You will mess most of these up. We did. Here is the consolidated list so you have fewer panicked Google searches at 2am.
Food + water
- Switching food cold turkey (always transition over 7 days)
- Free-feeding instead of scheduled meals
- Giving table scraps you will regret later
- Not measuring portions
- Forgetting fresh water every morning
Walks + exercise
- Walking too far on day one
- Letting them off-leash too soon
- Skipping walks when it is raining
- Pulling on the leash when they pull
- Not bringing water in summer
Training + behavior
- Punishing accidents (just clean and move on)
- Inconsistent commands
- Letting bad habits slide "just this once"
- Underestimating crate training
- Skipping obedience class
Health + grooming
- Skipping the first vet visit
- Forgetting flea/tick prevention
- Bathing too often (dries out their skin)
- Not brushing teeth
- Ignoring nail length
Home setup
- Buying expensive beds before they are house-trained
- Leaving shoes accessible
- Not puppy-proofing electrical cords
- Underestimating shedding
- Not having a paw cleaner by the door
Mindset
- Comparing your dog to other dogs
- Expecting calm before they have had exercise
- Treating training as a phase
- Forgetting they are babies
- Forgetting to enjoy it — these years go fast
Start with the right essentials.
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