The first year of your puppy’s life is full of new experiences --- and a lot of growing! From the day they come home to their very first birthday, each moment is exciting and fast-moving, and create memories that’ll last a lifetime! Ever wonder what some of those BIG moments are? Here’s a list of your puppy’s milestones to look forward to!
Puppyhood is full of so much newness, for you and your puppy! You’re figuring out the whole new puppy owner thing and they’re learning everything about life! It’s no easy feat but it’s one of the most rewarding journeys that anyone could ask for. Whether you have a new puppy or getting ready to bring one home, there a few major milestones that every puppy hits throughout their first year that you have to prepare for and get excited about!
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Your Puppy Comes Home
@goldendoodleluckys
The best day ever! Bringing home a new puppy is the most exciting milestone of them all for you, your family, and of course, your puppy! You’ve gone through the steps of puppy-proofing your home, buying supplies for your puppy, finding a vet, and maybe even already decided on a puppy trainer. All of that preparation boils down to this very day! Whether you acquired your puppy from a breeder or rescued, you probably had the chance to meet with your puppy a few times and learned a little about their personality. But from the first day, you’ll get to see all the puppy energy, silliness, curiosity and everything in between start to come out!
Day one at home can be exhausting from the overstimulation of all the new faces, sounds and smells of their new environment, so don’t be surprised if your new puppy spends most of the day sleeping! You’ll see their full personality coming out over the next few weeks as they get more familiar with their new surroundings and family members. So even if they don’t remember the first day home as much, it’ll be one of the most memorable days for you!
Your Puppy Meets Their Vet
@doctorstevie
Very soon after you bring home your puppy, they should visit their new vet for their first check-up. Some breeders and rescues will take puppies for an initial assessment and preliminary vaccinations. We recommend scheduling a wellness exam for your puppy within their first week home so you can meet your new vet, receive a full pup evaluation in front of you, and set up their vaccination schedule which often also includes fecal sample tests, and flea and heartworm preventatives. If you’re thinking about your puppy participating in training classes or boarding them anywhere, many of these establishments require most or all vaccinations to help protect both your pup and the other dogs there from contracting illnesses. If you are still looking for a vet, it’s important to remember that in general, puppies start getting their vaccinations as early as six weeks of age, so you should consider this one of your first priorities after bringing home your puppy!
Your Puppy Officially Ends Potty Training
Ah, the end of late-night potty trips to the yard or cleaning up accidents! This is a big one for all new puppy owners and definitely marks your puppy crossing over into adulthood! But by the time your pup is a year old, they will most likely have reached this achievement! Oftentimes this is accomplished within the first several weeks at home, but do not despair if it takes them a little longer! To ensure their success and speed up the process, keep your puppy on a regular potty schedule and give them a lot of praise and rewards for when they get it right! If accidents happen (and they will happen!) just remember to not get frustrated, clean it up and keep working on it!
Your Puppy Learns Their Name
@dogslove1st
This is a big one for all puppies! Your pup may have had a different name from their breeder or shelter but this one is their forever name and knowing it lays the foundation for their future training and bond with you. And it’s so exciting when you call out your puppy’s name the first time and they come trotting in! Luckily, with some practice and rewards, it takes puppies a short time (1-3 days!) to learn their name and start responding to it in any situation. Wondering how to teach your puppy their name? Play the name game!
Your Puppy Makes New Friends
After your puppy receives their vaccinations, they’ll be ready to go out in the world to meet new people and dogs! It’s very exciting to see your little puppy make new friends especially other puppies! Socialization is crucial for your puppy to build confidence and understanding of how to interact with other people outside their immediate family and other dogs. Enrolling them in puppy training classes is a great way to not only get basic command training but built-in playtime! By having a puppy trainer present, they can monitor the puppies’ interactions and start to instill good play behaviors in your puppy.
Your Puppy Loses Their Puppy Teeth
@boopmynose @harley.and.zoey
Just like human babies, puppies teeth too! At around four months, their puppy teeth or milk teeth will start to fall out and their new adult pearly whites will grow in! During this time, it’s especially important to give your puppy plenty of chew toys to help them soothe their sore gums as the teeth are coming out. And it’s also a good idea to keep these toys handy to re-direct your puppy from destroying items like your shoes, furniture, and from chewing your hands, too!
Your Puppy Goes to Puppy Training
It’s never too early to start training your puppy but in general, at around three to four months old, your puppy will start going to a puppy training class! Here, your puppy will benefit from socialization and learning their basic commands. Not only are puppy training classes beneficial for your puppy, but you will have the opportunity to participate in their training and learn how to care, and communicate with your puppy! This is where the foundation will be built to set you up for a life with a well-mannered, well-balanced pup! A puppy trainer will also be an invaluable resource during this time as they can provide you with information, resources, and a support system for your puppy!
Your Puppy Gets Spayed or Neutered
Surgery is always a little scary, but many puppies will undergo routine spay or neutering procedures before the age of one. Having your puppy spayed or neutered has many benefits like helping prevent certain future health problems and surprise litters! This is also often a requirement for many facilities if you wish to board or use doggie daycares in the future. Your vet will be able to recommend the ideal time to schedule your puppy’s surgery, usually based on their size and breed, and help prep you with recovery guidelines to follow to ensure a speedy recovery.
Your Puppy Turns One
@chasetheminidood @jerseydoodles
After months of learning curves, late nights, potty accidents, new experiences and loads of cuddling, your puppy is finally turning one! It’s time to celebrate! They’ve accomplished so much in such a short time and together you have created memories to last a whole lifetime! Enjoy each day, not just these milestones, as puppyhood happens too fast. And remember to give yourself a pat on the back. Becoming a new puppy parent isn’t easy and takes a lot of dedication and hard work. But in the end, it’s all worth having a loyal best friend!
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