Once You Arrive Home
As soon as you arrive home with your new puppy, reattach the collar or harness and leash and walk him around the yard. This will be his first contact with the smells of his new home. Give him time to sniff and investigate, to relieve himself, and to play a little. After he has sufficiently stretched his legs, you can take him inside.
Supervision
Once you enter the house with your pup, your biggest responsibility begins. Your pup should be either under the watchful eye of a responsible person or secure in his safe area or crate at all times. One good way to keep the puppy close is to tether him to you with a leash. This way, as you move from room to room, the puppy automatically comes with you. This arrangement doesn't mean you can otherwise ignore the pup — he could be chewing the leash or the corner of the couch if you aren't watching. You must also watch where you're walking when the pup is attached to you. He will be tiny enough to easily crawl underfoot. If you trip over him, one or both of you could get hurt.
Spend a lot of time interacting with your new puppy rather than just sitting passively and watching him. He'll be missing the company of his mother and littermates, so you need to fill that gap. Get down on the floor and cuddle with him. Play with toys together — even puppies can fetch. Or hold your pup on your lap and practice gently brushing him. This will help him get accustomed to grooming early on.
It's never too early to start training. Your puppy can begin learning the commands “Sit,” “Down,” “Come,” and more as soon as he's had a chance to settle in. (See Chapter 15 for details.) Don't believe anyone who tells you that a dog has to be six months old, or any other age, before you can start training. With positive methods, training can begin before a pup even leaves his mother.
While young, your puppy will alternate between being a vivacious ball of fun and a tuckered-out little tike. He will become so excited during playtime that he will quickly wear himself out. When you see him start to slow down during playtime, take him out for a potty break and then put him in his crate to nap. While he's asleep, you're off duty — but this break won't last long. As the puppy grows older, these restful naptimes will decrease, and your pup will have a more constant supply of energy. Brace yourself!
Choosing a Name
If your pup is from a breeder, she will already have a “paper” name. This is her official name registered with the AKC or other kennel club. This name likely includes the breeder's kennel name and is rather long and involved, something like Preston Bay Sparkling Sensation n' Sass. Chances are, you're not going to spit this out every time you want to call your dog. Some people choose a part of the paper name — Sass — or some variation on the name — Sparkle — as the dog's name for everyday use. Others choose an entirely original name that has nothing to do with the paper name. Whatever you choose to do, be sure to have a name picked out before you pick up your pup.
Choose a name for your dog that's short — one or two syllables — and that won't be confused with any other names in your household. If you have a spouse called Charlie, don't name your pup Harley, or they'll never be certain which one you're calling. Likewise, if you plan to use the word “no” in the dog's training, a name like Snow might confuse the dog.
If your pup is from a rescue group or a shelter, you may or may not know any prior name given to the dog. Even if you do know the name previously used, unless you know the history of the dog (it is the pet of a now-deceased owner or a retired show dog, for example), you may want to choose a new name anyway.
