hello, puppy lovers! If you’re reading this post, I’m guessing you’re strongly considering getting a cute puppy to smooch and cuddle all day long. Yay! It’s truly one of the best experiences ever. BUT before you go pick out your new little pup, there are a few things you should know (that I wish I would have known) before getting Marshall. I also linked my favorite puppy products below. Leave a comment if you have more ideas to share! xoxo – Lauren
10 Things to Know Before You Get a Puppy
- Research the breed. Andrew is severely allergic to dogs, so we knew anything we got would have to be hypo-allergenic. Some people don’t believe these types of dogs exist, but let me tell you…they absolutely do. Marshall is a F1B Golden Doodle, which means he is hypo-allergenic and doesn’t shed. I swear I’m not lying because if he did shed, Andrew’s eyes would be red and swollen every minute of every day.
- Make sure you’re committed. Puppies are sort of like new born babies, except that they pee and poop all over your floor instead of in a diaper. You need to make time to take care of them! If you work an office job and you’re never home, then should you really be getting a puppy?? Or if you’re going to be gone all the time, can you afford a dog walker or doggie day care? Luckily for us, Andrew works from home quite a bit so we were able to fit Marshall into our lifestyle pretty easily.
- Puppies are expensive. Between the vet appointments, the shots, the new accessories, puppy school, the food, the amount of paper towels you’ll go through picking up accidents (lol!), and getting them fixed, you’ll want a good chunk of money set aside for their first year of life. Marshall went through 4 rounds of parasite meds in the first few months because he couldn’t get rid of them! That alone cost us a small fortune. This may seem aggressive, but I’d set aside around $1500 for the first year.
- You’ll need to register your dog. I’m not sure about other cities, but the city of Chicago requires that you register your dog. If you get caught in a dog park without your registration, you’ll be fined! Crazy, right?!
- Puppy proof your house. Just like kids, puppies get into EVERYTHING. Don’t let them fool you with their cuteness!! Marshall loves to grab our clothes, shoes, and the remote control. You should see ours, I’m surprised it still works. Anything that’s reachable that can be ruined, will. Marshall’s even tried to rip apart dollar bills…ugh!
- Protect your puppy from fleas and ticks. This is important because if you don’t protect them, the fleas could cling to their fur and you’ll have them in your house – yikes! Marshall wears a flea collar in the summer, and it lasts up to 6 months. I’ve linked the one we use below.
- Stock up on the training treats. Puppies need constant reinforcement that they’re doing the right thing. Anytime we want Marshall to do something, we entice him with a treat and say our command words (like “YES”) over and over again.
- Take them to puppy school. You’ll learn just as much as your pup.
- Give them plenty of exercise! Puppies love to run around and they need their daily dose of exercise, just like us adults. If you wear them down during the day, they’ll sleep like babies at night.
- Make the crate their home. DON’T use the crate as a punishment, I beg you. You want the puppy to love their crate and know to go in there when you have to leave for work. Check this link out for more crate training tips.
Marshall’s Favorite Puppy Products
*Don’t forget your Heartgard too! We purchase it in 6 month increments and always look for coupon codes.
If you’re also planning to have a baby soon, check out Laura’s 10 must-have baby products here.