Our local shelter is receiving a litter of puppies. And they need foster homes to keep them healthy until their vaccinations take hold. Guess who will be hosting a foster puppy for the next two weeks?
When a puppy comes to visit, we get ready by:
- bringing the extra crate down from the attic
- setting up the exercise pen
- cleaning up any attractive messes
- doing as much work as I can in advance
- putting the dirty laundry behind a baby gate (I don’t need any more crotchless panties, thank you very much)
Honey gets ready by putting all her toys away.
Okay, puppy. We’re ready for you.
Your Turn: I really struggle to get work done with a puppy in the house. Any tips you can suggest?
Sometimes My Dog Scares People
This time last year we were anticipating Luke coming home in a few weeks. My only suggestion is to take advantage of every time that puppy is napping to get some things done!
Lots of exercise, so they take lots of naps? I don’t know it’s been so long since I had a puppy.
Yeah, never let them roam the house. First time they pee or poop behind the couch…which is where they go because they are in a big, new, and therefore, scary environment…it’s match, set, game over. It’s the biggest mistake people make with new puppies. They think the puppy is running around exploring because he’s so thrilled to be in a new, exciting place…No. He’s running around looking for Mom and the nest, anything that smells familiar, and he’s definitely not happy. Leave him in his pen, unless he has a short lead attached that you have hold of. It’s really easy to teach the Stay command this way. They are pretty happy to “stay” with you.
Have fun with the puppy!!
Just set up a schedule when the puppy will be in the crate for a couple of hours — hopefully sleeping or enjoying a Puppy Kong.
Just spend as much time as you can inhaling puppy breath. Housework is patient, it will wait. But puppies, they grow too fast.
Have fun with your foster pup!
Food puzzle toys, kongs, etc. are great for keeping a puppy physically occupied and mentally stimulated! One of my current favorites that I usually recommend to my puppy clients is the IQ treat ball.
A puppy tip for getting work done – give the puppy to me?? I love that you have enough crotchless pants already – I think you may have meant as in lots of dogs have eaten them, but it some came across and I so saw that you have a hidden wardrobe hidden away that contains all sorts of fun stuff for you and hubby, including crotchless pants!
Tim is about the only tip we can think of. It was real hard for Mom to get anything done the first few weeks with Bailie. We tried to wear her out so she would nap and Mom could work. It just throws a wrench in the routine for a few months.