These fuzzy balls of joy (and poop) don’t come with an owner’s manual, so here’s the lowdown on your new best friend.
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You will need to puppy-proof your house.
This means tucking electrical cords out of sight, keeping shoes and other items off the floor, securing the trashcan in an out-of-reach area, and keeping all small items like hair ties, rubber bands, bobby pins, loose change, yarn and dental floss, jewelry, and even socks away from the edges of tables or counters.
It's also a good idea to keep the bathroom door closed and off-limits to your puppy. Puppy gates are an easy way to section off areas of your home.
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You need a license for your puppy.
Most states have some version of leash laws and license laws. Check with your local authorities for what you need in order to legally keep your puppy. Most dog licenses are reasonably priced, need to be renewed annually, and come with a tag that should be on your dog's collar at all times. In many counties, the cost of the license goes back to the local animal shelter, so your money helps provide homes and services for other pets in need.
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Your puppy needs ID.
One of the first purchases for your new puppy should be a well-fitted collar with a tag that includes their name and your contact information. And a permanent microchip is also a great investment. The chip is coded with a unique number that is linked to your puppy's name and your contact information, and gives lost dogs a far greater chance of being returned home.
The chip gets inserted with a needle under your puppy's skin between their shoulder blades, and can be read by a special scanner so that veterinarians and animal shelters across the US can scan stray animals that are brought in.
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