Welcoming a new litter of puppies into the world is exciting, but the work doesn’t stop there for dog breeders. Preparing your new litter of puppies for their new homes is an important job and one that can get overlooked by less reputable breeders. Today we are going to take a look at some health evaluations, training practices, and socialization techniques that will help your new litter make a smooth transition to their forever homes.
Puppy Socialization
Socialization is one of the most important steps in preparing your new litter of puppies to join their new families. Socializing a puppy means introducing it to people, other animals, and situations that will allow it to behave well and be confident in the real world. It is a common misconception that a puppy’s socialization is up to the new owner; puppies best handle new experiences between 3 and 12 weeks old.
Puppy socialization can occur at your home, by arranging puppy playdates, or traveling to meet new people. As long as your litter of puppies is regularly being introduced to new people, animals, and experiences, you will be preparing them for successful transitions to their new homes.
Crate Training
Another important step in preparing your puppies for their new homes is crate training. Crate training provides puppies with a safe place when they are feeling overwhelmed by the world around them and is a big help during the potty training process. Crate training can also help prevent problem behaviors like chewing on furniture and other valuables.
The most important aspect of crate training is making the crate a safe place where dogs can calm down and ease their anxiety. If you put your puppy in the crate as punishment, they will see the crate as a negative space.
Obedience Training
Obedience training is something that most puppy buyers won’t expect, but it can be a great bonus and develop your reputation as a breeder. Veterinarians recommend that puppies begin obedience training at 7-8 weeks old. At this age, they can learn basic cues like sit, stay, and come. Getting your litter of puppies started on obedience training early is a great way to prepare them for new homes and can also be a great sales tool.
Obedience training varies from puppy to puppy and breed to breed, and the Lancaster Puppies blog is filled with obedience training tips to get you started.
House Training
House training your litter is essential to prepare them for being welcomed into new homes. Puppy buyers go through a lot of change as they welcome their new furry friends into their families; alleviating the stress of house training can help ease the transition.
Puppy potty training is an involved process and can vary depending on your puppies’ temperaments and breed. We have put together a comprehensive potty training guide that will help you and your puppies get house-trained before they move into their forever homes.
What to Send Along With Your Puppies
This is an aspect of puppy sales that isn’t talked about very often, but we always encourage our featured breeders to send puppy buyers home with a goodie bag to help ease them into puppy parenting. This bag should always include things like medical records, vaccine information, spaying or neutering documentation, breeder contracts, and pedigree information.
We also encourage breeders to add some extras that are more related to the puppies' comfort and transitions. Things like a small bag of food, a leash, a collar, and a few toys can go a long way in transitioning the puppy and developing a positive relationship with the buyer.
Are you looking for loving homes for your next litter of puppies? Create an account and begin listing on Lancaster Puppies to find the perfect homes for your puppies.