Well-the holidays are over and you’re back at work.  If you’re like me, you’re happy to be back into a routine…unless, of course, you or your children or your wife or your husband or boyfriend or significant other or roommate or, really, anybody you know got a puppy during the holidays.  If you’ve got a puppy, you’re mumbling to yourself in your sleep deprived, exhausted tone – “what routine?”

Puppies are cute – and it’s a good thing!  Puppies are a lot (and I mean a LOT) of work.  A new member of your family, much like an infant, needs constant attention, nurturing, guidance and potties.

We’ve been there and while we’re not formally educated in puppyhood, we’ve learned much through our journeys.   Hopefully by sharing our stories(through pictures), we can help you navigate these super cute yet exhausting times.

Potty Time:  Puppies potty – a lot.  There’s a bit of a standard estimation that puppies can hold their potty for about 1 hour for every two months of age.  That would mean that a 2 month old puppy should potty about once per hour.  This, of course, is an estimate and your specific puppy may not adhere to this clock very closely.  Some things that may alter this standard are; breed, sex (of the puppy); weather (outside); access to training pads; furkid siblings and so much more.

All that said – what happens when you have to go to work for 8 hours?  That’s no less than 4 potty breaks for your new little furkid.  Are you sprinting home on your breaks and at lunch?  Have you gone out to dinner recently?  We can help – now and in the future!

Crate Training:  Not every furparent wants to crate train their puppy – we get that.  If you do, how’s it going? If you’re sailing through this process – congrats! What you are doing is working or your furkid is easy going or some combination of both.  If you are struggling, here are a few key things we’ve learned –

• Is the crate open and close by when you’re just hanging out?
  • If your furkid is happy to hang out there (door opened and closed) while you’re cooking or watching TV or whatever, it will become a safe happy place for them.
• Does the crate have a “home” in your home?
  • Furkids like routine.  If the crate is moving all the time the happy & safe place we’re hoping they view it as is harder to build – same smells, sights from inside the crate, etc.  Routine is good for doggies.
• Does the crate fit the puppy?
  • If your puppy is tiny now but going to grow big and massive – did you buy the crate for later and not now?  Consider purchasing another crate for now (and later and later and later if your puppy is going to grow a LOT).  If your puppy can stand up, turn around in and lay comfortably down in the crate – it’s big enough.  If they can have a party in their crate it’s likely they’re not going to call it their “home” and use it as their potty and shred bin for when they get bored.  Cozy and comfortable worked for us!
• How long is your puppy crated?
  • Remember, puppies have to potty….a lot.  And they need lots of love and even more guidance.  If you’re leaving your puppy in the crate for longer than they can hold their potty – nobody’s having a good time and nobody is going to learn to like their safe little spot.  It’s going to be the place where they cry and cry and cry because they have to potty and then….and then they have to cry while laying in their potty.  Who wants to do that?!   Here’s where we can help – we can help you manage your busy schedule and your puppy’s potty times!

We know puppies are a ton of work.  We also know how absolutely 1 million percent it’s worth it.  We are here to help you get through these first few months and then we’ll be a safe face when you want to take a vacation or need to travel for work.