Who doesn't love a puppy? But loving a puppy and taking care of a puppy are two different things, and it helps to know what to do once the furry little bundle of joy comes home and needs more than just love and affection in order to grow and thrive.

The First Week

Knowing what to expect when the little guy (or gal) comes home will help make the adjustment for puppies and humans easier, especially during that first week. Puppy's first night home is likely to be the most difficult, as suddenly pup realizes that mom and littermates are no longer there.

Here are a few things to consider for puppy's first week:

• Make sure you have all the supplies your dog might need before you bring him home
• Try to spend as much time at home with the puppy as possible. The dog is likely to be frightened and stressed and the sooner he can bond with the family, the better
• Start training immediately. If you plan to crate train the dog, start acclimating him to his new home. Also, begin using the leash as part of the training and housebreaking plan
• Spend time playing with your puppy to exercise and bond with the dog. Most puppies seem to have boundless energy and these youngsters can never have enough play time. After all, play time is half the fun of having a puppy!

Read up on the seven major stages of puppy development to make sure you raise a well adjusted dog for your household.

Common Issues

Snafus will happen during those first few weeks, but it's important to remember that your puppy is not only adjusting to a new environment and new people, but also to growing up.

It's normal for puppies to have accidents, chew, and even bite. So it's not a matter of if, but when, puppy misbehaves and knowing what to do when that happens. Patience, perseverance, consistency, and a whole lot of love will ensure a happy ending for everyone.

Food

Because of their young age and rapid growth, puppies require special food that will address all of their special health and nutrition needs. Your vet can recommend a high-quality puppy food.

You might have to experiment with a few different brands depending on how picky your dog is, but most pups will eventually settle on a preferred type of food. Try not to feed your puppy table scraps, since it encourages begging and will discourage the dog from eating their nutritionally balanced puppy food.

Health

Plan on taking the puppy to the vet for a basic examination soon after you bring him home. At this time, the vet will check for worms and will also give the puppy all the vaccinations he needs and set up an immunization schedule.

Most puppies will likely have some minor health issues during adolescence. Some of the more common health problems in puppies are worms (usually tapeworm and heartworm), diarrhea, and stomach upset. These conditions can be easily treated by a visit to the vet.

Safety

• It's a good idea to consider getting your puppy microchipped during his initial visit to the vet. It's a fairly inexpensive way to gain a lot of peace of mind
• Add a dog collar as soon as possible and keep it on at all times
• Obtain a dog license, if your state or country requires it
• Always keep the puppy on a leash when he goes outside, even if it's in the backyard. This will ensure that the dog won't run off and will also help with housebreaking
• Start socializing the puppy as soon as possible to ensure that biting is kept to a minimum
• Keep breakables and dangerous items like electric cords out of the dog's reach and try to keep the dog supervised as much as possible while he gets used to his new home.

Socializing

Socializing a puppy is one of the most important tasks an owner can have. Socializing is the process of ensuring that a dog is comfortable with other people. A well-socialized dog does not get upset, agitated, or aggressive in crowds, with strangers, or around small children.

Even if your dog doesn't live with other pets, it's a good idea to make sure that Fido is at least tolerant of other dogs.

It is also very important to carefully introduce a new puppy to your children. This takes a great deal of supervision, but can be the start of a wonderful lifelong friendship!