"Dogs are not our whole lives, but they make our lives whole" - Roger Caras
Little did I know that having a four-legged fur baby would change our lives so much. I was never a dog person and was always against bringing one home. The thought of their fur on my velvet couch and them pooping around the house and on the carpet would give me all the ick. For someone with severe OCD, a dog in the house would mean disaster.
But things changed, this mommy let her guard down and we welcomed a puppy in the house this summer. We got Maze from a breeder up in Pennsylvania. My husband and I had planned to give our daughter a dog on her tenth birthday but considering the global health circumstances and the loneliness she would face during the summer vacation, we decided to bring Maze a few months early. The process wasn't fast and easy- I guess everyone's adopting a puppy these days. Putting a deposit on one was becoming harder, almost impossible. The puppies that we would like would get taken for way quicker than we had thought- we needed to act fast. After a good two months of searching through, we were finally able to make a deposit on one. We had officially and virtually adopted a puppy, but we had to wait till Maze was eight weeks old to bring him home. We drove down to Pennsylvania and welcomed Maze home- Riri's little brother. It has been a life-changing journey. Our days have changed, we are busier and we couldn't have had it any other way. We love Maze and he is our mischievous bundle of JOY!!
If you'd ask me if I was prepared - my answer would be YES and NO! One can never be prepared enough! The puppies are like little babies that need to be nurtured, loved and cared for the same way you would do for a baby! The only difference is that they grow up at a very fast rate, they never talk back, they never argue and they never question... they are just your best friend.......phew!
For all those who know me well, know that PLANNING is my middle name. I don't do anything without a proper laid out plan and there was no way we were bringing home Maze without a proper plan. I consulted my neighbors and friends who owned dogs, read a bunch of dog forums and blogs and mugged up all the dog books I could get my hands on. Being prepared is always a good thing, but remember- every dog is different and you don't have to go by the book each time.
Preparing your house for the puppy:- Dedicate a sleeping and playing space for the puppy/dog. Both should be two distinguished areas in the house as the puppy shouldn't mix his sleeping space with his play space.
- Remove all the area rugs, the dogs love to soil rugs and the smell is seriously offensive.
- Baby proof your house especially the staircase, cover up open switchboards, hide kitchen supplies, and lock the toilet lids.
- Take everything off the floor if you don't want them to chew on it.
- Food- both dry and wet
- Food and water feeder - one set for home and one for traveling
- Treats - a variety of them
- Leash and harness
- Toys - both for teething and training
- Hygiene - both dental and personal (shampoo, paw lotion, tooth brush, wipes, towels, pee pads etc.)
- Odor eliminating sprays
- Medicines especially for flea and ticks
- Bed for day time if you have a puppy
- Crate for night time for puppies and also for traveling
- Monitor/camera if your puppy is sleeping in a separate room or for times when you have to leave it at home
- Last but not the least Hartz® Dog Diapers or Hartz® Male Wraps
A little about Hartz® Dog Diapers and Hartz® Male Wraps - Hartz® Dog Diapers and Male Wraps are a must-have tool for welcoming a dog into your home.
- Hartz® Dog Diapers and Male Wraps also provide a better solution for dogs who suffer from incontinence, urinating from excitement, excessive marking, and surgery recovery purposes.
Potty-training a dog is no less than potty-training a toddler. You need the right tools, right tactics and the timing should be right. We got lucky as Maze came sort of potty-trained. He would stand by the door every time he needed to go potty or take a pee. It was nice but the biggest challenge was to have him use the bathroom on bad weather days. He would simply refuse to use the bathroom as he was used to using the green grass or woods for his business.
Result- he would end up soiling the floor and carpet. Enter Hartz® Male Wraps. On days it is raining or when we have to travel we just wrap the Hartz® Male Wrap around Maze and voila - no soiling the floor. He seems to be pretty comfortable wearing it and no trouble peeing in it.
Why do we like the Hartz® Male Wrap? - The specialized design of Hartz® Male Wraps follows the natural contours of your dog's waist, providing superior comfort and fit for leak-proof protection. It contains Hartz® FlashDry® technology, which instantly turns urine into gel, ensuring your pet stays dry for up to 6 hours. The patented, repositionable Comfort Hold Strip accommodates dogs of all shapes and sizes to ensure the most flexible and customizable fit.
I am so glad we tried it and I would highly recommend it to all new dog families. These are available now on Amazon, Chewy.com, and Walmart.com.
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