Timing
Puppies need regular sleep
So you are going to have a new addition to the family! But when?
A new puppy is a very demanding little soul and her arrival needs careful planning.
Never take a puppy because you have seen a nice litter, become excited by the prospect of having your puppy and must have her now! There are always nice litters being born so plan to have your puppy at the best possible time for you - which is not usually "now".
Holidays Away
In the first place consider holidays, are you planning to go abroad in the near future?
Remember that even if you have a relative or friend who has offered to take care of your puppy you will not want to leave her until she is several months old. Your relative or friend may be used to dogs but will they want to get up in the middle of the night to let her out? Will they be prepared for accidents in the house? Is their garden secure? How safe is their house for a very young puppy? Your puppy is your responsibility and she should not be left with anyone else until she is responsive to commands and well behaved both in and outside the house.
Also remember that most boarding kennels will, quite properly, not take puppies until they are several months old.
So if you have a holiday planned, plan to have your puppy when you return, by all means find a good breeder who plans to have a puppy available after your holiday and book a puppy with them. Most breeders will keep a puppy for you until it is 10 or 12 weeks if you explain that you have a holiday booked.
Schools Holidays
If you have children you will need to plan around the school holidays but remember that these are very busy times with youngsters needing to be run around from friend to friend, visits to attractions, perhaps visits from other family members.
Sometimes parents think that having a puppy at the beginning of the school holidays will allow the children to enjoy the new "baby" from the start but it is usually better to bring the puppy home well before the holidays begin whilst the house is quiet and your day is your own to plan.
Bear in mind that you will need to be available to feed you puppy four times a day at fixed times. You will need to let her out several times a day and she will not wait for you to finish what your doing! You will need to play and teach her several times a day. There may some sleepless nights, can you cope well with lack of sleep and demanding children and a demanding puppy all at the same time?
Children tire quickly of new things, a baby puppy certainly won't keep children's interests for very long and puppies need plenty of sleep, children may plague the puppy when she needs to sleep but have other distractions when she is ready to play. Also consider that if your children's playmates are likely to be in and out coming to see puppy they may pose a potential health risk to her especially if they have dogs in their own homes who may not be inoculated.
It is best to form a routine, finish your puppy's inoculations, establish some house training and make sure that she knows some commands before the holidays start then ensure that the children understand and respect the routine you have in place, adopt the commands you have taught puppy and play their part in helping to house train and care for her.
Consider arranging to bring your puppy home about 1 to 3 months before the school holidays begin so that the novelty can wear off a little, routines be established and some training be in progress before the chaos of school holidays begin.
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