A special thanks to BJ’s Wholesale Club for sponsoring this post. All thoughts, opinions and photography are my own.
Happy New Year friends! And welcome to my last installment of my BJ’s Wholesale Club series. I cannot believe my long partnership has come to an end. Over the past year, I have loved all my trips to BJ’s because I always find something new to try out. Speaking of new, anyone get a new puppy for Christmas? Today’s blog post is ALL about bringing home a new puppy! Although I did not get a new puppy this year {Henry, Heidi and a 1 year old keep me busy enough!}, I did find some great puppy options I found at my last trip to BJ’s this month! I also teamed up with my friend and Atlanta dog training expert, Blake with The Prodigal Pooch to share his top 3 tips for bringing a new puppy home.
BJ’s New Puppy Must Haves
- Food and Water Bowls: Buddy’s Line Bone-Shaped stainless steel set is perfect for any pup!
- Puppy Food: Now that you have shiny new bowls, you will also need nutritious puppy food to put in it! BJ’s Own Brand line, Berkley Jensen has a great, all natural puppy option for only $19.99 for a 15 pound bag. I like this brand because it’s made with steroid-free natural chicken with no added hormones. Other ingredients include brown rice for fiber, fruits and vegetables for vitamins and antioxidants as well as herring meal for a natural source of omega 3 and six fatty acids. Lastly, the recipe is fortified with a calibrated mix of vitamins and minerals.
- Pet Bed: You can find various options depending on what you are looking for! I love this Petmaker Large Round Cuddle Pet Bed in the color clay.
- Training Treats: You can also find plenty of puppy treats at BJ’s including special training treats!
- Pet Stain Remover: Unfortunately, puppy training comes with a few accidents. This Resolve Stainmaster Stain Remover will come in handy- trust me!
Tips for Your New Puppy
Now that you have a few essential items for your puppy, lets talk about training. I reached out to dog trainer Blake with The Prodigal Pooch to share some of his wisdom with us. Here are five tips to help you train your new puppy:
1. Create and stick to a feeding, drinking and potty break schedule
Just like structure and a schedule is great for a newborn baby, the same goes for your puppy! Implementing a schedule for your new pooch will set you up for success in potty training, positive behavior and a happy pup! We recommend a feeding schedule of 3 times a day for a puppy. The end goal is to feed them twice a day as an adult but at this stage, they need food more frequently. You should have your new puppy on a set amount of food, measured out for feeding 3 times a day. Most food bags will tell you how much to feed your dog based on their weight. You should also allow them a bowl of water each time they feed. A common mistake is free-feeding dogs, people think that dogs should have access to food at all times. Free feeding can lead to obesity and behavior problems. Similarly, puppies should not have unlimited access to their water bowls – they will often play in their water (big mess for you!) or over-drink which can lead to accidents! Give them water when you feed them. For potty time, take your puppy out first thing in the morning and then they can come in and eat. A brand new puppy should be allowed a potty break every 15-30 minutes, you can increase this time frame by 15-minute increments as they get older and can hold it longer. Crate training helps with potty training, more on that in a bit!
2. Use a leash and collar from the very beginning
It is so tempting to not use a leash for your new puppy. They might follow you easily now, or you may just carry them to and from their potty breaks, but this will create bad habits that are tough to break. The sooner you introduce a leash and collar, the better their leash manners will be, long term. Does your puppy not want to walk on the leash? Do not yank or drag the pup on the leash. Encourage the puppy by saying “let’s go!” and enthusiastically patting your leg.
3. Create great potty-time habits
When it is time to take your puppy to the restroom, take them to the same spot outside every time and use the same phrase each time to alert them to go. For example, “go potty!”. Give them a ton of praise after they finish. A common mistake – if they have an accident in the house, an owner might discipline them if they find it later. You can only correct them if you catch the accident WHILE it is happening. If they are in the act of going to the restroom inside, clap your hands loudly to get their attention and say “no!” Then, immediately take the dog with their leash and collar, outside. You will never have a fully trained pup unless you teach them what is GOOD (going potty outside) and BAD (going potty inside).
4. Crate train
We highly recommend crate training for your new puppy! The crate is not a punishment, it is their space and safe haven where they can relax. It is also a great tool in potty training. A key tip : do not put blankets in their crate until they are fully potty trained. They will use them as a pee pad!
5. Practice handling your pup!
Get your dog comfortable being touched all over. We call these, handling positions. As you pet your pup, touch their paws, give a gentle tug on each ear, look inside their mouths, and touch and lift their back legs. This will help make vet and grooming visits easier throughout their lives!
Join the Club With Me
I hope that you enjoyed all my puppy posts with BJ’s! A few of my favorite over the past year have been Puppy Love {my first post with BJ’s!}, Puppy Wellness Month and Puppy Takeover! What was your favorite?
A huge thanks to Blake for sharing these great tips with us today. Make sure you follow along his instagram where he shares his “Pooch Points” every week on his Instagram. Helpful tips for dog owners for dogs of all ages!
Enjoy your membership friends! I look forward to running into you at BJ’s Wholesale Club!
Xo,
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