Bringing a new puppy home is exciting and a little stressful all at the same time! Some questions you may have are: Where should my puppy sleep? What do they eat? How do I even begin the potty training process?

If this is your first time getting a puppy, or if it’s been a while since you had one, we’ve taken some time to outline a few of the questions you might have and what you will need based on our experience. 

1. Puppy sleeping arrangements

Many people (including us) choose not to sleep with our pets and instead get them a crate where they can cozy up and have their very own nest. However, bringing your puppy to bed with you might be the easiest way to help them adjust to being away from home those first couple of nights. There is no right answer, just what works for your family.

We have also found a playpen to be a useful tool for potty training and sleeping. Especially early on, you don’t want to leave your puppy free to roam the house while you’re gone. We also recommend waiting to crate train until after 4 months old (they are usually a lot more emotionally & mentally ready for the training when they’re a little older!)

The crate should be of sufficient size to allow them space to move around a bit but not so large that it encourages accidents. This crate has been our favorite, the size is 24″ x 18″ x 19″. This one fits in the back of a small 4-door car for road trips too. It also comes apart and folds flat for easy storage, and has a removable plastic bottom for easy cleaning (see pictures below).

A smaller crate might be useful for the first 4-9 months, however.

You can get all fancy with their crate bedding or choose to keep it simple, like a couple blankets or a simple crate bed. It’s important to note that a dog shouldn’t be kept cooped up in a crate for hours on end. Doggies need a regular restroom break and most of all lots of love and attention!

2. Puppy/Adult food

Your puppy is eating Acana Puppy food, (pictured below) it is made by a Canadian company that really seems to take pride in their quality wholesome ingredients.  We have been using it for years and are very pleased. It’s free of those filler ingredients (grains, potatoes) and is GMO free.

As a side note: We have seen the study that came out a couple years ago about grain free food and heart problems, however dachshunds aren’t in that list of breeds that were affected (and frankly we have seen such a low incidence of allergies and any health issues in general we feel the pros still outweigh the cons if any in this case!) Our vet agrees but I know other vets do recommend other brands. Please check with your vet or do the research when choosing what brand of food to feed your puppy. The cheapest option is usually NOT the way to go. Don’t worry, these guys eat so little they won’t be eating you out of house and home 🙂 Puppies eat 2 Tbs, morning and night and even as adults ours get 1/4 cup morning and night.

3. Supplements

We use NuVet Plus wafers for our adults and new puppies, and have been very happy with the product. NuVet Plus is a synergistic combination of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals known to boost immune system function. All of NuVet Labs’ ingredients are sourced in the United States, manufactured in a human-grade U.S. FDA registered pharmaceutical laboratory, and cold processed to maximize the potency of the nutrients. NuVet Labs has been in business since 1997 and has never had a product recall.  By including NuVet Plus® into your puppy’s daily diet, you can be confident that you are providing the nutrients required for optimal immune system performance. Our puppies are protected with a 1 year health guarantee if you decide to use this product as well, feel free to contact us for more information on our health guarantee.  To order, go to www.nuvet.com and use order code: 48029

Our puppies also receive this supplement by NaturVet that we’ve grown to love, its a digestive enzyme and pre-and pro-biotic to promote gut health.

4. Puppy potty training

The first thing we want to remind you is, potty training is a process. A very. long. process. When we first became dachshund owners, we both expected our puppy to catch on in the first couple weeks. Then a month went by. And two. Accidents became less and less frequent but we still couldn’t fully trust our dog even at 6 months old! Since then we’ve also had dachshunds catch on to potty training alot quicker.

This isn’t a whole expose on potty training, that’s for another time and place. (Feel free to Google or YouTube the topic, there are some really great resources out there!) However, something to keep in mind when you’re choosing how to potty train is that these particular type of dachshunds have sweet, mild temperaments and as such can be more sensitive to discipline. Spanking is not advised, as they can become timid and begin to piddle when they get nervous or excited.

Our words of advice on this topic are, be patient, be consistent, and use positive reinforcement. And get yourself a large bottle of this stuff 😉 it’s literally a lifesaver for cleaning all those little accidents in the early goings. We’ve even used it on existing tough carpet stains, and it’s supposed to be safe for use around dogs and kids. You can find this almost anywhere (Petsmart, Amazon etc)

5. Bathtime

Feel free to bathe as often as needed. Puppies tend to get into things that make more frequent baths a necessity at times. Bathing a puppy can be hard on their skin and can throw the oils on their coat off, so don’t over do it. If you use any aloe/oatmeal natural based dog shampoo they should be just fine with frequent baths. We don’t currently have a recommended puppy shampoo.

6. Leash/Harness/Collar

We have seen collars and harnesses that work really well on dachshunds. We don’t recommend a particular brand, there are all kinds of styles to choose from out there though.

We also like using the Flex leashes (see below), where you have the option to pick a longer or shorter leash length with the click of a button. Great for when you’re first leash-training your puppy.

7. Teeth

Regular teeth brushing is important, but we also love Greenies! Or I should say our dogs love them haha. You can find these at Costco or online as well. They are great for just everyday treats or when they need some help with their puppy breath 🙂 Greenies are recommended for puppies 6 months and older.

Other important notes:

The first couple of nights away from mommy and siblings can be tough on a young puppy, so do spend as much time as you can with them holding and loving on them. Crying and whining are to expected.

Don’t have alot of visitors over in the first few days if possible, and keep them confined to one or two rooms in the house until they become acclimated to their new environment. They might cry the first night or two. We’ve found putting a stuffed animal in their bed at night can help comfort them if you’re not able to bring them to bed with you.

Most of all, enjoy getting to know your little bundle of fur! You have a new best friend for life, and you will always be their hero 🙂