Puppies are adorable, aren’t they? There’s nothing quite like a little lump of fur and puppy breath bumbling around the house and trying to eat your shoes. The first few days and weeks can be rewarding and exhausting as your new best friend adapts to your life and you adapt to cleaning up bathroom accidents. Then there are the baby howls when you are away, demands for attention at all hours and taking walks which require stops to sniff new things every few steps. So when is the best time to get a puppy?
Despite all these new responsibilities, the best time to get a puppy can be an amazing time and although you can adopt a puppy at any time of the year, doing it in the spring time can make the whole experience that much easier and smoother for everyone involved. Here are a few reasons why spring is the best time for puppy adoption.
In Spring, it’s getting warmer…
It’s warmer for your puppy outdoors, and it’s warmer for you. Until you’ve had to stand outside in the snow, the cold and/or rain, begging your little dog to go to the toilet, you have no idea how miserable potty training can be when you have a new dog. Better to do that when the sun is shining and it’s warm enough to make the experience somewhat pleasant for both of you. Pick a time when, and keep to the schedule, when potty training, and enjoy the gentle, warm Minnesota Spring breezes.
The warmer weather is good for a number of other reasons as well. A new puppy will be away from its mother and siblings for the first time and away from their warmth at night. Although you can use a number of tricks to help keep your them warm, it’s easier if the weather is cooperating to help as well.
Longer days Allows for More Puppy Training
Longer, sunny days mean more time for walks and puppy training. And you will be doing a lot of both if you want your puppy to have even a minimum level of good manners. The longer days mean you can walk them after work or even after dinner or give them several small walks during the day to help with the potty training. Every trip outside helps, particularly if you like your carpet.
You get time off to train and get to know one another
That’s the great part of spring isn’t it? People having time off. Kids at school and their parents tend to have breaks over the spring/summer season and this makes it the perfect time to take on the training and care of a pup. So take advantage of those vacation days and spend them with your new member of the family. Enjoy those late afternoon strolls or romps at a dog park
There might be more puppies available in spring
It’s the natural cycle for animal breeding. In order to maximize survival, baby animals are usually born in early spring so they have the longest time to grow and get strong before winter sets in. This obviously doesn’t always apply in our modern world with heaters and controlled breeding, but with some breeds of dogs it still does. This could mean that there will be more choice and lower prices (even better : please read up about puppies for adoption in Minnesota here: http://www.tailsrescue.org/animals/browse?Species=Dog. It’s worth a try!
Puppies are a rewarding and exhausting addition to the family that can supply many years of fun, companionship and laughs. By adopting your new family member in spring you can take advantage of the season when teaching your new puppy how to behave and enjoy the great outdoors at the same time. .
When you’ve become familiar with your puppy, and them with you, it’s time to consider a doggy boarding facility when you need to return to work or the pup is old enough. Please chat with a Dog Day Getaway staff member about dog daycare or boarding.