Preparing for a New Puppy
How to Prepare your Home
- You will need a crate when preparing for a new puppy. I prefer the wire crates, medium sized, found at almost every store that carries pet supplies. (At my house, I use a “puppy playpen,” which is found on websites.) A crate is a great tool for potty training and provides your pet a place of his/her own. You’ll find your cavalier will like his/her crate and will sometimes go there without prompting.
- A crate pad or bedding. Having two will help with washing.
- A blanket from the breeder. Before you leave the breeders home, request a puppy blanket that has been treated with the puppy’s mother and sibling’s scent. This will give your pup a little familiarity in a new home.
- Food and water bowls.
- A collar and leash. Monitor the collar with your puppy. Growth spurts with make the collar tight before you think. Also be careful when your pup wears a rabies tag. The tag can get lodged in the wire crate resulting in an uncomfortable and dangerous situation for your pet. Having your pet micro-chipped is a very good investment in the event of becoming lost.
- Toys and chewy things. I like toys by First Stages. They carry bright ropes and hard rubber toys that attract, encourage safe chewing and last a while. Squeaky sounds are a bonus. You’ll also find use use these when trying to get your puppy’s attention for picture time.
- A brush, comb and nail clipper. To keep a cavaliers’ coat long, shiny and soft, ears, legs and tail feathers need to be brushed and combed every few days. Grooming a cavalier is easy and not very time consuming.
